The difference between shortness of breath and wheezing

In life, we often see many people suffering from respiratory diseases, that is, some people around us always feel that they are short of breath. When they go to the hospital for examination and treatment, they will find that this breath problem is divided into several types. The well-known shortness of breath, wheezing, and shortness of breath are three different types, and treatment will be given according to different situations.

Shortness of breath

It refers to rapid breathing, shortness of breath and unevenness, which is one of the common symptoms of lung disease. Normal people may also experience this symptom due to excessive activity, which is a normal phenomenon. For those caused by Qi deficiency, or external evil, or water retention invading the lungs, the type of disease should be identified and the treatment should be based on syndrome differentiation. Shortness of breath is similar to the modern word dyspnea.

There are five levels of shortness of breath:

0: No dyspnea symptoms.

Ⅰ: Shortness of breath when walking briskly.

Ⅱ: Shortness of breath occurs when walking at normal speed.

III: Severe shortness of breath while walking at normal speed causes the patient to stop walking.

IV: Shortness of breath after slight activity.

Application of Traditional Chinese Medicine

"Zhang's Medical Manual" states: "Shortness of breath is often caused by lung heat that has not been cleared. If it occurs at the beginning of the outbreak, Qingre Touji Decoction should be used; after the outbreak, Qingyan Zifei Decoction should be used. If there is phlegm in the throat and it makes a noise, it is because the heat evil is blocked and cannot be expelled. If it occurs at the beginning of the outbreak, Chure Qingfei Decoction should be used. If it occurs after the outbreak, it must be because the evil heat has not been cleared, or the wind has disappeared too early, and the residual heat attacks the inside and damages the lung qi, which is difficult to treat."

asthma

A symptom of breathing difficulty. In mild cases, patients experience shortness of breath during activities, while in severe cases, patients feel difficulty breathing even when at rest and may even be unable to lie flat. In some patients, shortness of breath is not related to activity but is related to exposure to cold air, allergens, etc. Asthma can be caused by a variety of reasons, and the cause needs to be identified as soon as possible and treated accordingly. Symptomatic treatment is mainly based on medication, and bronchodilators, cough suppressants, expectorants and other drugs can be used.

Causes of wheezing

1. Respiratory diseases

It is common in stenosis or obstruction caused by inflammation, edema, tumors or foreign bodies of the larynx, trachea, and bronchi, as well as bronchial asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, etc.; as well as lung diseases such as pneumonia, lung abscess, tuberculosis, atelectasis, pulmonary congestion, pulmonary edema, diffuse interstitial lung disease, and bronchioloalveolar carcinoma; chest wall inflammation, severe chest deformity, pleural effusion, spontaneous pneumothorax and other chest wall and pleural cavity diseases can also cause asthma; asthma can also occur in poliomyelitis lesions involving the cervical spinal cord, myasthenia gravis involving respiratory muscles and diaphragm paralysis, large ascites, huge abdominal tumors, gastric dilatation and late pregnancy.

2. Circulatory system diseases

It is common in left heart and/or right heart failure, pericardial tamponade, pulmonary embolism and primary pulmonary hypertension caused by various reasons.

3. Poisoning

Asthma can occur in diabetic ketoacidosis, morphine poisoning, organophosphorus insecticide poisoning, hydrogen cyanide poisoning, nitrite poisoning and acute carbon monoxide poisoning.

4. Brain diseases

Asthma can be caused by intracranial diseases such as cerebral hemorrhage, brain trauma, brain tumor, encephalitis, meningitis, and brain abscess.

5. Blood diseases

It is common in severe anemia, methemoglobinemia, sulfhemoglobinemia, etc.

Shortness of breath

It means that the breathing is shorter, more impatient and rougher than normal people. If the air is blocked, the speech will be incoherent and the breathing will be labored. Breathing is weak and rapid, or shortness of breath is not enough to breathe, and it seems like panting but without any sound. Most patients have respiratory or cardiovascular diseases. Treatment is directed at the underlying disorder. If shortness of breath causes breathing difficulties, the first thing to do is to provide oxygen in time.

Causes of shortness of breath

1. Poor lung function

Some patients have suffered from lung diseases. Although they have been cured, their lung function is affected and they often feel that they cannot inhale enough air and have difficulty breathing. This is due to the weakened elasticity of lung tissue and the narrowing of small bronchi, which reduces the breathing area of ​​the lungs.

2. Poor heart function

The lungs inhale oxygen and expel carbon dioxide, which must be completed by the blood pumped to the lungs by the heart. If the heart does not function well and the blood flow pumped out is insufficient, shortness of breath may also occur. The characteristics of this type of shortness of breath are that it worsens during work, eases or disappears during rest; it worsens when lying on your back, and eases when sitting.

3. Chronic diseases

Some patients with chronic diseases may also experience shortness of breath, such as severe anemia, coronary heart disease, diabetes, lung cancer, advanced tuberculosis, silicosis, bronchial asthma, and various types of pneumonia.