When to see a doctor

By Mayo Clinic Staff

Seek emergency care if you have shortness of breath that:

  • Comes on fast, affects your ability to function or happens with symptoms such as chest pain.
  • Happens above 8,000 feet (about 2,400 meters) and occurs with a cough, rapid heartbeat or weakness. These are symptoms of fluid leaking from blood vessels into the lungs, called high-altitude pulmonary edema. This can be deadly.

See your doctor as soon as possible if you:

  • Become short of breath after slight physical effort or when you're at rest.
  • Have shortness of breath that you wouldn't expect from a certain activity and your current fitness and health.
  • Wake up at night with a gasp or a feeling that you're choking. These may be symptoms of sleep apnea.

Self-care

These tips could help you cope with ongoing shortness of breath:

  • If you smoke, quit. This is one of the most important things you can do if you have a health condition that causes hypoxemia. Smoking makes medical problems worse and harder to treat. If you need help quitting, talk with your health care provider.
  • Stay away from secondhand smoke. It can cause more lung damage.
  • Get regular exercise. Ask your provider what activities are safe for you. Regular exercise can boost your strength and endurance.

From Mayo Clinic to your inbox

Sign up for free and stay up to date on research advancements, health tips, current health topics, and expertise on managing health. Click here for an email preview.

We use the data you provide to deliver you the content you requested. To provide you with the most relevant and helpful information, we may combine your email and website data with other information we have about you. If you are a Mayo Clinic patient, we will only use your protected health information as outlined in our Notice of Privacy Practices. You may opt out of email communications at any time by clicking on the unsubscribe link in the email.

March 24, 2023