Shortness of breath is the uncomfortable feeling that you are running out of air or are not able to breathe deeply enough and feel “air hungry.” The medical term for this is dyspnea, which may occur when walking, climbing stairs, performing daily activities like cooking or cleaning, or even when sitting still. Shortness of breath can come on gradually over weeks or months or happen suddenly.
Key Facts
- Being breathless is sometimes described as feeling "short of breath," "tightness in my chest" or "not getting enough air." It is an uncomfortable feeling that should be treated cautiously, as it may be the sign of a medical problem.
- If chest pain or pressure, fainting or nausea accompanies shortness of breath, you should handle this as a medical emergency and contact 911 or go to your closest hospital.
- Chronic shortness of breath can be managed with the right medication, breathing exercises and physical activity.
What Causes Shortness of Breath?
It is normal for strenuous exercise, extreme temperature change, bad air quality, high altitude, and obesity to make breathing difficult even for a healthy person. But if your breathing has changed suddenly for no obvious reason or is getting slowly worse over time, it may be a sign of a more serious problem. Getting older does not cause shortness of breath, but you may be at greater risk for reasons to become short of breath.
If you are suddenly short of breath, contact your healthcare provider right away. There are many possible causes for this, including:
- Heart attack
- Carbon monoxide poisoning
- Low blood pressure
- Asthma flare-up
- Pneumonia
- Pulmonary embolism (blood clot in the lungs)
- Emotional distress, anxiety or a panic attack
If your symptoms last for four weeks or longer this may be a sign of a chronic health condition. Many conditions can cause chronic shortness of breath including:
- Chronic lung diseases, including COPD, asthma, pulmonary fibrosis and pulmonary hypertension
- Heart disease or congestive heart failure
- Obesity or being overweight
- Poor health or physical deconditioning
How Shortness of Breath Is Diagnosed
If you are concerned about shortness of breath, you should talk to your healthcare provider because it may be a sign of a more serious condition.
Your healthcare provider will start by taking a detailed medical history, a physical exam, and asking questions about when you get short of breath. Your provider will want to know if your shortness of breath
- gets worse with certain triggers (like tobacco smoke) or activities (such as climbing steps)
- happens along with other symptoms like chest pain, dizziness, cough, wheezing, lips turning blue, trouble breathing when you are sleeping or lying down and swelling in your feet and ankles
- comes on suddenly and happens often
- makes it harder to complete your daily activities like shopping, dressing, or bathing
After doing a physical exam and listening to your heart and lungs, your healthcare provider may order additional tests. These tests and procedures may include blood tests, imaging tests such as a chest X-ray or CT scan, lung function tests like spirometry or an echocardiogram.
Treating Shortness of Breath
Treatment depends on what is causing your shortness of breath and how long you have the symptoms. Once you determine the cause, you and your healthcare provider can work together to create a treatment plan.
Your lifestyle may be a cause of your symptoms. If obesity or poor health is the cause, there may be lifestyle changes such as maintaining a healthy diet and regular exercise that can improve your symptoms. Smoking or vaping can worsen symptoms and cause or worsen underlying health conditions like COPD, so it is important to quit and avoid secondhand smoke. Similarly, avoiding indoor and outdoor air pollutants like strong smells or any known triggers can reduce symptoms.
If a lung condition like COPD or pulmonary fibrosis is causing your shortness of breath, you may want to schedule an appointment with a pulmonologist in addition to your primary care provider. There are many ways to manage and treat chronic lung disease. In addition to medication, you and your healthcare provider may discuss attending pulmonary rehabilitation for disease-specific education, exercise, and social support.
Page last updated: February 19, 2026
