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Mysterious shortness of breath: What has helped you?
Lung Health | Last Active: Oct 23 10:20am | Replies (3405)Comment receiving replies
I’m so glad I came across this discussion! I have had the same thing for 3 weeks. I was sitting at home when suddenly I couldn’t take deep breaths. The only thing out of the norm for that day was I went to the gym for a 2nd time in years but was only on the cross trainer at the lowest setting for 30mins. This inability to take deep breaths came on suddenly about 3 hours later. I have been to numerous doctors and emergency rooms. Bloods, chest films, ECG, ECHO, lung function all came back normal. No doctor can tell me what this is. I was told pleurisy, so was on high dose of ibuprofen for a week which gave me bloating and doctor put me on omeprazole. But the ibuprofen didn’t help apart from the first day or two. They then tried antibiotics just in case but no luck. anxiety has also been ruled out. It feels like there is something in the upper part of my chest blocking the air. It also blocks burps from coming up and I am taking peppermint oil and lozenges to relax it. If I change positions it helps and I can breath but very quickly that position will stop working and I have to find another one. Sort of feels like now I have a weight on my chest, possibly from the constant effort to try and expand my chest. I am going on my honeymoon today and was hoping this would pass by now but looks as though I won’t be doing any swimming, nice long walks etc as just walking up one flight of stairs makes it hard to catch my breath. If anyone comes up with a miraculous cure in the next few days I would be over the moon to hear!
Replies to "I’m so glad I came across this discussion! I have had the same thing for 3..."
Don't feel alone I have some problem
Hello, greetings.
I have suffered the same situation for two months now. It all began in the gym, I have gone through several tests such as blood and tomography, there is nothing, not even a hiatal hernia.
In case you read this message, can you tell me if you feel better? or if you have found a cure?
Thanks.
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@katgts @ashleyh I have allergies and asthma and do allergy shots for many things including my cats, so I thought that was under control. Apparently, it was not, and I would have repeating bouts of excess phlegm that would build up and get stuck in my lungs causing the same pressure and ache in my chest, and then it would turn into a chest infection and get my resting heart rate over 100 beats per minute. The problem seemed to be that the swelling of airways from allergies was preventing the normal clearing of my lungs by the cilia (hair cells) that line the airways to move the mucous. I don't smoke, and smoke causes the cilia to become paralyzed impeding phlegm expulsion. I also have thoracic outlet syndrome which causes tight tissue and fascial restrictions because it prevents proper movement of the rib cage and I do PT for that.
My suspicion is that for @katgts, there may be a fascial restriction that wraps around the esophagus and trachea since these are right next to each other passing through the neck and chest. Something must be restricting the burps. A hiatal hernia can also do this. A physical therapist who does myofascial release work can help if fascia is the cause. A gastroenterologist might be able to figure out if there is a hernia. Lung tissue is also fascia with blood vessels for oxygen absorption, and this fascia is an interconnected web that threads through everything in the body. I have resolved my lung issues with better allergy prevention, and I wear a disposable surgical mask when I'm near my cats, and that works, a good one made by 3M #1820 which is as good as a HEPA filter. I also have several HEPA filters running in my house. I have created a discussion about myofascial release (MFR) with a lot of information. Fascia does not show up on imaging, so these problems go unnoticed, and many doctors are not aware of this type of physical problem, and of course, everything looks normal.
Here are some links-
https://connect.mayoclinic.org/discussion/myofascial-release-therapy-mfr-for-treating-compression-and-pain/
https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/thoracic-outlet-syndrome/diagnosis-treatment/drc-20353994
https://trainingandrehabilitation.com/how-truly-treat-thoracic-outlet-syndrome/
https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/hiatal-hernia/symptoms-causes/syc-20373379