Breathlessness means difficulty breathing or feeling that you cannot get enough air. Sudden or severe breathlessness is a medical emergency.
See a doctor if
- Breathlessness comes on suddenly or severely — go to hospital immediately
- It occurs with chest pain, sweating or fainting
- Your lips or fingertips look blue or grey
- You cannot complete a sentence in one breath
- You become breathless at rest, or wake at night gasping
Common causes
These are causes doctors commonly see. This list cannot tell you which one applies to you.
- Asthma and COPD
- Chest infection or pneumonia
- Heart failure
- Anaemia — the blood carries less oxygen
- Anxiety and panic
- Being physically unfit, or significantly overweight
Frequently Asked Questions
What does breathlessness mean?
Breathlessness means difficulty breathing, or the feeling that you cannot get enough air. Doctors also call it dyspnoea. It can come on suddenly or build up gradually over weeks, and the two patterns point to different causes.
What causes unexplained breathlessness?
Common causes include asthma and COPD, a chest infection, heart failure, and anaemia — where the blood carries less oxygen. Anxiety and being unfit or significantly overweight also cause it. Breathlessness with no obvious explanation should be investigated rather than assumed to be lack of fitness.
When is breathlessness an emergency?
Go to hospital immediately if it comes on suddenly or severely, if it occurs with chest pain, sweating or fainting, if your lips or fingertips look blue or grey, if you cannot complete a sentence in one breath, or if you become breathless at rest or wake at night gasping.
What to do next
Note when the symptom started, how it has changed, and anything that makes it better or worse. Take that information — and a list of your medicines — to your doctor. It makes the consultation considerably more useful than trying to recall it on the spot.
If any of the warning signs above apply to you, do not wait for an appointment. Go to a hospital, or call 112.