Shortness of breath when lying down makes you panic, this could be the cause

Have you ever felt suddenly short of breath when lying down? Maybe you have orthopnea. Orthopnea is a breathing problem that can happen to anyone and can lead to serious health conditions. Actually, what is orthopnea? What causes shortness of breath when lying down?

What is orthopnea?

Orthopnea is a symptom of difficulty breathing that occurs when a person lies on their back. Usually, when lying down you will find it difficult to breathe until you cough and a wheezing sound appears. Symptoms of difficulty breathing will immediately improve when changing positions to sitting or standing.

This condition can make it difficult for a person to fall asleep so they have to sleep in a sitting position or can be overcome by placing the chest and head higher when lying down by adding a pile of pillows. Although it is only a symptom, orthopnea is an important sign of worsening heart disease.

Why can I get short of breath when lying down?

Shortness of breath when lying down can be caused by the distribution of fluid levels in the body. When you lie down, fluids in the body collect in the chest area, increasing the pressure on the pulmonary blood vessels.

Well, this condition will cause disruption in the lungs when breathing. If you don't have a history of heart disease, this condition usually won't cause any problems.

However, if you have had a heart attack or have a history of heart disease, the buildup of fluid in the chest area will make the heart not strong enough to pump blood around the body while lying down. As a result, the pressure in the pulmonary blood vessels increases and makes it difficult for you to breathe.

A person who has lung disease can also experience orthopnea. Lung disease that is suffered will cause mucus to be produced too much. A lot of fluid in the lungs will make it difficult to exchange oxygen gas with carbon dioxide in the small sacs of the lungs (alveoli). As a result, the amount of oxygen obtained is less and the body does not get enough oxygen. Therefore, it is difficult for you to breathe when lying down.

Orthopnea also tends to affect people who have the following conditions:

• Congestive heart failure
• Pulmonary edema
• Bronchitis
• Asthma
• Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease
• Serious pneumonia infection
• Buildup of fluid around the lungs (pleural effusion)
• Buildup of fluid around the abdominal cavity
• Paralysis of the diaphragm (respiratory muscle disorders)
• Experiencing sleep apnea
• Sleep snoring
• Narrowing of the airways due to swelling of the thyroid gland
• Experiencing anxiety disorders and stress-related disorders,

In addition, obesity can lead to orthopnea. Indeed, obesity is not associated with fluid accumulation, but the amount of fat in the abdomen will also affect the work of the lungs.

What happens if I have orthopnea?

Not only shortness of breath when lying down, you will also feel pain around the chest. This is again caused by disturbed heart work. In addition, orthopnea also causes a person to experience:

• Fatigue
• Feel nauseous
• Change in appetite
• Increased heart rate
• Persistent cough and wheezing sound.

How is orthopnea diagnosed?

Actually it is very easy to recognize this condition. Usually, people with orthopnea will have difficulty breathing immediately after lying down. To be sure, the doctor will perform various examinations such as:

• X-ray examination or CT-scan of the chest area, to see the condition of the heart and lungs.
• Electrocardiogram examination, serves to measure the electrical signal from the heart and check heart function.
• Echocardiogram examination, ultrasound imaging of the heart and check for the presence or absence of heart problems.
• Pulmonary function examination, performed by measuring the breath by a machine to assess new function.
• Arterial gas examination, is performed to determine the amount of oxygen levels in the blood.
• Blood tests, which are blood samples taken and used to check for various other conditions.

What are the treatments that must be underwent when having orthopnea?

Shortness of breath when lying down can be immediately overcome by changing positions, allowing the upper body to be slightly higher than the lower part. However, if this condition continues to bother, the doctor will prescribe anti-inflammatory drugs, steroids, diuretics, vasolidators and other drugs that reduce the buildup of mucus in the lungs. If possible, the treatment of the heart can also be done with surgery.

Apart from medical treatment, lifestyle changes are also needed to maintain a healthy cardiovascular system. One example is regular exercise and implementing a diet program to reduce body weight, especially in obese individuals.