When you experience shortness of breath for no reason, you might wonder if there is something to worry. Breathing difficulty (dyspnea) affects around 1 in every 10 adults. The causes are varied, and just like other health problems like dizziness, fatigue, and abdominal pain, shortness of breath too has several causes. While a few are harmless, a few may be the signs of a possible complication. Though a common complaint in adults, it is a tough diagnostic challenge. Being aware of the symptoms will take you a step further in deciding whether or not the breathing difficulty is a cause of concern.

Causes

In older people: If you are an older person, then your breathing problems will most likely be associated with a heart or lung disease such as COPD, pneumonia, and heart failure. Other causes include a stroke and cancer. It is advised to consult a doctor if you are experiencing serious breathing problems since the past few days and more so if you see other symptoms. Symptoms to worry about are pain or trouble staying upright.
In the young: The common causes of shortness of breath in younger people are usually minor and partially treatable. Shortness of breath may occur due to myofascial pain syndrome. This is a condition in which trigger points or muscle knots occur in the respiratory muscles. Other causes are pneumonia and bad respiratory habits and/or weak breathing muscles.
Stress can be the cause: Another common cause of shortness of breath in teenagers and working professionals is anxiety. This is a very significant cause and should be taken seriously because this may not necessarily be a minor problem. Its diagnosis is still reassuring when compared to other medical problems since this can be worked upon with a few techniques.
Should you worry or not?

When the breathing difficulty is caused due to an acute condition like pneumonia or a chronic condition like asthma, treating the cause is imperative. Because, when the cause is treated, the episodes of shortness of breath is reduced.
Any patient suffering from any one or more of the problems mentioned above can still take a sigh of relief as remedies are available. Various pressure point massages can be performed with proper technique to ease out the trigger points when you are suffering from muscle knots.
When it comes to bad breathing habits, old habits die hard. Although changing your bad breathing habits may seem frustrating at first, it is relatively easier to achieve this if taken up with the mentality of achieving a goal. If regular breathing exercises are performed, respiratory strength can be increased. Moreover, breathing correctly has many long-term benefits as well.
Anxiety is more of a mind over body kind of thing. Although it may seem tough to overcome, determined and head strong people can find relief if they try.
Ensuring safety first
If you are wondering about whether your condition is serious or not, it is advised to tell your doctor about any persisting symptom. If you have developed any new symptoms such as a chronic wheeze or a cough, fatigue and pale appearance, dry, painful cough and shortness of breath during physical activity, then these are slow and sneaky indicators of an onset of some serious medical problem. 

Thus, breathing difficulty occurring often is a reason to worry, and you must seek medical advice at the earliest.


Shortness of Breath Reasons - Should I Be Worried?

How many of us have heard about Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation (ECMO) before Tamil Nadu, Chief Minister late J Jayalalithaa was put on it for recovery? Hardly a handful. Patients who are placed on the device have 50-50 chance of survival and while it could not help the late Chief Minister, her condition put a spotlight on ECMO.

What is ECMO?
ECMO is a life support device that is put in place when a patient's heart and lungs stop functioning completely post a cardiac arrest. When the patient does not respond to Cardio Pulmonary Resuscitation (CPR), the patient is put on ECMO.

Function of ECMO
The core function of the device is to separate carbon dioxide from the blood and add oxygen into it. It takes the load off from heart and lungs, providing critical time to the body organs for its treatment and recovery.
Patients are only put on ECMO, if there is a chance that the condition can be reversed.

How does ECMO work?
The device drains blood from a vein, which is attached to an oxygenator machine. The machine then removes carbon dioxide from the blood and adds oxygen to it. Depending upon the condition of the patient, the warm blood is either pumped into the body with the help of the machine or is transferred back into the body through an artery.

How long a patient can be on ECMO?
After seven days of being put on ECMO,there are chances of patient getting an infection.
In case the patient contracts an infection, it is recommended to take the patient off ECMO support.

All About ECMO - Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation 

Hypertension or High Blood Pressure can trigger as well as worsen complications related to diabetes. Most people suffering from diabetes tend to develop hypertension later in their lives. Diabetes tends to increase one s blood pressure, making him/her even more vulnerable to other heart diseases and cardio-vascular disorders. Diabetes often leads to a condition known as atherosclerosis, which is the hardening of the arteries. A combination of diabetes and hypertension drastically increases the risk of suffering from a heart disease. The risks of kidney diseases and retinopathy (damage to the tiny blood vessels present in the retina) also go up, resulting in blindness. With age, chronic hypertension can also result in numerous cognitive disorders such as dementia or Alzheimer s disease (degenerative mental disorder).

How to prevent Diabetes and Hypertension?
1. Walking for about 40 minutes each day or engaging in any type of aerobic exercise can better one s heart health. Chalk out an exercise plan upon consulting the doctor
2. Limit drinking and abstain from smoking
3. Go for regular kidney check-ups
4. Eat food rich in fiber such as vegetables, fruits, breads or whole grain cereals
5. Examine blood pressure as well as blood sugar levels regularly at home
6. Practice relaxation techniques such as meditation or yoga to cut down on stress level; as stress is one of the major contributors to diabetes and the subsequent hypertension
7. Shed off your extra pounds as blood pressure escalates with weight

Hypertension and Diabetes - How They are Related?

If you thought that chest pain occurred only due to a heart-related issue like a heart attack, you are wrong. Chest pain is one of the most common reasons that people visit the emergency services and it can be caused due to problems with your heart, lungs and digestive system. 

Chest pain can be due to either of these two main reasons:

Heart- related Issues

1. Heart attacks called myocardial infarctions are very common reasons for chest pains. During a heart attack, the blood supply that serves the heart with oxygen is cut off due to plaque build-up in heart arteries causing the death of heart muscles. 

Other reasons for heart attacks are blood clots or torn blood vessels. 
Not all people having a heart attack have symptoms. Usually, people report symptoms like chest pain, upper body pain, nausea, sweating, fatigue, and trouble breathing.
A heart attack is a serious medical emergency for which immediate care is needed.
2. Angina pectoris is a type of chest pain that results from reduced blood flow to the heart. Low blood flow means your heart doesn t get enough oxygen. The angina pain is often triggered by physical activity or emotional stress and feels like a vice squeezing your chest or a heavy weight on your chest. It can also spread from your chest to your neck, arms, and shoulders. Other symptoms are fatigue, dizziness and nausea and these normally last up to 15 minutes only.

3. Unstable angina which causes crushing chest pains suddenly and even when you are not doing anything strenuous is a medical emergency as it can lead to a heart attack. This usually shows that your heart, arteries are narrowing alarmingly.

4. Other heat-related reasons for chest pains are-

Mitral valve narrowing or stenosis
Heart arrhythmias
Coronary Artery disease
Inflammation of heart muscles or pericardium and weakening of the heart muscles. 
All of these are emergencies and need immediate medical attention to prevent a fatality.

Not Heart- related:

1. Lung conditions like Pneumonia, Bronchitis, Pulmonary embolism. 

Pneumonia is an infection in one or both lungs caused by fungi, bacteria, or viruses. It causes inflammation in your lung s air sacs and makes them full of pus which makes it difficult to breathe and causes chest pains, amongst other debilitating symptoms.
Bronchitis is an inflammation of your bronchial tubes. It can be chronic or acute and it can cause a cough with mucus and chest pains. 
Pulmonary embolism is a blood clot that occurs in the lungs. It can go on to damage parts of your lung due to limited blood flow. Apart from this, it can also decrease oxygen levels in the blood and affect other organs. 
It can be life-threatening due to permanent lung damage. The most common symptom of a pulmonary embolism is gradual or sudden shortness of breath. 

There is also- 

bluish skin tone 
anxiety
fainting
hest pain that extends into your arm, jaw, neck, and shoulder
lightheadedness
2. Rib cage inflammation or Costochondritis is also known as Tietze s syndrome. It is an inflammation of the cartilage in the rib cage. Patients experience chest pain in the upper and middle rib area on either side of the body due to this. The pain can also radiate to the back or the abdomen, getting worse if you move, stretch, or breathe deeply.

3. Food pipe disease or Esophagitis is any inflammation or irritation of the oesophagus, a tube that sends food from your throat down to your stomach.

Common causes of food pipe disease are acid reflux or GERD and bacterial or viral infections. 

GERD- This condition occurs when the stomach contents and acids back up into the oesophagus. This causes chest pain that can mimic a heart disease. There may also be oesophagal spasms due to GERD.

Chest Pain - Reasons and Treatment

Do you know that cholesterol is found in baby formula and has got some surprising facts about them? Cholesterol is a waxy, fat like substance which is present in all your cells, and your body s cholesterol level says a lot about the health of your heart in the future. Having high cholesterol increases your risk of acquiring heart diseases and hence, you should try to maintain a normal cholesterol level.


Here are some surprising facts about cholesterol, which you should know about:

You cannot live without cholesterol: We are born with cholesterol in our bodies and infants get more cholesterol from mother s milk. This is why cholesterol is added to baby formula. All the hormones and cells of your body need cholesterol for proper functioning. It also builds the cells and helps the liver to prepare fat processing acids.
One out of three adults have high cholesterol: It is important for all people above the age of 20 to get a cholesterol checkup every five years. According to studies, around 32% of adults in the USA have got high cholesterol levels. Your cholesterol levels may also be affected by factors such as your diet and stress.
High cholesterol can be genetic: Genetics is a major influencing factor in high cholesterol levels. Research has proven that almost 75% of high cholesterol cases are genetic in nature while 25% occur because of diet.
Children can have high cholesterol as well: There is a common misconception that high cholesterol is an issue involving adults only. However, children may also have high cholesterol and it is recommended for you to get your child tested at an early age. For children who are obese and have a family history of heart attacks and high cholesterol, a selective screening is important.
Sweating raises the levels of good cholesterol: Sweating is good for increasing the levels of good cholesterol in your body. You should follow a healthy diet including food items like avocado and salmon. Working out is also important for raising your HDL levels, which prevent heart disease.
Supplements may help in lowering cholesterol levels: The first option for controlling your cholesterol levels is to work out regularly. If you are at a risk of heart attack or have hypercholesterolemia, you have to bank on supplements such as plant stanols and sterols. You can also take cholesterol reducing medications such as statins.
Earlier, the medical community was reserved about prescribing cholesterol lowering medicines and they were given only to critical heart patients. In modern day, statin treatment is recommended to people who have even little chances of heart attacks or stroke.

Cholesterol - 6 Interesting Facts About It!

Carotid artery disease occurs when an oily, waxy substance called plaque builds up inside the carotid arteries. These are arteries that supply oxygenated blood to your brain, face, scalp, and neck.
Carotid artery disease is very serious as it can cause a brain stroke. It, in fact, starts with damage to the inner layer of the carotid artery. To stem this damage your body starts a healing process and this leads to a build up of plaque at the point where the artery is damaged.

When this plaque ruptures, platelets are rushed in and these create an obstruction to the flow of blood to the brain. When the blood supply to the brain is cut off, which happens in carotid disease, the brain cells begin to die causing a stroke. This neural death impairs the parts of the body that these brain cells control. So, you can get paralyzed, become speech or vision impaired, have long  term effects like paralysis or even die due to a stroke.

Causes of carotid disease

Smoking
High cholesterol levels
High blood pressure
High levels of sugar in the blood due to diabetes
What s even more worrisome is that carotid artery disease may not cause any signs or symptoms until the carotid arteries are severely narrowed or blocked. And what usually happens is that a stroke becomes the first sign of the disease.

How scary is that?
So, the next question that comes to the mind is - Can this condition be cured? Let s learn more about management and prevention of the same-

Prevention
Lifestyle changes are key. Since hypertension, uncontrolled diabetes, sedentary lifestyles and imbibing too much fat are all risk factors, taking care of them minimizes the risk of carotid disease and strokes. Heart healthy lifestyle changes that include moderate exercise are a great way to prevent carotid disease.

Treatments
Treatments for carotid artery disease include:

Medicines: Sometimes lifestyle changes do not stem the rot. You need medicinal help. Doctors usually prescribe statin medications to control your cholesterol levels. These lower the bad cholesterol that can narrow your carotid arteries and cause brain strokes and damage. Statins are usually prescribed for people who have:

Heart disease
Those who ve had a stroke
Diabetes
High LDL or bad cholesterol levels
Medicines like Aspirin and Clopidogrel to prevent blood clots are the mainstay treatment if you suffer from carotid disease. They prevent platelets from clumping together inside your carotid arteries and forming blood clots. Apart from these, your doctor may also medicate you for conditions that can damage your carotid arteries and cause strokes. These medicines are for lowering your BP, blood sugar levels, preventing the formation of blood clots anywhere in your body including inside your heart, and preventing and reducing inflammation.

Medical Procedures
These are used to open narrowed or blocked carotid arteries.
The two common procedures are:
Carotid endarterectomy: It s mainly for people whose carotid arteries are blocked 50 percent or more. In this, the inner lining of the carotid artery that is blocking blood flow is removed.
Carotid artery angioplasty and stenting: Here, doctors use a procedure called angioplasty to widen the blocked carotid arteries and restore blood flow to the brain. A stent is inserted into your carotid artery to broaden the lumen. 

High Cholesterol Level - Can It Cause Carotid Disease?

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