Chest tightness feels as though you cannot take a complete breath in or out. The feeling can be quite scary. Feeling as though you cannot "catch your breath" can cause anxiety and panic and may even accelerate other asthma symptoms. Children sometimes describe it as a stomachache, chest ache, or "funny feeling."
The underlying reason for chest tightness is easy to understand – it results from a tightening of your airways called bronchoconstriction. This tightening is part of airway inflammation that occurs in response to exposure to one or more of your asthma triggers. Other changes in the airways that may contribute to the feeling of chest tightness include a narrowing of the airway due to swelling of the airway lining and increased mucus in the airways.
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What It Means
Like wheezing and coughing, chest tightness is an asthma warning sign. If ignored, it can quickly escalate into a full-blown asthma attack that requires emergency treatment. If you have not been diagnosed yet with asthma and you are experiencing chest tightness often – especially if it happens with wheezing, coughing, and /or shortness of breath – then it could be a sign you have asthma. So be sure to mention it to your doctor, so he can make a proper diagnosis.
However, if you haven't yet received an asthma diagnosis, it's important to know that chest tightness – because it is such a subjective symptom – can also be confused with other similar symptoms, such as chest pain. If you're actually having chest pain, rather than chest tightness, it could be a sign of a life-threatening heart condition.
Learn More:
- How Asthma Is Diagnosed
- Peak Flow Meters - An Objective Measure of a Subjective Symptom
- Symptom Checker - Compare Symptoms
When to Call the Doctor
If chest tightness is a new problem and you have not yet been diagnosed with asthma, then you should definitely see a doctor to get it checked out. When you visit the doctor, try to bring as much information with you as you can. Keeping a symptom diary can be helpful in seeing when and where the chest tightness has occurred. For instance, is it happening after you come into contact with your neighbor's cat? When you go outdoors in the spring? At work when you're exposed to chemical fumes of some kind?
All of the above are what are known as asthma triggers, which are things that can set off asthma symptoms in sensitive people. Pinpointing these triggers, and then starting to avoid them, will help you prevent more severe problems with chest tightness and other asthma symptoms from occurring in the future.
Besides keeping track of when and where you have chest tightness, you may also want to take notes about the following:
- How long the tightness lasts
- Whether it goes away on its own or if treatment is needed
- Exactly what it feels like
The important thing to remember is that chest tightness is a sign that something in your airways is not working as it should. If you've never been diagnosed with asthma, then this is a sign that you should call your doctor. If you are being treated for asthma and still having chest tightness, it's likely that your treatment isn't working effectively. When asthma is under control, you should not experience any asthma symptoms. If you have an Asthma Action Plan, check it to see what actions to take for chest tightness. If you don't have one yet, work with your doctor to help develop one as soon as you are feeling better. And be sure to talk with your doctor as soon as possible about what steps to take now to relieve the chest tightness.
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Source:
Expert Panel Report 3: Guidelines for the Diagnosis and Management of Asthma." NHLBI Guidelines for the Diagnosis and Treatment of Asthma. 28 Aug 2007. National Heart Lung and Blood Institute. 20 March 2008.
<http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/guidelines/asthma/asthgdln.pdf>
