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Compliments of American Academy Of  Family Physicians

Shortness of Breath

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This worrisome symptom has many acute and chronic causes. Follow this flowchart for more information about the diseases in which shortness of breath occurs.


 

SYMPTOMS   DIAGNOSIS   SELF-CARE
Begin here        
1. Is the person an infant or child? Yes --> See Shortness of Breath in a Child or Infant.    
No, go down        
2. Do you have a fever with the shortness of breath? Yes --> Go to Question 8.*    
No, go down        
3. Do you have episodes of shortness of breath along with wheezing and/or cough? Yes --> Your shortness of breath may be from ASTHMA or an INFECTION that causes narrowing of the bronchial tubes. --> Serious episodes of shortness of breath and wheezing are EMERGENCIES. See your doctor right away. Treating the viral illness with cold medicine and over-the-counter inhalers can help bring comfort after you see your doctor.
No, go down        
4. Have you been exposed to years of fumes, dusts or cigarette smoke and has the shortness of breath been slowly getting worse? Yes --> Your symptoms suggest a chronic problem such as EMPHYSEMA or CHRONIC OBSTRUCTIVE LUNG DISEASE. --> See your doctor.
No, go down        
5. Have you worked in or around asbestos, silos, wood dust, industrial fumes or in a coal mine? Yes --> OCCUPATIONAL LUNG DISEASE may be the cause of your symptoms, and it is made worse if you're a smoker. --> Stop smoking if you smoke and get away from the industrial fumes or dusts. See your doctor.
No, go down        
6. Do you also have swelling of the feet and ankles, and does breathing worsen when you like down flat? Yes --> CONGESTIVE HEART FAILURE may cause fluid to build up in the lungs and feet. --> See your doctor.
No, go down        
7. Do you also have fatigue and pale skin color? Yes --> You may have ANEMIA, with insufficient red cells to carry oxygen to the body. --> See your doctor.
No, go down        
*8. Are you tired all the time and do you have a dry cough and occasionally some chest discomfort? Yes --> INTERSTITIAL LUNG DISEASE or SARCOIDOSIS may be your problem. Your immune system may be damaging your lungs and causing your shortness of breath. --> See your doctor.
No, go down        
9. Do you have numbness or tingling in your hands or around your mouth and/or chest pressure? Yes --> These are symptoms of HYPERVENTILATION, an episode of overbreathing from exercise or emotional distress. --> Relax, breathe into a paper bag held loosely over your face, and contact your doctor if you're no better in 15 minutes.
No, go down        
10. Do you have a cough, maybe with blood in the mucus, and chest discomfort or pain? Yes --> Your symptoms may be from an INFECTION or from a more serious problem, LUNG CANCER. --> Blood-tinged mucus should always be checked by your doctor.
No, go down        
11. Do you have a sudden and severe shortness of breath? Yes --> Sudden symptoms like this may mean you have a PNEUMOTHORAX, air around the lung. Or a blood clot may have moved from your leg to your lung, a condition called a PULMONARY EMBOLISM. --> EMERGENCY
Both of these problems need attention right away at the nearest emergency room.
No, go down        
12. Do you have a low-grade fever? No --> Go to Question 16.**    
Yes, go down        
13. Have you recently had surgery or a fractured rib and have a dry cough? Yes --> You may have a partial lung collapse, called ATELECTASIS. --> Use deep breathing exercises or blow up balloons. See your doctor if this doesn't help or if the low-grade fever continues.
No, go down        
14. Do you have flu or cold symptoms and a cough that produces mucus? Yes --> Your symptoms may be those of BRONCHITIS. --> Use cold or flu medicines and analgesics for the discomfort. See your doctor if the symptoms last more than 48 hours.
No, go down        
15. Do you have enlarged lymph nodes or weight loss along with the mild fever, cough, and shortness of breath? Yes --> Your infection may be from a FUNGUS, such as HISTOPLASMOSIS. --> See your doctor.
No, go down        
**16. Do you have a high fever with a cough producing colored mucus or sputum? Yes --> You may have PNEUMONIA, a serious lung infection. --> URGENT
See your doctor right away.
No, go down        
17. Do you have high fevers, chest pain, chills and a cough that produces a pus-like material? Yes --> You may have a LUNG ABSCESS. --> URGENT
See your doctor promptly.
No, go down        
For more information, please consult your doctor. If you think the problem is serious, call right away.

This tool has been reviewed by doctors and is for general educational purposes only. It is not a substitute for medical advice. The information in this tool should not be relied upon to make decisions about your health. Always consult your family doctor with questions about your individual condition(s) and/or circumstances. Source: American Academy of Family Physicians. Family Health & Medical Guide. Dallas: Word Publishing; 1996.

Copyright © 2006 American Academy of Family Physicians
 

 
 
 

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