Breathing & respiratory issues

Many different problems can cause breathing issues and respiratory issues, from infections to allergies causing you to feel like you can’t draw a full breath. Shortness of breath, known medically as dyspnea, is often described as an intense tightening in the chest, air hunger, difficulty breathing, breathlessness or a feeling of suffocation. You might wheeze or feel like you’re wearing a vest or sweater that’s too tight. The problem can start suddenly or develop gradually.

Virginia Mason Franciscan Health (VMFH) Emergency & Urgent Care is a fully equipped Emergency Room and staffed by ER-trained physicians and staff trained to handle all conditions related to cardiovascular and respiratory challenges a patient may experience.

Warning Signs

Seek immediate treatment if you are experiencing any of the following symptoms:

• Bluish discoloration of the skin, especially the lips and fingernails

• Difficulty breathing for a child who has a medical history of heart disease or was born prematurely

• Breathing that has slowed significantly or stopped

• Chest pain

• Difficulty swallowing

• Extreme shortness of breath in the absence of exertion

• Loss of consciousness

• Low oxygen levels

• Swelling in your legs accompanied by breathing difficulties

Also, seek treatment if you or a loved one is experiencing:

• Constant cough or hoarseness

• Dizziness or an abnormal heart rate

• Exhaustion

• Faster breathing rate or flaring nostrils

• Fever, sore throat, drooling, bluish discoloration of the skin, trouble swallowing, chills, and hoarseness

• Frequent episodes of shortness of breath or sudden intense breathing difficulties

• Shortness of breath that requires you to sit up constantly or wakes you up at night

• Wheezing or other strange breathing sounds

Don't delay! Call 911 if you experience any of these symptoms. If you are not sure how serious your condition is, visit a convenient VMFH Emergency & Urgent Care location.

What causes respiratory issues or breathing issues?

Contributing factors can include the following:

• Allergies - Some plants, such as ragweed, mountain cedar and sagebrush, are worse than others for causing allergies. Allergies can also be caused by grass pollen and tree pollen, especially birch, cedar, and oak.

• Asthma

• COVID-19

• Exertion in High Altitudes - Mountain climbing, hiking, driving, or doing any other activity at a high altitude, can lead to a lack of oxygen

• Flu

• Hiatal hernia – The hernia puts undue pressure on your stomach, which can cause your stomach to retain acid that flows up into your esophagus causing swallowing or breathing issues.

• Obesity - Extra fat on your neck, chest, or across your abdomen can make it difficult to breathe deeply

• Pneumonia

• Stress - You take faster breaths, and they are not as deep as usual.

These conditions may contribute to breathing and respiratory issues. If you have a fever, chills, or are coughing up mucus, don’t hesitate to reach out to VMFH Emergency & Urgent Care. You could be experiencing signs of other illnesses that may require treatment.

Be prepared to discuss how long you have had a problem breathing, whether the issue is mild or intense, and if physical exertion makes it worse.

How is a Problem Diagnosed?

One of our board-certified, ER-trained physicians will make a thorough examination and may order blood tests, a chest X-ray, a CT scan, an ECG or EKG, an echocardiogram, and other pulmonary function tests conditional to your state of breathing.

Depending on the cause of the breathing difficulties, you may be prescribed medication, counseling (for stress relief), lifestyle changes, or breathing assistance.

At VMFH Emergency & Urgent Care we will get you and your loved ones back to feeling better fast. With an ER and urgent care under one roof, you no longer need to decide where to go in time of need. Let us be the experts in diagnosing how you should be treated.