Definition

By Mayo Clinic Staff

Feeling like you can't get enough air can be scary. This feeling is called shortness of breath. It also is called dyspnea. It might feel like your chest is tight. Or you have trouble breathing or can't breathe at all. Sometimes it may feel like you're suffocating.

Shortness of breath can be a sign of some medical conditions, including asthma, COPD and heart failure, as well as anxiety or panic attacks. The long-term lung effects of smoking may first be noticed as worsening shortness of breath.

Even people with healthy lungs may notice shortness of breath with stress or anxiety, very strenuous exercise, very hot or very cold weather, weight gain, and traveling to higher altitudes.

If you have shortness of breath that doesn't have a clear cause, especially if it comes on suddenly and is severe, see your doctor or other healthcare professional as soon as possible.

From Mayo Clinic to your inbox

Sign up for free and stay up to date on research advancements, health tips, current health topics, and expertise on managing health. Click here for an email preview.

We use the data you provide to deliver you the content you requested. To provide you with the most relevant and helpful information, we may combine your email and website data with other information we have about you. If you are a Mayo Clinic patient, we will only use your protected health information as outlined in our Notice of Privacy Practices. You may opt out of email communications at any time by clicking on the unsubscribe link in the email.

Aug. 05, 2025

See also

  1. A leaky tricuspid valve
  2. Acute coronary syndrome
  3. Acute lymphocytic leukemia
  4. Adenocarcinoma: How this type of cancer affects prognosis
  5. Adjuvant therapy: Treatment to keep cancer from returning
  6. Albuterol side effects: Can I avoid them?
  7. Allergies and asthma
  8. Allergy medications: Know your options
  9. Allergy-proof your home
  10. Amyloidosis
  11. Anemia
  12. Aneurysms
  13. Angina
  14. Angina treatment: Stents, drugs, lifestyle changes — What's best?
  15. Aortic calcification: An early sign of heart valve problems?
  16. Aortic dissection
  17. Aortic valve regurgitation
  18. Aortic valve stenosis
  19. ARDS
  20. Asbestosis
  21. Ascariasis
  22. Ascites
  23. Aspergillosis
  24. Aspirin allergy: What are the symptoms?
  25. Asthma
  26. Asthma and acid reflux: Are they linked?
  27. Asthma attack
  28. Asthma attack video
  29. Asthma inhalers: Which one's right for you?
  30. Asthma treatment: 3 steps to better asthma control
  31. Asthma: Limit asthma attacks caused by colds or flu
  32. Asthma: Steps in testing and diagnosis
  33. Atrial fibrillation and managing stress
  34. Atrial flutter
  35. Atrial septal defect (ASD)
  36. Blood tests for heart disease
  37. Broken heart syndrome
  38. Can vitamins help prevent a heart attack?
  39. Cancer blood tests: Lab tests used in cancer diagnosis
  40. Cancer causes: Popular myths about the causes of cancer
  41. Cancer fatigue: Why it occurs and how to cope
  42. Cancer pain: Relief is possible
  43. Cancer surgery: Physically removing cancer
  44. Cancer survival rate: What it means for your prognosis
  45. Cancer survivors: Care for your body after treatment
  46. Cancer survivors: Late effects of cancer treatment
  47. Cancer survivors: Managing your emotions after cancer treatment
  48. Carbon monoxide poisoning
  49. Cardiac asthma: What causes it?
  50. Cardiogenic shock
  51. Cardiomyopathy
  52. Caregiving for someone with atrial fibrillation
  53. Chelation therapy for heart disease: Does it work?
  54. Chemotherapy side effects: A cause of heart disease?
  55. Chest pain
  56. Chordoma
  57. Chronic cough
  58. Chronic kidney disease
  59. Chronic kidney disease: Is a clinical trial right for me?
  60. Chronic sinusitis
  61. Coarctation of the aorta
  62. Cold and flu viruses: How long can they live outside the body?
  63. Congenital heart defects FAQs
  64. Congenital heart defects in children
  65. Congenital heart disease in adults
  66. COPD
  67. Coping with anxiety: Can diet make a difference?
  68. Coronary artery disease
  69. Coronary artery disease: Angioplasty or bypass surgery?
  70. Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19)
  71. Coronavirus: What is it and how can I protect myself?
  72. COVID-19 travel advice
  73. COVID-19 vaccines for kids: What you need to know
  74. COVID-19 vaccines: Get the facts
  75. COVID-19 vs. flu: Similarities and differences
  76. COVID-19: Who's at higher risk of serious symptoms?
  77. Craving and chewing ice: A sign of anemia?
  78. Curcumin: Can it slow cancer growth?
  79. Cystic fibrosis
  80. Cystic fibrosis FAQs
  81. Debunking COVID-19 myths
  82. Diabetic coma
  83. Diabetic ketoacidosis
  84. Different types of COVID-19 vaccines: How they work
  85. Diffuse large B-cell lymphoma
  86. DiGeorge syndrome (22q11.2 deletion syndrome)
  87. Dilated cardiomyopathy
  88. Does older age increase the risk of atrial fibrillation?
  89. Drummer Beats Heart Disease
  90. Dry powder tube inhaler
  91. Dust mite allergy
  92. Early HIV symptoms: What are they?
  93. Ebstein anomaly
  94. ED Drugs for Pulmonary Hypertension
  95. Effectively managing chronic kidney disease
  96. Egg allergy
  97. EGPA (formerly Churg-Strauss syndrome)
  98. Eisenmenger syndrome
  99. Emphysema
  100. Endocarditis
  101. Enlarged heart
  102. Extranodal marginal zone lymphoma of mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue (MALT)
  103. Factor V Leiden
  104. Fertility preservation: Understand your options before cancer treatment
  105. Fight coronavirus (COVID-19) transmission at home
  106. Flu shot: Your best bet for avoiding influenza
  107. Flu shots: Especially important if you have heart disease
  108. Gangrene
  109. Generalized anxiety disorder
  110. Genetics and Cardiomyopathy
  111. Grass-fed beef: What are the heart-health benefits?
  112. Guide to different tick species and the diseases they carry
  113. Hantavirus pulmonary syndrome
  114. Healthy Heart for Life!
  115. Heart attack
  116. Heart attack prevention: Should I avoid secondhand smoke?
  117. Heart attack symptoms: Know what's a medical emergency
  118. Heart Attack Timing
  119. Heart disease
  120. Heart disease in women: Understand symptoms and risk factors
  121. Heart failure
  122. Heart failure and sex: Is it safe?
  123. Heart murmurs
  124. Heart-healthy diet: 8 steps to prevent heart disease
  125. Heavy periods: Can folic acid help?
  126. Herbal treatment for anxiety: Is it effective?
  127. Herd immunity and COVID-19: What you need to know
  128. High-dose flu vaccines: How are they different from other flu vaccines?
  129. High-dose vitamin C: Can it kill cancer cells?
  130. HIV/AIDS
  131. How cancer spreads
  132. How do COVID-19 antibody tests differ from diagnostic tests?
  133. How kidneys work
  134. How well do face masks protect against COVID-19?
  135. Hyperinflated lungs: What does it mean?
  136. Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy
  137. Influenza (flu)
  138. Infographic: Cancer Clinical Trials Offer Many Benefits
  139. Infographic: Lung Cancer
  140. Interstitial lung disease
  141. Is hydroxychloroquine a treatment for COVID-19?
  142. Jack Long — Live LONG - Beat STRONG to find a cure
  143. Kidney disease FAQs
  144. Leaky valve cone procedure
  145. Left ventricular hypertrophy
  146. Living with Lupus
  147. Long COVID: Lasting effects of COVID-19
  148. Low blood cell counts: Side effects of cancer treatment
  149. Low-phosphorus diet: Helpful for kidney disease?
  150. Lung cancer
  151. Mayo Clinic Minute: Identifying and treating atrial fibrillation
  152. Mayo Clinic Minute: Why getting vaccinated for the flu is doubly important this season
  153. Mayo Clinic Minute: You're washing your hands all wrong
  154. Mayo Clinic offers congenital heart care: Marcus' story
  155. Median arcuate ligament syndrome (MALS)
  156. Mitral valve clip to treat mitral regurgitation: Bob's story
  157. Mitral valve overview
  158. Mitral valve prolapse
  159. Mitral valve regurgitation
  160. Mitral valve stenosis
  161. Myelodysplastic syndromes
  162. Myelofibrosis
  163. Myelofibrosis
  164. Myocardial ischemia
  165. No appetite? How to get nutrition during cancer treatment
  166. NSAIDs: Do they increase my risk of heart attack and stroke?
  167. Nuts and your heart: Eating nuts for heart health
  168. Obstructive sleep apnea
  169. Obstructive sleep apnea: What happens?
  170. Omega-6 fatty acids: Can they cause heart disease?
  171. Ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome
  172. Peanut allergy
  173. Pericardial effusion
  174. Pericarditis
  175. Peritoneal carcinomatosis
  176. Petroleum jelly: Safe for a dry nose?
  177. Pheochromocytoma
  178. PICC line placement
  179. Planning to travel with atrial fibrillation?
  180. Pneumonia
  181. Polyhydramnios
  182. Polypill: Does it treat heart disease?
  183. Pregnancy and COVID-19: What are the risks?
  184. Pulmonary atresia
  185. Pulmonary atresia with intact ventricular septum
  186. Pulmonary embolism
  187. Pulmonary fibrosis
  188. Pulmonary hypertension
  189. Pulmonary valve stenosis
  190. Red wine and resveratrol: Good for your heart?
  191. Robotic heart surgery treats mitral regurgitation: Ed's story
  192. Robotic or minimally invasive cardiac surgery for adult-adolescent congenital heart disease
  193. Safe outdoor activities during the COVID-19 pandemic
  194. Safety tips for attending school during COVID-19
  195. Sarcoidosis
  196. Self-Image During Cancer
  197. Sex and COVID-19
  198. Should I make changes to my diet if I've been diagnosed with atrial fibrillation?
  199. Sick sinus syndrome
  200. Silent heart attack: What are the risks?
  201. Spontaneous coronary artery dissection (SCAD)
  202. Stage 4 (metastatic) colon cancer
  203. Sulfa allergy: Which medicines should I avoid?
  204. Supraventricular tachycardia
  205. Tachycardia
  206. Takayasu's arteritis
  207. Test anxiety: Can it be treated?
  208. Tetralogy of Fallot
  209. Thalassemia
  210. Thoracic aortic aneurysm
  211. Thyroid nodules
  212. Transposition of the great arteries
  213. Treating Pericarditis
  214. Tricuspid atresia
  215. Tricuspid valve regurgitation
  216. Tuberous sclerosis
  217. Using a metered dose asthma inhaler and spacer
  218. Valve problems in children with heart disease: What patients and families should know
  219. Ventricular fibrillation
  220. VEXAS syndrome
  221. Video: Heart and circulatory system
  222. Video: Septal myectomy and apical myectomy
  223. Video: Valve-sparing aortic root replacement
  224. Vitamin deficiency anemia
  225. Vocal cord dysfunction: Is it a type of asthma?
  226. Von Willebrand disease
  227. Walking pneumonia
  228. What are congenital heart defects? An expert explains
  229. What is a heart failure action plan?
  230. What is aspirin-exacerbated respiratory disease (AERD)?
  231. What is coronary artery disease? A Mayo Clinic cardiologist explains.
  232. What is kidney disease? An expert explains
  233. When cancer returns: How to cope with cancer recurrence
  234. Which CPAP masks are best for you?
  235. Wolff-Parkinson-White (WPW) syndrome