Shortness of Breath
Free Symptom Checker
with Physician-supervised AI
Reviewed By:
Phillip Aguila, MD, MBA (Pulmonology, Critical Care)
Dr. Aguila graduated from West Virginia University School of Medicine. He has trained in Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine at The University of North Carolina in Chapel Hill and Internal Medicine at Medical College of Pennsylvania/Hahnemann University at Allegheny General Hospital in Pittsburgh Pennsylvania. He has served as Assistant Professor since 2010.
Eisaku Kamakura, MD (Pulmonology)
Dr. Kamakura graduated from the Tokyo Medical and Dental University, School of Dentistry, and the Niigata University School of Medicine. He trained at Yokosuka Kyosai Hospital and held positions in the Respiratory Medicine departments at Yokosuka Kyosai Hospital, Tokyo Medical and Dental University, Ome City General Hospital, and Musashino Red Cross Hospital. In 2021, he became the specially appointed assistant professor at the Department of General Medicine, Niigata University School of Medicine.
Content updated on Apr 4, 2024
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How Ubie Can Help You
With an easy 3-min questionnaire , Ubie's AI-powered system will generate a free report on possible causes.
Questions are customized to your situation and symptoms, including the following personal information:
Biological Sex - helps us provide relevant suggestions for male vs. female conditions.
Age - adjusts our guidance based on any age-related health factors.
History - considers past illnesses, surgeries, family history, and lifestyle choices.
Your symptoms
Our AI
Your report
Your personal report will tell you
✔︎ When to see a doctor
✔︎ What causes your symptoms
✔︎ Treatment information etc.
People with similar symptoms also use Ubie's symptom checker to find possible causes
Have difficulty breathing
Breathing abnormally with skin getting "sucked in" above the collarbone and between the ribs
Breathing is difficult when lying down, breathing is easy when raising the upper body
Allergic reaction after eating/touching something I have a known allergy to
Having difficulty breathing, using shoulders and muscles to breathe
Breathlessness happens or gets worse when the air is cold
Air feels trapped in my lungs and I can't breathe it out
Just 3 minutes.
Developed by doctors.
About the Symptom
Also known as shortness of breath or dyspnea, it is often described as struggling to breathe, unable to take a deep breath, or the feeling of suffocation.
When to see a doctor
Seek professional care if you experience any of the following symptoms
Feel breathless
Possible Causes
Generally, Shortness of breath can be related to:
- Panic Attack
An anxiety disorder in which a person has repeated and often unexpected panic attacks. These panic attacks involve a sudden onset of intense fearfulness in the absence of danger and includes physical symptoms such as heart palpitations, difficulty breathing, chest pain or discomfort, choking or smothering sensations, sweating, and dizziness.
- Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension
Pulmonary arterial hypertension is high blood pressure in the small blood vessels of the lungs. It can be caused by heart disease, connective tissue disease, blood vessel disease, high blood pressure, liver disease, blood clots in the blood vessels to the lungs, and lung diseases. It can affect anyone but is more common in women.
- Tracheal Stenosis
Tracheal stenosis is an abnormal narrowing of the trachea, also known as the windpipe, that restricts normal breathing.
- Tracheomalacia
- Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD)
Related serious diseases
Sometimes, Shortness of breath may be related to these serious diseases:
- Tension Pneumothorax
A pneumothorax is the leakage of air from the lungs into the space around the lungs and heart. In a tension pneumothorax, this pressure builds up and can cause life-threatening blood flow problems in the heart and lungs. Risk factors include smoking, emphysema, and genetic diseases.
- Pneumocystis Pneumonia
- Peritonsillar Abscess / Deep Neck Abscess
- Mediastinal Emphysema
- Acute Heart Failure
Doctor's Diagnostic Questions
Your doctor may ask these questions to check for this symptom:
Are you having difficulty breathing?
Just 3 minutes.
Developed by doctors.
Find Similar Symptoms
Symptoms from similar body parts
Reviewed By:
Phillip Aguila, MD, MBA (Pulmonology, Critical Care)
Dr. Aguila graduated from West Virginia University School of Medicine. He has trained in Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine at The University of North Carolina in Chapel Hill and Internal Medicine at Medical College of Pennsylvania/Hahnemann University at Allegheny General Hospital in Pittsburgh Pennsylvania. He has served as Assistant Professor since 2010.
Eisaku Kamakura, MD (Pulmonology)
Dr. Kamakura graduated from the Tokyo Medical and Dental University, School of Dentistry, and the Niigata University School of Medicine. He trained at Yokosuka Kyosai Hospital and held positions in the Respiratory Medicine departments at Yokosuka Kyosai Hospital, Tokyo Medical and Dental University, Ome City General Hospital, and Musashino Red Cross Hospital. In 2021, he became the specially appointed assistant professor at the Department of General Medicine, Niigata University School of Medicine.
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Dale Mueller, MD
Cardiothoracic Surgery, Vascular Surgery
Cardiothoracic and Vascular Surgery Associates
