Feeling chest tightness and shortness of breath

Long-term stress or working in a harsh environment can make it difficult for our bodies to withstand the load. The physical condition of modern white-collar workers is generally not very good, because overtime work has become commonplace for them and staying up late is also a norm. After long-term fatigue, they have a common feeling that sometimes they feel discomfort in the chest, and in severe cases they even feel stuffy and can't breathe. why is that?

According to your description, your situation may be a bronchial problem. It is recommended to go to the hospital for examination in time.

The bronchi are the first-order bronchi that branch off from the trachea, namely the left and right main bronchi. The left main bronchus is thin and long, with an average length of 4 to 5 cm. It forms an angle of 35° to 36° with the extension line of the tracheal midline. It runs at a relatively inclined angle and enters the left lung through the left hilum. The right main bronchus is thick and short, with an average length of 2 to 3 cm. It forms an angle of 22° to 25° with the extended line of the tracheal midline. It runs steeply and straight, entering the right lung through the right hilum. Therefore, in clinical practice, most foreign bodies in the trachea fall into the right main bronchus.

The bronchus is a section of the respiratory tract that starts at the trachea at the end of the trachea and ends near the hilum of the lung. The right bronchus is thick, short and nearly vertical. When a foreign body enters the trachea, it is generally easier to enter the right bronchus. Since the right lung is divided into three lobes, namely the upper, middle and lower lobes, the right bronchus branches out one branch early to enter the right upper lobe, namely the supra-arterial bronchus, and then branches out into two branches as it goes down, entering the right middle and lower lobes respectively. After each bronchus enters the lung, it branches repeatedly, giving rise to the name of the bronchial tree. The last branches of the bronchus are called lobular bronchioles, which penetrate into independent pulmonary lobules. The bronchi, which end at the lungs, have the same structure as the trachea.

The bronchi are composed of three layers: ① The mucosal layer is the innermost layer of the bronchus, covered with mucosa, which is pseudostratified columnar ciliated epithelial cells. Goblet cells are interspersed between epithelial cells. ②The submucosal layer is loose connective tissue, which contains a large number of tracheal glands. ③The outer membrane is composed of hyaline cartilage and fibrous tissue. The tracheal cartilage is horseshoe-shaped, with the notch facing dorsally and closed by a membrane wall composed of smooth muscle bundles and connective tissue. The smooth muscle bundles in the membrane wall are mostly arranged horizontally. When the smooth muscle contracts, the trachea can become thinner. The tracheal cartilages are connected by ligaments and wrapped with connective tissue on the outside, which contains blood vessels, lymphatic vessels, nerves and adipose tissue. The goblet cells of the bronchial mucosa can secrete mucus to bind dust and bacteria in the inhaled air. There are cilia on the ciliated epithelial cells of the mucosa. The cilia constantly swing toward the throat, pushing mucus, dust and bacteria into the laryngeal cavity. The laryngeal mucosa is very sensitive, and when stimulated by phlegm, it reflexively causes coughing, which expels the phlegm from the body, which is called expectoration.