Breathing Problems First Aid

Breathing problems can be described in several different ways. It can be shortness of breath, difficulty to take deep breath, filling of inability to get enough air, or unable to gasp for air. Any of these cases should be a cause of concern especially if it happens outdoors or when you think emergency help is not accessible.

Breathing problems have several potential causes. Injury to the chest, neck or lung can result to heavy breathing. Other causes include:

• Asthma, chronic bronchitis, heart disease, emphysema, or heart failure.
• Pulmonary embolism or blot clot formation in the lung.
• Breathing second hand smoke or cigarette smoking
• Collapsed lung (can happen if you have asthma or emphysema, but may also happen to young and healthy people)
• Heart attack.
• Allergic reaction

First Aid

Call 911.
Attend to the person and check his or her breathing, airway, and circulation.
Loose any tight clothing.
Begin CPR if necessary.
If breeding is present, stop it right away by applying pressure on the open wound with a clean cloth.
Continue monitoring the patient's breathing and circulation while waiting for emergency help to arrive. Never assume that the person's condition is improving if you can no longer hear any wheezing.
For injury-related breathing problems, make sure that the injured part of the victim's body is untouched. Never move or realign injuries.
If the chest or the neck has open wounds, they must be closed at once. Bandage these wounds immediately.
Do not give any food or drinks to the victim
If breathing problem is caused by fatigue, heat exhaustion or hyperventilation, stop any activity and take the person out of direct sunlight.
If the victim has inhaled fumes, take him or her to a safe place. If the person is or becomes unconscious, make sure that nothing is obstruction the airway.
When to call for emergency help

Call emergency medical help with breathing problem is accompanied by the following:
• Excessive drooling
• Chest pain
• Open wound on the chest and neck
• Inability to speak
• Dizziness or light-headedness
• Blue lips, fingers or toenails
• Sweating
• Vomiting
• Nausea
• Hives
• Rapid or irregular heartbeat
• Swelling of the tongue, throat or face
• Presence of blood when coughing

Call for emergency help right away if breathing difficulty is accompanied by coughing, if the victim has fever, green or yellow phlegm, weight loss, swelling in the legs, night sweats, and loss of appetite.