tightness of chest and need to yawn and take deep beaths

[mickyjoe]

hi i am suffering with tightness of chest and struggling to take deep breaths. I randomly get urges to take deep breaths and yawn, but struggle to do so. i have suffered with this problem from a young age, but it has got worse in adulthood as i have been smoking and occasionally taking cocaine. When at hospital once they put it down to panick attacks and use of cocaine. but like i said this started as a kid. Any help please?

[Caryopteris]

Yawning is classic for anxiety.   It is included on this long list - see the list under the second third heading or hit CTRL F and type in yawning.  

http://www.anxietycentre.com/anxiety-symptoms.shtml

Your body is tired from the anxiety, but stimulants make the anxiety worse.  You should start exercising.  Try sprinting as far as you can and then walking, then sprinting again and then walking.  Then do stretching exercises - take your time.  Do side bends like a ballerina.  Bend your back backwards, using an exercise ball or just lie on your tummy and lift your shoulder area up while keeping pelvis on the floor, arching your back.  Exercises that stretch the rib cage and neck area really relax me.  

See how you feel after exercise.  It may be more alert, or it may be "sleepy."  That sleepy feeling is actually relaxation.  Don't fight it.  It's a good thing to relax when that comes over you.  So just test it on the weekend and see how long it takes for you to relax after exercise.  For me it is really quick, but other people take longer.  

Also trade massages with friends.  Giving a massage can actually be relaxing as well as when you are receiving the massage.  

[Paderla Anitha, DNB]

Hello and hope you are doing well.

Cough, chest tightness and breathlessness the three symptoms are the triad of symptoms for Asthma. It is a disease affecting the lungs causing narrowing of the airways, usually due to an allergic reaction to triggering factors. Therapy is with bronchodilators which cause the airways to dilate. Your symptoms could also be due to COPD or Bronchitis. You will need to consult your doctor who may ask for blood test and an X ray. Lung function tests could further help in evaluation. In the meantime try to take warm oral fluids and do steam inhalations prior to your meals. This helps to loosen up and bring out the secretions.

Hope this helped and do keep us posted.

[Gee1111]

You are so helpful--I knew you were likely a doctor.  I am an RN with a long history of respiratory issues that were misdiagnosed for 61 1/2 yrs. as asthma by pulmonologist and family doctors, and asthma/allergy specialist.
After nearly dying over the past 2 years with recurring monthly exacerbations, treated by the same pulmonolgist who had assured me for nearly 15 years that it's "only asthma".  I saw a new asthma/allergist who referred me to Johns Hopkins Asthma/allergy.  They said "no allergy", but something is definitely wrong.  They wanted their pulmo. dept. to see me, and after having a CT scan, I was told that I had bronchiectasis (probably never asthma), also then diagnosed with Common Variable Immune Disorder, and colonized by Psedomonas.  I was tested for CF-I never knew that older folks can have milder forms of CF, which doesn't get diagnosed until older. Although all of this news is pretty much a death sentance, at least I know what I'm dealing with (always thought all those years when I was sick so often---that the doctors were missing something).  Now I'm on Immune Globulin SC weekly infusions at home for life, tobrimycin nebulized 28 days on, followed by 28 days off for the pseudo, and perforomist, budesonide (pulmicort), xopenex prn nebulized,, plus 600mg. theophylline,
daily.  I have had to partially retire from working at the hospital, and work only flex-when I'm well enough and they need me.  Of course I wouldn't work on a Med. Surg. floor due to risk of infection (I've been a psych. RN for 21 years---I was a late bloomer, graduated at age 42.  Thanks for all you input on this site.