What causes breathlessness?
There are many causes of breathlessness. If you are experiencing or are concerned about breathlessness, talk to your GP so that they can establish the cause and discuss with you the appropriate investigations and/or treatment.
What can I do to manage my breathlessness?
There are lots of things you can do that may help to manage or relieve your breathlessness. These include planning, prioritising and adapting your daily activities. For example:
Getting yourself ready
- Have everything you need within easy reach: get your clothes ready and in one pile near to where you will be getting changed
- Sit down for as much time as possible whilst washing and dressing
- Keep the window in the bathroom open slightly, weather permitting
- Do not have the water temperature too hot in either the bath or shower
- Sit down whilst showering and position yourself so that the stream of water does not spray directly onto your face
- Have a small grab-rail in the shower
- An absorbent towelling bathroom will help dry you without too much effort
- Wear loose clothes around your chest and waist - they are easier to get on so you will be conserving your energy, and will not restrict your breathing
- Avoid bending over to put on socks, tights or shoes - the Occupational Therapist can provide you with equipment to help with this
Resting or relaxing
- Use pillows to support you upright when in bed
- Have a fan in your room
- Sit by an open window
- Sometimes it is helpful to focus on a pleasant image in your mind or to do something which takes your mind off your breathing and helps you relax. Everyone is different so it is important that you find what suits you eg relaxing music, sitting in the garden, reading. There are techniques/exercises which can help you relax and manage your breathing – ask your Occupational Therapist, Physiotherapist or District Nurse for help in relation to this. These techniques can help you to keep calm and manage your breathing if you feel anxious.
- Take a look at our information sheet on breathing control techniques to help you manage your breathing or ask your physiotherapist to show you
Moving around
- Try to ensure that your bed, chairs and toilet are easy to get on and off. The physiotherapist, occupational therapist or district nurse will be able to advise you about this.
- When walking upstairs, take one stair at a time ensuring that both feet are placed on the same stair before moving up to the next one). Rest and take a few breaths before moving to the next step.
- Position chairs between rooms so you can take a rest as you are moving from room to room
- Avoid bending and stretching as this uses a lot of energy and makes breathing harder
- Allow yourself extra time to get to appointments so that you are not rushing
Household chores
- Try to organise your home so that frequently used items are close at hand and within easy reach. Moving items from lower to slightly higher shelves may prevent unnecessary bending.
- Plan and pace your activities
- Rest between jobs
- Avoid lifting or carrying heavy objects. A kitchen trolley can be useful for carrying things from room to room.
- Try to reduce the number of times you have to climb the stairs by planning ahead and bringing down everything you may need when coming down in the morning
- Sit down to carry out simple household chores like ironing or peeling potatoes
- Make a shopping list before you go out shopping, or do your shopping on the internet and have it delivered to your door
- Avoid carrying heavy shopping bags - use a shopping trolley
How can relaxation help my breathlessness?
When people become breathless it is normal for them to feel frightened, anxious or panicky. Muscles in the chest wall, shoulders and abdomen become tense. This makes breathing more difficult so their breathlessness increases. By using coping strategies like relaxation, people are able to learn to relax these muscles. This may in turn help to reduce the feeling of breathlessness and make breathing easier.
Why has my GP referred me to a physiotherapist and occupational therapist for my breathlessness?
Both physiotherapists and occupational therapists can help you to manage your breathlessness. A physiotherapist can help you by demonstrating breathing control techniques, and show you how to position your body to help with your breathing. The physiotherapist may also assess your mobility and consider whether any aids could help you mobilise more easily so you don’t get out of breath.
An occupational therapist will assess you with your activities of daily living - for example, getting in and out of a chair, off the toilet, in and out of your bed and washing yourself. An occupational therapist can give you advice on how to conserve your energy, or provide aids that may help to conserve your energy, which in turn may help reduce your breathlessness. An occupational therapist may also teach you relaxation techniques to enable you to relax and control your breathing pattern.
My partner does not feel like eating, especially when he is very breathless. Is there anything I can do?
Try getting your partner to eat little and often. Eating small snacks and meals may be easier for him than trying to eat two to three large meals a day.
Choose foods that he enjoys. Also offer food that doesn’t take a lot of effort to chew, as this may increase his breathlessness and make him more tired and less able to eat.
Talk to your GP or nurse about breathlessness and eating. They may ask a dietician to talk to you and your partner. A dietician can advise on types of food to avoid, and how to make eating easier if appropriate.
