Definition of Breathing difficulties - first aid:

Breathing difficulties can range from being short of breath, unable to take a deep breath, gasping for air, or feel like you are not getting enough air.

This article discusses first aid for someone who is having breathing problems.

See also: Choking

Considerations:

Breathing difficulty is almost always a medical emergency (other than feeling slightly winded from normal activity such as exercise).

Causes:

There are many different causes for breathing problems. Common causes include:

• Asthma
• Being at a high altitude
• Blood clot in the lung
• Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)
• Collapsed lung
• Heart attack
• Heart disease or heart failure
• Injury to the neck, chest wall, or lungs
• Life-threatening allergic reaction
• Respiratory nfections, including pneumonia, acute bronchitis, whooping cough, croup, and others