Alternate Names: Difficulty breathing - first aid; Dyspnea - first aid; Shortness of breath - first aid

Considerations:

• Shortness of breath associated with heart failure is caused by fluid backing up into the lungs.
• Young, healthy people can suddenly become short of breath due to a collapsed lung (pneumothorax).
• High altitudes can cause breathing problems, even in young people.
• Direct trauma to the neck or chest can cause breathing problems. Internal injuries are often more severe than they look.

Causes:

Difficulty breathing can be caused by injury, sudden illness, high altitude, or ongoing medical problems (such as heart disease or congestive heart failure, emphysema, chronic bronchitis, or asthma).

Symptoms: Associated with difficulty breathing:

• Cough
• Gurgling, wheezing, or whistling sounds
• Labored breathing; tense chest muscles
• Pale or bluish lips and fingernails
• Shortness of breath; inability to breathe deeply
• Confusion
• Weakness
• Light-headedness

Associated with airway or chest injury:

• Chest moving in an unusual way as the victim breathes
• Chest pain
• Obvious signs of injury, such as bruises or open wounds

Do Not:

• DO NOT Give the victim anything (food or drink) by mouth.
• DO NOT Move the victim (unless it is absolutely necessary) if there has been a chest or airway injury.
• DO NOT Place a pillow under the victim’s head if he or she is lying down. This can close the airway.
• DO NOT Place the victim in an uncomfortable position.
• DO NOT Wait to see if the victim’s condition improves before getting medical help. Get help immediately.

Call If:

• The victim is having severe breathing problems.
• The victim is having chest pain with difficulty breathing.
• The victim stops breathing (start CPR).

First Aid:

1. Call 911 (or the appropriate local emergency assistance telephone number) immediately.

2. Check the victim’s airway, breathing and circulation. If necessary, BEGIN RESCUE BREATHING, CPR, AND BLEEDING CONTROL.

3. Loosen any constricting clothing.

4. Assist the victim with any prescribed medication (such as an asthma inhaler or home oxygen).

5. Continue to monitor the victim’s breathing and circulation until medical help arrives. Do not mistake drowsiness for an improvement in the victim’s condition. Do not assume that the victim’s condition is improving if you can no longer hear wheezing.

6. If there are no open wounds but the victim’s chest moves in an uneven way while breathing, suspect broken ribs. Firmly support the injured side.

7. If there are open wounds in the neck or chest, they must be closed immediately, especially if air bubbles appear in the wound. Bandage such wounds at once.

8. A "sucking" chest wound allows air to enter the victim’s chest cavity with each breath; this can cause a collapsed lung. Bandage the wound with plastic wrap, a plastic bag, or gauze pads covered with petroleum jelly, sealing it except for one corner. This allows trapped air to escape from the chest but prevents air from entering the chest through the wound.

Prevention:

Wear a medical alert tag if you have a preexisting breathing condition such as asthma.