Shortness of breath — which specialty
A sense of not getting enough air, having to work at breathing, or being short of breath doing what used to be easy.
Usually seen by
Respiratory medicineCardiology
Other directions, depending on what comes with it:
- Haematology — with pallor and long-running tiredness
- ENT — if breathlessness comes with a noisy sound at the throat
Not sure you have picked the right one? Start with general internal medicine — routing you to the right place is their job, not yours.
Go now, without waiting for an appointment, if any of these apply
- Breathlessness of sudden onset
- Breathlessness so marked you cannot finish a sentence
- Blue lips or fingertips
- Breathlessness with chest pain
- Having to sit up to breathe, unable to lie flat
This list is not exhaustive and does not replace judgement on the spot. If something is clearly wrong and you are unsure, call your local emergency number or go to the nearest facility — waiting in order to be certain is the most dangerous way to spend the time.
What you will be asked — have the answers ready
- Whether it happens on exertion or also at rest
- How many flights of stairs you used to manage and how many now — a concrete marker beats the word "worse"
- Whether lying down makes it worse, or you have to sit up at night
- Whether there is a cough, and what colour anything you bring up is
- Whether your legs are swollen
A first appointment is short. Having these answers ready is the cheapest way to avoid a second visit that exists only to supply information.
Bring with you
- Home oxygen saturation readings if you have a meter, with the time each was taken
- Previous chest films
- A list of medicines, inhalers in particular
What a first visit usually involves
- Oxygen saturation and breathing rate
- Listening to the chest and the heart
- A chest film and/or lung function testing depending on the suspected direction