What causes difficulty breathing in a person with anxiety?
Patient: Hi. I have a history of anxiety and the way it got diagnosed is I go through periods where I constantly feel like I'm having trouble breathing. It just feels like I'm breathing through a straw that has a hole in it and I'm not getting all the air. This caused a panic attack and I got put on medication. Well, about a year ago, I came off the medication because I thought I was fine. Just now this breathing thing started again like last week. Today has been the worst. I don't feel anxious. Could this really just be anxiety? Doctor: Hello.You have been diagnosed with panic disorder in past. Now again you are having your breathing problems which were initially considered to be a part of anxiety disorder.I think you are having a relapse of panic disorder. For treatment you should practice relaxation exercises like deep breathing and meditation. Biofeedback therapy under a psychologist's guidence can also prove useful.If you still have doubts, you can go for pulmonary function tests to test lung function and check for any breathing disorder.Hope this helps you.Thanks.