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