Diseases List

Are you familiar with the term dyspnea? It refers to a shortness of breath that is experienced by the patient. When someone goes through heavy physical activity, this is a normal occurrence. However, sometimes it shows up when it wouldn’t typically be considered normal. In such a circumstance, it may have an underlying medical cause such as a disease. This page discusses some possibilities for these causes of dyspnea.

Anemia

This condition usually involves a shortage of red blood cells (RBCs) in the bloodstream of the person involved. It can cause the person to experience shortness of breath. In many cases, the symptoms that are felt in anemia are vague, or simply not considered major. Due to this, the condition is often not detected in a quick manner. However, it is possible for other symptoms to show up. For instance, the individual may have pale skin — this situation is known as pallor. He may also feel fatigue. The treatment that is selected for someone with anemia varies from one case to another, and the underlying cause behind it plays a part in the determination of which option is considered preferable.

Pneumonia

This condition involves inflammation that affects the person’s lungs. Most often, it is brought on by a bacterial infection. S. pneumoniae is a common reason within that group. There are other underlying causes, including viruses, and some cases of this illness simply don’t have a known cause. Aside from dyspnea, a patient with pneumonia may also have a cough. Having a fever is also a distinct possibility. Pain may affect the person’s muscles and/or joints. Chest X-rays are frequently used in order to confirm a case of pneumonia. Blood tests are another possible tool for confirming a diagnosis. The treatment method of preference here also changes, in particular based upon what has caused the illness.

Hypothyroidism

In hypothyroidism, the individual has a thyroid with low function. Due to this, a lesser than normal amount of thyroid hormones is produced. Dyspnea can appear when a patient has this condition, although it is a relatively rare symptom. Another possibility is that a goiter may appear. This is where the thyroid gland swells, and therefore the neck does as well (in some cases, it may be the larynx that is involved). Cholesterol levels may also be high in a person with hypothyroidism. For women with this condition, there may be abnormalities in the menstrual cycles. Iodine deficiency is the most frequent cause of this illness.