Where to go for Shortness of Breath?

Have you tried any deep breathing (or belly breathing) exercises when you begin getting these episodes?
Sue

This happened before months ago and stopped up until now. i’ve gone to the doctor and hospital multiple times before and they did run blood tests, did an endoscopy too. They’ve written it off as anxiety every single time in the end which it might be. I just don’t understand how my anxiety can cause me to have SOB 24/7.

Hello Colleen, Thank you so much for taking the time to respond and, also, for providing me with some very valuable information. These two years have been very stressful and frustrating. You go from doctor to doctor and from test to test looking for answers and there is not a single result that could dictate the way to proceed simply because nothing wrong has been found. However, the shortness of breath and a dry cough persist. I am currently trying to convince my wife to go to Mayo but she is hesitant in doing so given the time to be spent on the road and her frail condition. She thinks SHANDS is a more practical option given the fact that is much closer to home. As I said, shortness of breathe has last for about two years. She also has fibromyalgia and this she has experienced for many years. I have read about False Shortness of Breathe and she took several tests prescribed by a Gastro doctor (endoscopy and esophageal barium (?), among others and the diagnose was that there was nothing abnormal with her digestive tract. She often experiences heartburn, though. Needless to say that I thank you for having moved my discussion to the other forums where, probably, I will be able to get even more valuable information. Thanks a ton!

Have you had any neck or back problems? An often ovetlooked cause of SOB is C5-6 degenerative disc disease or compression of the brachial plexus. Some of the peripheral nerves can be compressed. That might be missed on MRI of the C-spine if the roots look patent. You might need EMG/NCV to look for compression peripherally.

Omg I should’ve written more I guess as I just had anterior cervical discectomy and fusion at 5/6 and it relieves me of shortness of breath appointment works or so but I’m still experiencing this other kind of shortness of breath ( like trying to catch a good breath). However , I’m thinking I’m only two months out of surgery so this symptom may resolve as well.

Hi, I’m Dia and posting for the first time. My situation is similar. Where to start?

This mght be a duplicate reply. There can be neuromuscular disorders that affect breathing. Cervical spine degenerative disc disease affecting the phrenic nerves, brachial plexus compression affecting the neck and chest respiratory muscles, trigger points in and around the scalenes in the neck, can all cause SOB..