Shortness of breath and dizziness.

[Samster]

Hello I will link the other post I put on the forum here to help you to understand the situation:

/showthread.php?t=160970

Now I know I am not to search for reassurance but it is not reassurance I come seeking so much as knowing someone will have been through the same thing and come out the other end!

I am posting because all day every day I have chronic shortness of breath (this has been going on for the best part of 5 weeks. I have had a sore throat and such recently however I am suffering dreadfully with a lack of breath. It is not that I cannot breath or that my oxygen levels are low (going on what A&E said 5 weeks ago) It is simply that my chest feels tight and heavy.

The key symptoms I am experiencing at the moment are:

• Severe lack of breath (feels as though I cannot get a deep breath all the time or like it is an effort to breath).
  
• Dizziness when I walk (to the point I feel as though I could topple over at any second) a lack of the ability to think straight is also present.
  
• Ringing in the ears (this comes with no relief and is also chronic) worse some times than others
  
• Splitting headaches. (these come and go)
  
• Difficulty of many types (downstairs)

So has anyone had these symptoms or similar. I am usually very active and healthy and have no erectile problems.

I am an 18 year old male and this is really tearing me apart.

[Natasha006]

Hi there
I can 100% relate to your problem. The ringing that you hear in your ears is a results of hearing damage. Called tinnitus. This should be looked at my an ENT to rule out any possible hearing issues. If you are feeling dizzy all the time when you are walking and off balance it actually comes from your ears.

The shortness of breath and your chest tightness could be that fact that you are panicking over the ringing in your ears and dizziness. Stress is also a major factor in headaches.

Look up labyrinthitis. This could be what you may have.

Again you should get your ears assessed. Although there is no cure for tinnitus there are some thing that you can try to help get rid of it.

[chickpea]

Have a look at anxietycoach.com. - there is a breathing exercise on there that explains the symptoms you are experiencing and talks you through how to change them to be able to belly breathe.

What you describe are classic anxiety symptoms.

[Samster]

Thanks for your swift reply Natasha. I was actually diagnosed with labrinthitus 5 weeks ago Monday. However my symptoms are intermittently severe. They come and go with severity but are always present to some degree.

Could this all be anxiety? Or am I just going mad!

[chickpea]

Intermittent symptoms point absolutely to anxiety! You are not going mad, don't worry.

[Natasha006]

Absolutely. The more anxious you get the more your bodies adreneline kicks in the worse your symptoms start to feel. You should definitely try the breathing exercises that Chickpea suggested. They will truly help I believe.
I have tinnitus in my ear 24/7, when i wake up and when i go to sleep. Its more severe at night and when I have a headache.
And again, you are not going mad. I promise

[Samster]

Here is the think I try the deep breathing but this brings no give to my symptoms and the shortness of breath is still there. I had a chest xray and ecg done both of which were normal so have no idea as to why this symptom keeps on going.

[chickpea]

Here is the think I try the deep breathing but this brings no give to my symptoms and the shortness of breath is still there. I had a chest xray and ecg done both of which were normal so have no idea as to why this symptom keeps on going.

If you look at the exercise I mentioned, it explains why you feel like this - it's not just as easy as trying to take deep breaths, there is a specific technique to follow, otherwise you will still be struggling to get breath in.
You DO know why the symptoms persist - as you have said, it's not a physical cause, it's a mental one. (as proven by the tests coming back fine).

[Natasha006]

It will take a lot of discipline and time to learn how to take deep breathes properly to try and calm down. Sometimes when you are taking a deep breath you are also panicking while you are doing it because you are thinking to yourself.. "im taking a deep breath because i feel like i cant breath, but i still cant breath even though im taking a deep breath" so this is going to in turn not provide any relief.
Practice other techniques as well such as focusing your attention on one thing in a room and trying to pay attention to the detail. If you divert your mind from your symptoms that could help as well.

Trust in the facts that your test came back normal. What you are doing is doubting everything because you are still having symptoms but your syptoms are induced by your anxiety.