ANSHU BHIMBAT REVEALS WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW

QWhat can shortness of breath be a symptom of?

AShortness of breath can be a symptom of a number of conditions. These can include asthma, COPD, coughs and colds, respiratory tract infections, panic attacks and possible cardiovascular disease. It can also be linked to being overweight.

QAnd when should people see their GP?

AInitially, if patients are experiencing very mild shortness of breath then it might be worth them visiting their local pharmacy. The pharmacist can carry out a consultation which may be able to indicate the cause. If shortness of breath is linked to coughs, colds or weight, the pharmacist can offer help and advice on how to alleviate the symptoms. If the shortness of breath is moderate to severe, visit your GP or call 999 in an emergency.

QHow can your local pharmacy help?

AIf the shortness of breath is linked to weight then we can offer advice on healthy weight loss, which would help to alleviate the symptom. As well as this, we can give general lifestyle advice to help to improve the symptom of shortness of breath due to low levels of fitness. These can include breathing techniques, doing yoga, pilates and low-impact cardiovascular exercise.