Treatment of dyspnea
Dyspnea Treatment In urgent situations, dyspnea treatment focuses on helping you breathe and maintain healthy oxygen levels. You may need supplemental oxygen therapy using a nasal cannula (silicon prongs in your nostrils) or face mask. In severe cases, mechanical ventilation may be necessary. This means connecting you to a machine that helps you breathe.9 Once your oxygen levels are stable, dyspnea treatment addresses the underlying cause. Treatments may include medication, oxygen therapy, pulmonary rehabilitation, lifestyle modifications, or surgery.3 Medication Medications will address the underlying cause of dyspnea. For example, if COPD or an asthma attack is causing shortness of breath, treatment might include medications such as bronchodilators or corticosteroids. These medications reduce inflammation and open your airways to make breathing easier.10 Infections like pneumonia may be treated with antibiotics. Heart failure-related dyspnea may be treated with diuretics (water pills) to help the body eliminate excess fluid and nitrates to improve blood flow to the heart.10 Oxygen Therapy If your blood oxygen levels are low, you may need oxygen therapy to help you breathe and ensure your body gets the oxygen it needs. Oxygen therapy is a treatment that provides your body with extra oxygen using a machine attached to a nasal cannula or face mask.9 Acute dyspnea may be treated with oxygen at the hospital. At-home oxygen equipment, such as portable oxygen tanks, may be a component of chronic dyspnea treatment.9 Pulmonary Rehabilitation Pulmonary rehabilitation is a structured exercise program that helps improve respiratory function, reduce shortness of breath, and increase physical activity levels.11 It might include:12 Breathing exercises Education about your condition Exercises focused on building strength, flexibility, and stamina Nutritional counseling Surgery In some cases, surgery may be required to treat structural abnormalities that cause dyspnea, such as a lung tumor or a damaged heart. For example, lung volume reduction surgery (LVRS) may help reduce or eliminate dyspnea in people with severe COPD. With LVRS, a surgeon removes damaged areas of your lung to help your lungs function more effectively.