Help with breathlessness

Feeling short of breath can have a big impact on your life. But there are people who can support you and things you can do yourself that can help you to manage breathlessness.

Most of the time we do not think about our breathing. We just do it automatically. But if you have an illness that causes breathlessness, it may become an effort.

Knowing a bit about how your lungs work can help you to understand why you feel breathless.

Our bodies need oxygen all the time. If our muscles do not get enough oxygen, we become breathless. The medical word for breathlessness is dyspnoea (also spelled dyspnea).

When we breathe in (inhale), air enters through our mouth or nose and goes into the windpipe (trachea). This makes our chest and lungs expand. When we breathe out (exhale), our lungs get smaller again.

A large muscle under the lungs called the diaphragm (dye-uh-fram) helps get air into the lungs and allows them to expand. We also have muscles between the ribs (intercostal muscles) that help the chest to expand and let air into our lungs.

When we’re relaxed and breathing is easy, we use the diaphragm and intercostal muscles to breathe. If you’re finding it harder to breathe, muscles in the shoulders and chest can help, but they get tired quickly.

All these things working together is called the respiratory (breathing) system.

Breathlessness, or shortness of breath, is an uncomfortable feeling of difficulty with breathing. It’s normal to feel breathless at times (for example, after hurrying for a bus). But breathlessness can also be caused by illness.

People’s experience of breathlessness can be different. Some people feel breathless all the time (constant breathlessness). For other people, it may come and go (episodic breathlessness). Breathlessness that develops over weeks or months is called long-term (chronic) breathlessness.

You might feel more breathless when you’re doing an activity, or if you’re feeling anxious. Or you might not know why you’re feeling breathless. Even with the right treatment, some people may still feel breathless.

Breathlessness can affect every part of your life and it can be difficult to deal with. You may feel breathless walking, getting dressed, climbing stairs, having a shower or doing housework.

If breathlessness is making it more difficult to do things you usually do, you might need to ask friends, family members and professionals for support.

Breathlessness can feel frightening. You might feel worried or panicky when you feel breathless (see What can you do to manage breathlessness? below).

Speak to your doctor or nurse if you feel breathless. They can find out what’s causing it and recommend the best ways to manage it. If there’s a reversible cause, like an infection, they can treat this.

Sometimes people still experience breathlessness after an illness has been treated. Tell your doctor or nurse if this happens to you, as there may be treatments that can help.

You can develop breathlessness if any part of your respiratory (breathing) system is not working properly. Click on the buttons below to find out possible reasons for this.

There are lots of things you can do that can help with breathlessness. You can try the suggestions on this page. And you may want to ask your doctor or nurse if there’s a breathlessness service in your local area.

We also have a free booklet with breathing techniques, medicines and other things that can help.

Sitting, standing or lying in certain positions can make it easier to fill your lungs with air when you breathe in. Not every position works for everyone, but you can try them out and see what works best for you.

You can do these by yourself, or ask a physiotherapist, doctor or nurse for support. It can help to wear clothing that is loose around your waist or chest.

Once you’re in one of these positions you can try breathing control techniques.

Breathing control means using techniques to breathe gently, using as little effort as possible. They can help when you are short of breath or feeling anxious. These techniques can help let more air into your lungs, and help you feel more in control of your breathing.

You might find some of them work better than others. You can try them by yourself – of if you need any extra help, ask your physiotherapist, doctor or nurse. It can be helpful to practice these techniques when you’re not feeling breathless.

Pursed-lip breathing is something you can try at any time, or while you’re doing something that makes you feel short of breath.

This is how to do pursed-lip breathing:

This breathing control technique helps you to breathe more easily while doing activities. You can use it while you’re doing something that makes you breathless.

Blow as you go means:

This can be useful for an activity that feels like an effort. For example:

A draught of cool air across your face can help you to feel less breathless. Using a fan with breathing exercises can help slow your breathing, and recover from an episode of breathlessness more quickly.

You could use a desk fan or a stand-up fan to create a draught of air in the room. Place the fan so the air hits one side of your face, just in front of your ear. You could also keep a small hand-held fan with you for when you need it.

If you’re inside, it can help to open a window as long as it’s not too cold for you.

Following the five Ps is a way to make the most of your energy. The five Ps are: prioritising, planning ahead, pacing, positioning and permission.

Using this system can mean you don’t feel breathless as quickly when you’re doing an activity. It can be particularly helpful for people who have fatigue as well as breathlessness.

If you get breathless when you’re eating, these things might help:

It can be hard to do physical activity if you have breathlessness. But keeping active can help improve your fitness and can actually help your breathing over time.

It’s best to plan an activity with breaks and rest periods before you do anything else. For example, if you’re walking to the shops in the morning, make sure you can rest in the afternoon.

Physical activity could include walking, gardening or swimming. Or it could be practising sitting to standing, or simply moving your arms and legs in a chair or in bed.

A physiotherapist can give you a programme of exercises designed for you. Some hospitals and hospices run exercise groups for patients who are breathless. These are things to be aware of when you’re doing physical activity:

Becoming breathless when you’re exercising can be unpleasant, but it’s not usually harmful. It should settle after you rest for a few minutes.

Some people find that using a walking aid, like a wheeled walker, can help their breathing. This is probably because the way you lean forward and put pressure on your arms to use the aid, helps you get air into your lungs. If you’re finding it difficult to walk, it can also be a good way to continue to do physical activity. And this can help with your breathing more generally.

Using a walking aid can also mean you can stop for a rest without having to sit down and get back up again. And if using a walking aid means you can be more mobile, this may help with your confidence too.

You can ask your doctor, nurse or physiotherapist about using a walking aid.

Smoking can make breathlessness worse. If you smoke and want support to stop or cut down, ask your doctor or nurse. They can discuss a range of different ways to help you to stop.

E-cigarettes (also called vapes) are thought to be less harmful than cigarettes. While we do not know their long-term effects, they may make symptoms of breathlessness worse.

If you have anxiety, it can help to talk about it with someone you trust. This could be a friend, family member or your doctor or nurse.

You can also contact our free Support Line on 0800 090 2309 or email support@mariecurie.org.uk for practical information and emotional support.

Your doctor or nurse can prescribe medicines to help, and they may refer you to a different professional for more support. This could be a counsellor or psychologist, who can help you understand and work through your feelings.

Counselling is a talking therapy that is sometimes free at hospices, hospitals or GP surgeries. Your doctor or nurse can let you know what talking therapies are available locally, and can help you decide which treatment is best for you. Speak to your GP for more information about free counselling services.

You may also be able to get private counselling, which you would need to pay for. For more information, ask your doctor. Or, visit the British Association of Counselling and Psychotherapy website to find a qualified counsellor near you.

These techniques can help get your breathing under control if you feel anxious or panicky. Try practicing them so you’re ready to use them if you do start to feel short of breath or anxious.

Imagine a rectangle. Or you can look at a rectangle in the room, like a TV screen or picture frame.

Keep breathing in and out in this way until your breathing feels under control.

Try to increase how long you breathe out. You could start by trying to breathe in for three seconds and breathing out for five seconds.

It’s fine if you find it more comfortable to breathe in for shorter or longer than four seconds. The important thing is that you breathe in and out for the same length of time. Keep doing this until your breathing feels under control.

For both rectangular breathing and square breathing – ideally breathe in through your nose, and out through your mouth. But this might not be possible for everyone – do what feels most comfortable for you.

Finding ways to relax may help you manage breathlessness and anxiety. Try to find time for relaxation each day. This could include breathing exercises, or listening to music or an audiobook. Or could might like to spend time outside, have a bath, or try meditating.

Some people find complementary therapies like acupuncture, reiki, and massage make them feel more relaxed, which can help with their breathlessness.

Speak to your doctor or nurse before trying a complementary therapy. They can advise what’s suitable and safe for you, depending on your health condition and treatment.

It’s also important to tell the complementary therapist about your medical condition, and any treatments you’ve had or are having. They can make sure the therapy is suitable for you.

Some complementary therapies are free on the NHS, but they’re not always available. Speak to your doctor or nurse about what’s available in your area. Your local hospice or a local support group may also offer free or reduced cost therapies. You can also get complementary therapies privately, but you will have to pay for these. Private therapists can be expensive, so it’s worth checking the cost first.

There are different medicines that can help with breathlessness:

Ask your doctor or nurse about the best medicines for you.

It can be helpful to keep a diary of when you feel breathless. This can help you see if it’s worse at certain times, or after particular activities. And it can help you plan activities for when you have more energy, and make the most of the energy that you have.

You may also want to use the action plan. This a place to write down the techniques and medicines that work well for you.

If you need help to manage your breathlessness, there are lots of professionals who can support you. Your GP, hospital team or local hospice can refer you to other professionals.

Breathlessness can affect people at any stage of their illness. Sometimes, breathlessness can get worse as someone’s illness progresses and they near the end of their life.

People can still use the techniques they’ve found helpful, such as controlled breathing and using a fan, if it’s comfortable.

Someone’s breathlessness may improve for a while as they’re less able to do activities and need to rest more. There are medicines that can keep someone comfortable even as they become more breathless. A doctor or nurse can help with medicines if breathlessness becomes more difficult to manage.

There are lots of ways you can support someone experiencing breathlessness. It can help to understand that your relationship with them might change if you need to take on more tasks.

Supporting someone with breathlessness due can be rewarding, but also challenging. If you need support, speak to your GP. They can support you with your own health, refer you to a social worker, or recommend local support groups.

If you would like to speak to someone, you can call our free Support Line on 0800 090 2309 or email support@mariecurie.org.uk They can provide emotional support, or you can speak to an Information and Support Nurse if you'd like practical information.

Marie Curie's Online Community can be a place to connect with others living with breathlessness, or caring for someone who has this symptom.