Feeling severe difficulty breathing when climbing stairs, walking a little fast, or even just sitting down—this is a serious problem that bothers many people. Scientifically, it is called dyspnea. Shortness of breath is the main warning that the body shows when enough oxygen does not reach our lungs or heart properly. Here are the 5 main scientific reasons behind this:
Asthma and swelling of the bronchial tubes: The most important scientific cause of shortness of breath is asthma. In this condition, due to hereditary factors or allergies, the muscles around the bronchial tubes tighten and there is severe swelling inside. Along with this, the thick mucus fills up, causing the airways to become very narrow and a ‘wheezing’ sound is made when breathing.
COPD: Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) is a serious condition that occurs in long-term smokers and those exposed to air pollution. In this, the air sacs in the lungs (alveoli) are permanently damaged and lose their elasticity. This reduces the body’s ability to absorb oxygen and leads to chronic severe shortness of breath.
Heart Conditions: Shortness of breath is not always a lung problem. When the heart’s pumping capacity decreases (Heart Failure) or when there are blockages in the blood vessels in the heart (Coronary Artery Disease), the heart has to work harder to pump blood throughout the body. During this time, blood backs up into the lungs (Pulmonary Edema) and this causes severe shortness of breath even when lying down.
Allergies and Air Pollution (Respiratory Allergies): Continuous inhalation of dust particles, mold, pet dander, smoke in the air, and the smell of chemicals irritates the respiratory system. To protect against these foreign substances, the body releases a chemical called histamine, which causes the airways to narrow rapidly, causing shortness of breath.
Severe Anemia: The oxygen we breathe in is carried to all the cells in the body by hemoglobin. When the hemoglobin level is severely reduced due to iron deficiency or vitamin deficiency (Anemia), the body tries to breathe faster to deliver enough oxygen to the cells. This is what causes severe shortness of breath even when doing small tasks.
