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Shortness of breath

Shortness of breath might not be anything to worry about, but sometimes it can be serious and you'll need to get medical help.

Immediate action required: Call 999 or go to A&E immediately if:

  • you have severe difficulty breathing – you’re gasping, choking or not able to get words out
  • your chest feels tight or heavy
  • you have pain that spreads to your arms, back, neck and jaw
  • your lips or skin are turning very pale, blue or grey – on brown or black skin, this may be easier to see on the palms of the hands
  • you feel suddenly confused
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Information:

Do not drive to A&E. Ask someone to drive you or call 999 and ask for an ambulance.

Bring any medicines you take with you.

Immediate action required: Call 999 or go to A&E immediately if your child:

  • has difficulty breathing – they may make grunting noises or suck their stomach in under their ribcage
  • has lips or skin that are turning very pale, blue or grey – on brown or black skin, this may be easier to see on the palms of the hands
  • is suddenly confused (agitated, behaving oddly or crying constantly)
  • is limp, floppy or not responding like they normally do - their head may fall to the side, backwards or forwards, or they may find it difficult to lift their head or focus on your face
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Urgent advice: Contact NHS 111 if:

  • you have difficulty breathing – you may be more short of breath than usual
  • you feel sick or are being sick
  • you're coughing up blood
  • you have pain or swelling in 1 of your legs
  • you have heart palpitations – this may feel like your heart is racing, going too slowly or skipping a beat or like a fluttering feeling in your chest

You can call 111 or get help from 111 online

Non-urgent advice: See a GP if:

  • your shortness of breath gets worse when you've been doing your normal activities, or when you lie down
  • you feel short of breath and have swollen ankles
  • you've been coughing for 3 weeks or more

It's important to get medical advice to make sure it's nothing serious. You're not wasting anyone's time by getting it checked out.

Causes of shortness of breath

Shortness of breath has lots of different causes.

Common causes include:

But sometimes shortness of breath could be a sign of something more serious, such as:

Any treatment you may need depends on what's causing your symptoms.

Do not try to self-diagnose the cause of shortness of breath – always see a GP.

Information:

Coping with shortness of breath

If you know what's causing your shortness of breath, you can get advice about things you and other people can do to help.

Page last reviewed: 30 January 2024
Next review due: 30 January 2027