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Difficulty in breathing, shortness of breath, breathlessness or dyspnea can have various causes. Episodes of shortness of breath can occur during high levels of activity or as a result of environmental conditions such as high altitude or very warm or cold temperatures. Other than these extreme conditions, shortness of breath is commonly a sign of a medical problem.
Follow the links below to find information on breathing problems. For specific information about choking (or asphyxiation), altitude sickness or sleep apnoea, follow the links to the specific topic pages below.
Updated March 2009
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Related HealthInsite Topics
Altitude Sickness
HealthInsite Topic Page
Links to information about altitude sickness.
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Choking
HealthInsite Topic Page
Links to information about preventing asphyxiation and choking and what to do if it happens.
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Sleep Apnoea
HealthInsite Topic Page
Links to information about sleep apnoea (apnea).
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Systematic Reviews of Treatments for Breathing Problems
HealthInsite Topic Page
Links to systematic reviews of the evidence for the effectiveness of treatments for breathing problems.
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| Title: |
Persistent stridor
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| Publisher: |
Department of Health Western Australia
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| Description: |
Diagnostic imaging algorithm for young children with persistent unexplained stridor.
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| Date: |
Jun 2009
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| Title: |
Breathing problems
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| Publisher: |
The Royal Australian College of General Practitioners
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| Description: |
Breathing problems in children include excessively noisy or fast breathing and shortness of breath. Although rapid or noisy breathing is usually obvious, shortness of breath may be less noticeable because a child may simply avoid activities that make him or her breathless.
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| Date: |
Mar 2009
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| Title: |
Coughing
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| Publisher: |
The Royal Australian College of General Practitioners
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| Description: |
Coughing is a normal protective reaction to irritation of the throat or lungs. In babies under 6 months, coughs are unusual and can be a sign of a serious lung infection if the child is also unwell. In older children, the vast majority of coughs are due to minor infections of the throat or upper airways, such as colds.
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| Date: |
Mar 2009
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| Title: |
Cough: treating dry cough - myDr.com.au
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| Publisher: |
myDr
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| Description: |
A dry cough can be treated using cough suppressants, decongestants, antihistamines, or with a combination of these products.
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| Date: |
Mar 2009
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| Title: |
Coughing and wheezing in children
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| Publisher: |
Better Health Channel
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| Description: |
Coughing and wheezing in babies or children can have many causes. Colds and other viruses, choking, croup, bronchiolitis, hay fever, asthma, whooping cough and pneumonia can all cause coughing and wheezing. However most cases can be managed at home. If your child stops breathing or becomes distressed, seek urgent medical help.
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| Date: |
Dec 2008
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| Title: |
Epiglottitis
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| Publisher: |
Child and Youth Health - CYH (South Australia)
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| Description: |
Epiglottitis is a rare but very serious disease that can cause children to die because their airway in the throat becomes blocked.
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| Date: |
Nov 2008
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| Title: |
Corticosteroid therapy in respiratory disorders
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| Publisher: |
The Australian Lung Foundation
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| Description: |
Corticosteroids (sometimes called "cortisone") are effective anti-inflammatory drugs often used to help control inflammatory diseases, for example, in the bowel (colitis), in the joints (arthritis), in the skin(dermatitis) and in the lungs.
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| Date: |
Nov 2008
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| Title: |
COPD - chronic bronchitis and emphysema
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| Publisher: |
The Australian Lung Foundation
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| Description: |
Chronic bronchitis and emphysema are common long-term lung diseases that cause shortness of breath. Each condition can occur on its own, but many people have a mixture of the two problems. In Australia, chronic bronchitis and emphysema usually occur in people who have smoked or continue to smoke cigarettes.
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| Date: |
Nov 2008
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| Title: |
Haemophilus influenza type B
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| Publisher: |
Child and Youth Health - CYH (South Australia)
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| Description: |
Before the introduction of Hib immunisation in 1993, the bacterial infection Haemophilus influenza type B was one of the most common causes of meningitis in young children (generally under the age of 2 years), and it was also the cause of epiglottitis which causes breathing problems.
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| Date: |
Sep 2008
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| Title: |
Habit cough in children - myDr.com.au
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| Publisher: |
myDr
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| Description: |
A habit cough is a cough that occurs in the absence of any underlying disease. It may follow a viral illness, but can go on for weeks, months or even, in extreme cases, years.
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| Date: |
May 2008
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| Title: |
Breathlessness in cancer
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| Publisher: |
Virtual Medical Centre.com
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| Description: |
Information on dyspnoea (breathlessness) in cancer patients by professional medical specialists.
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| Date: |
May 2008
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| Title: |
Breathlessness
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| Publisher: |
Virtual Medical Centre.com
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| Description: |
Medical information about the causes, symptoms and treatment of breathlessness by professional medical specialists.
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| Date: |
May 2008
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| Title: |
Cough
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| Publisher: |
Virtual Medical Centre.com
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| Description: |
Information about the causes and treatment of cough written by professional health specialists.
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| Date: |
Apr 2008
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| Title: |
Breathing
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| Publisher: |
CareSearch
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| Description: |
Breathing problems are a significant issue for many palliative care patients. These pages provide information and evidence regarding breathing problems for health professionals.
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| Date: |
Apr 2008
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| Title: |
TGA announcement regarding the use of cough and cold medicines in children
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| Publisher: |
Australian Government Department of Health and Ageing
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| Description: |
The National Drugs and Poisons Scheduling Committee (NDPSC) has announced today that sedating antihistamines, which are found in many cough and cold medicines, will only be available as prescription medicines for children under 2 years of age.
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| Date: |
Apr 2008
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| Title: |
Chronic dyspnoea
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| Publisher: |
Department of Health Western Australia
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| Description: |
Diagnostic imaging algorithm for chronic dyspnoea.
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| Date: |
Mar 2008
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| Title: |
Breathing problems and exercise
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| Publisher: |
Better Health Channel
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| Description: |
People with lung disease may avoid activities or exercise. People with asthma, emphysema, bronchiectasis and chronic bronchitis may find exercise makes them breathless. However, regular physical activity can actually improve lung function and make breathing easier. Breathing exercises help too. Some hospitals run rehabilitation courses for pulmonary (lungs and airways) recovery.
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| Date: |
Nov 2007
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| Title: |
Swallowed objects
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| Publisher: |
Child and Youth Health - CYH (South Australia)
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| Description: |
Young children and babies learn about their world by putting things in their mouths. It is easy for them to swallow things that may be harmful to them.
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| Date: |
Apr 2007
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| Title: |
Home oxygen treatment
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| Publisher: |
The Australian Lung Foundation
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| Description: |
Oxygen is essential for life. In normal healthy people, the blood oxygen level is usually above 85 units (mmHg). In people with lung problems, this level may fall to quite low levels. The use of added home oxygen has become routine for COPD patients with long-standing low blood oxygen levels.
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| Date: |
Jul 2004
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