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Cause of Shortness of Breath, Symptoms and Remedies

Shortness of breath occurs when there is difficulty in taking in enough air to breathe. It can vary from mild to severe. Although shortness of breath is relatively common, it can be uncomfortable and upsetting.

Breathing has a nurturing effect on emotions such as joy-sadness, happiness-unhappiness, anger-calm, fear-courage. The body preserves natural emotions, natural thoughts, natural forces and also the health of the organs with natural breathing. Because breathing creates harmony between the cells of the body and substances taken into the body such as oxygen, water and food.

Considering all of these factors, we can say that breathing is a force that nourishes health and thought.

If we pay attention to how a baby breathes, we see that its belly swells when it inhales (Haaay) and draws in when it exhales (Huuu). This breathing is called natural breathing. A crying child makes a sound by exhaling, healthy children talk by exhaling. This is the natural way of breathing and speaking and should be like this throughout life.

In a person who breathes naturally, all segments of the lungs participate in the breathing activity and this strongly activates the diaphragm.

The movements of the diaphragm massage the chest and abdominal organs, facilitate blood circulation, and keep the organs strong, healthy and clean. The diaphragm has also been called the "second heart" due to its great importance.

However, when shortness of breath is not a symptom of a more serious condition, it is possible to produce a solution for the question of what is good for shortness of breath at home.

What Causes Shortness of Breath?

Some people may experience shortness of breath suddenly and for a short time. Others may experience it more regularly. Regular shortness of breath may have a common cause, or it may be the result of a more serious underlying condition. Momentary shortness of breath may mean a person needs immediate treatment.

Occasional shortness of breath may be due to:

• Excessive weight or obesity
• Smoking
• Exposure to airborne allergens or pollutants
• Extreme temperatures
• Strong exercise
• Anxiety
• Underlying causes

The heart and lungs help transport oxygen throughout the body and get rid of carbon dioxide. Therefore, conditions that affect their function can also affect a person's breathing. Momentary shortness of breath may occur.

Causes of shortness of breath that affect the heart and lungs include:

• Asthma
• Anemia
• COPD (Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease)
• Abnormal heart function
• Lung cancer
• Lung conditions such as pleurisy or tuberculosis
• Acute causes

Acute or momentary causes of shortness of breath that should prompt you to seek medical emergency care include:

• Severe allergic reaction
• Drowning
• Heart failure
• Heart attack
• An enlarged heart
• Blood clot in the lungs
• Lung inflammation
• Carbon monoxide poisoning
• A foreign object in the lungs

Symptoms of Shortness of Breath

Dyspnea is the medical term for shortness of breath. People who experience dyspnea have difficulty breathing. They may also experience tightness in the chest due to shortness of breath. They may feel dizzy if they cannot get enough oxygen into their lungs.

If these symptoms last longer than a month, the person may have chronic shortness of breath.

What is Good for Shortness of Breath?

People who experience shortness of breath can make breathing easier at home with herbal or various methods if they know what is causing this condition and if it does not require medical or emergency intervention.

Deep Breathing

Deep abdominal breathing can help with your complaints of shortness of breath for a moment. Deep breathing exercises are done as follows:

• Lie down and place your hands on your stomach.
• Inhale deeply through your nose, expand your stomach and allow your lungs to fill with air.
• Hold your breath for a few seconds.
• Exhale slowly through your mouth, emptying your lungs.
• You can do deep breathing exercises several times a day or when you experience shortness of breath. Try to breathe slowly, easily and deeply, not quickly.

There is little scientific evidence for deep breathing exercises, but research is ongoing.

Deep breathing exercises are risky when done incorrectly. Research shows that deep breathing exercises can be more harmful than helpful when performed incorrectly by people with or without shortness of breath.

For example, in some people with serious chronic respiratory conditions, deep breathing exercises can lead to hyperinflation, which occurs when an increase in lung volume prevents efficient airflow through the body.

Other risks of deep breathing exercises include decreased diaphragm strength and increased shortness of breath.

If possible, perform deep breathing exercises with the help of a trained professional to reduce potential risks.

Pursed Lip Breathing

Another breathing exercise that can help with shortness of breath is lip breathing. Pursing or pinching your lips while breathing helps to reduce shortness of breath by slowing down the rate of breathing. It is especially helpful if shortness of breath is caused by anxiety.

Here is how to do pursed lip breathing for shortness of breath:

• Sit upright in a chair with your shoulders relaxed.
• Press your lips together, leaving a small space between them.
• Inhale through your nose for a few seconds.
• Exhale gently through pursed lips for four seconds.
• Repeat this breathing pattern several times.

When you feel short of breath, you can try this exercise and repeat it throughout the day until you feel better.

The evidence for pursed lip breathing is weak. Research into its effectiveness is ongoing.

Sit with your chest forward to breathe easily

When you are short of breath, leaning forward while sitting in a chair can help relax your body and make breathing easier.

• Sit in a chair with your feet flat on the floor, leaning your chest forward slightly.
• Gently place your elbows on your knees or hold your chin with your hands. Remember to relax your neck and shoulder muscles.

Get Support from the Table by Leaning Your Chest Forward

When you experience shortness of breath, get support from the table by leaning your chest forward to breathe comfortably.

When you have shortness of breath, if you have a table and chair around you, you can do the sitting position as seen in the figure to breathe comfortably.

• Sit on a chair and turn to a table with your feet flat on the floor.
• Lean your chest forward slightly and lean your arms on the table.
• Rest your head on your forearms or a pillow.

Stand with Your Back Against the Wall

When you experience shortness of breath, stand with your back against the wall to breathe comfortably.

When you experience shortness of breath, standing helps relax your body and airways.

• Stand with your back to the wall.
• First lean against the wall with your hips and then your back.
• Keep your feet shoulder-width apart.
• Place your hands on your legs.
• With your shoulders relaxed, lean forward slightly and swing your arms in front of you.

Sleep in a Comfortable Position

Many people experience shortness of breath while sleeping. This can cause you to wake up frequently, which can reduce the quality and duration of your sleep.

• Try sleeping with your back straight, a pillow between your legs, and your head elevated with pillows. Or lie on your back with a pillow under your knees, your head elevated, and your knees bent.
• Both of these positions help relax your body and airways, making it easier to breathe.

Ask your doctor if you have sleep apnea. If necessary, use a nasal CPAP device.

Diaphragmatic Breathing

The diaphragm is a large muscle that sits under the lungs. It helps move air in and out of the lungs.

Normal breathing is relatively short and does not use the full capacity of the lungs. Diaphragmatic breathing is a deep breathing exercise that fully engages the diaphragm and increases the efficiency of the lungs.

The diaphragmatic breathing method is as follows:

• Sit upright in a chair with your shoulders, head and neck relaxed.
• Place your hand on your stomach.
• Breathe in slowly through your nose. You should feel your stomach move under your hand.
• Tighten your muscles as you exhale. You should feel your stomach pressing inward. Exhale through your mouth with your lips pursed.
• Try to hold your exhale for a long time. Continue to exhale for a longer time than normal before slowly inhaling again.
• Repeat for 5 minutes.

Use a Fan

A 2010 study found that using a handheld fan to blow air through the nose and face can help reduce shortness of breath.

Another study found that cold air can help relieve shortness of breath. Turning a small handheld fan toward your face may help your symptoms.

Feeling the force of the air as you breathe in can make it feel like more air is entering your body. Therefore, this remedy may be effective in reducing shortness of breath.

If you have a serious underlying medical condition, using a fan may not improve shortness of breath.

In another study, researchers found no clear benefit from using fan therapy, although it did seem to help some groups.

More studies and more in-depth medical conditions are needed to determine who might benefit from this remedy. If you don’t have shortness of breath due to a medical condition, you can try it, as it has no side effects.

Steam Inhalation

Breathing in steam helps to clear the nasal passages, which helps you breathe more easily. The heat and moisture from the steam can also break up mucus in the lungs, which can help reduce shortness of breath. Inhaling the steam, especially from a chamomile tea, opens up blocked nasal passages and breaks up mucus in the sinuses.

• Fill a bowl with very hot water.
• Add a few drops of peppermint or eucalyptus oil.
• Hold your face over the bowl and place a towel over your head.
• Take deep breaths to inhale the steam.
• Do not put your face in boiling water, as the steam can scald your skin.

Drinking Black Coffee

Drinking coffee can help relieve shortness of breath because the caffeine in it can reduce tension in the muscles in a person’s airway.

A 2010 review found that caffeine improves airway function in people with asthma. Drinking black, freshly ground coffee can help you breathe easier when you’re short of breath.

Remember, drinking too much coffee can increase your heart rate. If you don’t drink a lot of coffee, be mindful of your caffeine intake when trying this remedy.

Eating Fresh Ginger

Eating fresh ginger or drinking fresh ginger juice mixed in a glass of water may help reduce shortness of breath caused by respiratory tract infections.

One study suggests that ginger may be effective in combating respiratory syncytial virus, a common cause of respiratory tract infections.

Honey and Black Cumin Mixture

If black cumin is mixed with honey and drunk, it dissolves kidney and bladder stones, relieves pain and aches, cuts phlegm, and is good for shortness of breath.

Onion Treatment

Many phytochemicals and other nutrients in onions work together to provide synergistic health benefits throughout the body. For example, research has shown that eating onions can provide the following benefits:

• Prevent inflammatory processes associated with asthma
• Reduce symptoms associated with diabetes
• Lower cholesterol and triglyceride levels
• Reduce symptoms associated with osteoporosis and improve bone health
• Protect gastrointestinal health by feeding beneficial bacteria
• Reduce HIV replication
• Reduced risk of neurodegenerative disorders
• Reduce your risk of cataract formation
• Antimicrobial properties that may help reduce the rate of foodborne illness
• Improve intestinal flora, increased absorption of calcium and magnesium, thanks to the fructans it contains
• Antibacterial and antifungal properties
• Lower risk of certain types of cancer

For shortness of breath, you can apply the onion treatment given below.

• One medium-sized onion is finely chopped.
• Mixed with 100 grams of honey, left for 3 hours and then strained.
• Drink one tablespoon 3-5 times a day.
• Or
• Mix equal amounts of onion juice and natural honey and drink 50 grams morning and evening.

Anise Tea

Anise tea increases breast milk. Increases urine output, stops vomiting and diarrhea. Calms the nerves. Stops migraine pain. Eliminates brain fatigue. Eliminates complaints of asthma, shortness of breath and bronchitis, stops coughing. Anise enlarges the breasts. It makes the breasts of young girls full and firm. In the elderly, it prevents sagging breasts.

Lemon Balm (Melissa Plant)

Lemon Balm, also known as lemon balm. It is from the same family as mint. It is a plant native to Western Asia, North Africa and Europe, but can be grown everywhere. Tea brewed from lemon balm has a calming effect. Lemon balm is used as follows:

• Sipping freshly squeezed lemon balm juice
• Drinking lemon balm tea
• Eating fresh lemon balm by crushing it
• Eating dry lemon balm by soaking it
• Swallowing crushed dry lemon balm with water
• Consuming lemon balm in the ways listed above strengthens the heart, relieves heart palpitations and shortness of breath.

Using Rosemary Apple Cider Vinegar

It dissolves spasms in the heart and other organs, and is the best vascular cleansing medicine for those who have shortness of breath. It dilates the brain, heart vessels and all other vessels, and relaxes breathing.

• 3 tablespoons of rosemary are roughly ground or pounded.
• It is mixed with 500 grams of homemade apple cider vinegar.
• It is closed and left for 7 days.
• 30 grams of this vinegar is mixed with water every day for 14 days and drunk on an empty stomach 1-2 times a day.

Everyone needs this medicine after the age of 40. It must be used for 1-2 months every year.

Peppermint Oil

Inhaling the oil, which you apply gently under your nose, helps open your sinuses. It can provide relief from a sore throat. Peppermint is an expectorant. It helps open your airways, clear mucus, and reduce congestion. It is one of the most powerful oils for colds, flu, coughs, sinusitis, asthma, bronchitis, and other respiratory conditions.

Laboratory studies show that the compounds found in peppermint oil have antimicrobial, antiviral, and antioxidant properties, meaning they can help fight infections that cause symptoms in the respiratory tract.

Here is a homemade, soothing peppermint oil cream recipe that you can easily make at home for shortness of breath:

• Peppermint oil
• Coconut oil
• Eucalyptus oil
• Mix equal amounts, apply 3-5 drops topically to your chest, temples, and the back of your neck, gently massaging.

A laboratory study published in the European Journal of Medical Research found that menthol exhibited potential therapeutic efficacy for the treatment of chronic inflammatory disorders such as allergic rhinitis, colitis, and bronchial asthma.

To relieve seasonal allergy symptoms, use peppermint and eucalyptus oil to scent several spots around the house or apply 2-3 drops of the oil topically to your temples, chest, and back of your neck.

Identifying and Reducing Triggers That Cause Shortness of Breath

Depending on the cause of shortness of breath, there may be lifestyle changes a person can make to avoid triggers and relieve symptoms. Here are some things you can do to relieve shortness of breath:

• Quit smoking and avoiding tobacco smoke
• Avoiding exposure to pollutants, allergens, and environmental toxins
• Lose weight if you are obese or overweight
• Avoid exertion at high altitudes
• Stay healthy by eating well, getting enough sleep, and seeing a doctor for any underlying medical conditions
• Stick to recommended treatment plans for any underlying conditions, such as asthma, COPD, or bronchitis
• Remember, only a doctor can accurately diagnose the cause of your shortness of breath.

Should You See a Doctor for Shortness of Breath?

If a person is concerned about shortness of breath or doesn't know the cause, they should talk to a doctor for advice.

CALL EMERGENCY SERVICES, UNLOCK THE DOOR AND SIT STILL IF YOU EXPERIENCE THE FOLLOWING.

IF YOU ARE HAVING A SUDDEN MEDICAL EMERGENCY

IF YOU ARE NOT GETTING ENOUGH OXYGEN

IF YOU ARE EXPERIENCED WITH CHEST PAIN

We recommend that you make an appointment with your doctor if you experience the following:

• Frequent or persistent shortness of breath
• Waking up at night with difficulty breathing
• Experiencing wheezing (a whistling sound when breathing) or tightness in your throat
• Swollen feet and ankles
• Difficulty breathing when lying flat
• High fever with chills and cough
• Worsening shortness of breath