I have breathing attacks and lung pains!

Hello,

Can someone help me get a correct diagnosis please? I'm a 23 yr old male 5"11, 170lbs, I don't drink/smoke/caffeine and general eat healthly but I should exercise more often and should live a less seditary lifestyle. I have lived this lifestyle for at least about 5 years with no noticeable health concerns whatsoever.

Just very Recently however starting around Jan 10th 2009 (and persisting to this moment) I noticed I developed a more acuteness in "shortness of breath" , "lack of sufficient oxygen", and generally unable to catch enough air even when I am sitting down, lying down, calm and not stressing out and even when I am trying to do deep slow breathing with hand on belly method, etc..

I have NOT gotten a fever, I do not have the flu or some virus infection, nor have I coughed up blood or a lot of yellow mucus or anything at all for that matter. (however I do always deep down in the depths of my lungs seem to have residual "mucus" even on my "good days" and whenever I cough VERY HARD I notice it is still there in my lungs, but this has been going on for YEARS, and only recently do I develop the new "breathing problems" that I have right now...so I don't know if this is related but ..)

I don't think I have asthma because I don't have the wheezing that accompanies it. In the morning times by breathing problems seems to be fine but near the afternoon or nighttimes it will return again, I have not be able to predict when and what causes it..

It is really hard to describe how exactly it feels, it is not just a "lack of air" or difficulty breathing, on top of that there is almost a kind of "lung pain" or like somehow my lung has gone bad or it has been "beat up" or "kicked around" and now it is hurting inside my rig cages and its sore or something (if that makes any sense at all...) and it feels like it is "sour" and in mild pain although I'm not sure if this is a "heartburn" feeling or not, but I have never had heartburn before so I don't know... My lungs definetly feel strange like they have been bent out of shape or constricted because it is not just a mere lack of breathe, the lungs feel weird on top of all the other problems.

I have noticed that sometimes my left and right arms would feel a little bit of pain coming from "within" (I don't know if this is a nerve or blood vain or whatnot) and sometimes it is the upper arms, other times it is in the palm of my hands, I feel sometimes my hands would feel pain from within, I don't know if this is the precursor to heart problems or whatnot.. Maybe this is a heart failure leading to lung problems that makes my breathing difficult? I don't know.. I am still able to jog 6 lapses everyday so if that was the case I should pass out right??

What I do know is I have never had this kind of chronic breathing problems before. I have monitored my blood pressure and my pulse is around 65-70, my blood pressure is ~ 70-125, so I am within range. I never have a fever, and I don't even cough that bad.. Should I purchase an oxymeter and make sure I can getting enough Oxygen in my bloodstream doing these period periods of what I can only describe as "breathing attacks"?? And if the oxygen level is normal what would explain my "lack of air" and "difficulty breathing"?? I mean I can physically breathe in and out the same volume of air and there is no wheezing or ariticial blockadge or restriction but my body feels like it is NOT getting enough oxygen during these times and I get a slight light headed dizziness and it is almost like I can consistently out of breathe even when I am resting and lying down and not stressed out and doing my best to breathe correctly....

Does anyone know what could be my problem? Thanks
 
You need to see a doctor for proper diagnosis and to rule out lung disease.

You may be hyperventilating and not know it, commonly known as "hidden hyperventilation". Stress and worry can increase this to be likely.

Try rebreathing in a paper sack 5 minutes every hour while awake for a couple of weeks and see if that helps. Use a paper lunch sack with bottom closed good with tape. DO NOT use a plastic bag, you will SUFFOCATE.

The red carpusles needs a balance of carbon dioxide and oxygen in order to release the oxygen to the vital organs. If you are hyperventilating, the vital organs are being deprived of sufficinet oxygen.

I am not a medical professional, speaking from personal experience.
 
Thanks for the idea, i will try it. What do you mean by "bottom closed good with tape"? Rebreathing causes the air to be reused right? doesn't that leave me with LESS oxygen and more Co2 or how does that work?
Thanks
 
When we hyperventiale we have too much oxygen and too little carbon dioxide.

We have plenty of oxygen, just need a little more carbon dioxide to go with it. By rebreathing your breath you increase the carbon dioxide level back to normal.

Paper sacks have a poor glue job on the bottom which leaves a hole for air to leak out. If the bottom is closed good then we will have more of our breath to reuse. At best a paper sack is not air tight.

Rebreathing in a paper sack is an excellent way to calm down when uptight about something.
 
I was on this site looking for info on acid reflux and came across your question. I get the same type of breathing issues and they are really scary. Had heart and lungs checked which were ok. GP thinks stress/anxiety but read a lot about acid reflux/hiatus hernias (which I have) causing this type of breathing. Don't know if helps you! Obviously if like me, when you get this, you focus on it and end up overbreathing, this will give you the light headedness.
 
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