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Respiratory Disorders (Expert Forum)
Shortness of Breath
Answered by
MN
This forum is for questions and support regarding lung and respiratory issues such as: Allergies, Asthma, Bronchitis, Colds - Flu, Chronic Cough, COPD, Cystic Fibrosis, Emphysema, Fibrosis, Lung Abscess, Nasal Polyps, Pleurisy, Pneumonia, Sarcoidosis, Sinusitis, Tuberculosis
Shortness of Breath
by Finny11, Oct 27, 2007 01:03PM
My son, age 21, has a moderate indentation on the left side of his chest below the nipple area. We have had him to a doctor and a Heart Surgeon about 3-4 years ago. The reason we took him is because he was having difficulty breathing when he played basketball. The surgeon thought from the x-rays that his lung function was probably being affected by 10%. Is this enough to cause shortness of breath during exercise? It seems to be getting worse as he gets older. He sometimes will have muscle cramping also after he exercises along with the shortness of breath. He also gets weak and very tired. We want him to go back to see another doctor but are not sure why kind of doctor to get him in to see. Should be continue playing basketball? Thank you for any help you can provide.
Doctor's Answer
by National Jewish Health, Nov 06, 2007 05:03PM
, Nov 06, 2007 05:03PM
You should seek consultation with a lung specialist, a pulmonologist, and perhaps also with a cardiologist, but not a cardiac surgeon. A 10% reduction in breathing, based on a chest x-ray, is a rough estimate. The best way is with spirometry, which is a simple breathing test that provides detailed information about how the lungs are working. A loss of 10% of lung function is almost never of clinical significance, the exception being world-class athletes, such as Lance Armstrong, who would notice the difference. You should ask the cardiologist if the chest indentation is of a degree that it could compress the heart or the large blood vessels, called the great vessels, which arise from the heart.
The most common cause of shortness of breath in a young adult would be exercise-induced asthma, which could be associated with a feeling of weakness or tiredness. The pulmonologist could easily make that determination.
The indentation could be a congenital anomaly. The presence of one anomaly increases the likelihood of another anomaly of the heart, blood vessels to the lungs or the blood vessels that serve the rest of the body.
Should his symptoms be moderate to severe, or to the point that the symptoms force him to the sideline, he should stop playing basketball until the question is answered.
The most common cause of shortness of breath in a young adult would be exercise-induced asthma, which could be associated with a feeling of weakness or tiredness. The pulmonologist could easily make that determination.
The indentation could be a congenital anomaly. The presence of one anomaly increases the likelihood of another anomaly of the heart, blood vessels to the lungs or the blood vessels that serve the rest of the body.
Should his symptoms be moderate to severe, or to the point that the symptoms force him to the sideline, he should stop playing basketball until the question is answered.
