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