Breathless when talking

[Jasmyn1]

Hello I am just wondering if anyone has had issues of being breathless when talking? It probably sounds really silly but it does happen all the time but now happens more frequently.

Thank you.

[starveycat]

Best advice I can give phone your doctor

[twinkly29]

Breathlessness when talking is very often related to dysfunctional breathing patterns (very common in asthmatics but also in others too - and very common after illnesses such as covid). It can be linked to asthma but tends to be more at an acute attack stage - if it's more of an ongoing thing it's quite possible it's something else.

It might be worth trying breathing exercises to see if they help. The British Lung Foundation recommend various ones - it's personal preference as to which people prefer or find useful so it's a bit trial and error, but doing regularly (eg 2 to 3 times a day for just a few mins at a time) retrains the body to breathe correctly, something it easily loses but finds hard to get back! Also doing the exercises when symptomatic, such as when you've been talking and are breathless, should bring the breathlessness under control. As I say, it (altered breathing patterns) is really common just not hugely known about.

blf.org.uk/support-for-you/...

[Yatzy in reply to twinkly29]

Thank you, twinkly29, I’ll follow this link. I’m always breathless, in fact often exhausted, after a telephone conversation. Asthma mostly well controlled, so the breathing exercises sound a good idea.

[Itswonderful in reply to Yatzy]

Yatzy I was referred to speech and language and the therapist said that talking on the telephone was a common trigger for breathlessness and breathing pattern disorders/ vocal cord dysfunction. Exercises do help. The ones I found that personally helped me were Silent Yawning and blowing out through pursed lips with puffed up cheeks. I also saw a physiotherapist who taught me breathing exercises as well and all of this has really helped.

[Yatzy in reply to Itswonderful]

Thanks 🙏 I’ll look into this further. I think I’ve got the diaphragm breathing well established, but do get very stressed due to life in general…..not a good companion for asthma. I’ll think again about exercises for releasing tension in head and neck area. I too was focussed on that with a physio for shoulder /neck pain some years ago, but never linked the problem to breathlessness after speaking on the phone, sometimes too long!

I’ll dig out the exercises prescribed again. They worked well at the time. And add your suggestions for silent yawning etc. Sounds as though might be helpful all round.

[Bevvy]

When I have been breathless when talking it is because I am unwell and having a flare up. Suggest you contact your gp.

[Clairebear35]

Only when I have a flair up, I’d speak to a gp about it

[Quizzle]

Hi, I also suffered with breathing when talking for 2 years. I thought it was menopausal asthma but that was totally ruled out by a consultant. I got treated by a Homoeopath and the symptoms cleared up for 9 months. Only these last couple of weeks have been aware of some signs - however in the last 3 months we’ve had a serious road accident on the motorway (traffic stopped but car behind carried on into us at 60mph). A month later our Labrador had to be put down after suffering kidney problems, and then 2 weeks ago we woke to a complete flood downstairs - we move into rental accommodation next week for 6 months. I share all this because yes I’ve had huge hormone changes but also the body responds to stress in different ways. I’m a fit person and I believe my breathing and speech is more linked to stress. Breathing exercises really help me,

[Yatzy in reply to Quizzle]

What a terribly stressful chain of events, Quizzle! I do feel for you. Hoping things start to pick up now and you find your life is on an even keel soon to help you to recover 🌹💐

[Motherofdogs]

I get this some times, but my asthma is not well controlled at present. I suspect you need a review

[Ilis]

Hello!

Just to quickly answer your question, yes, it happens to me and it happens all the time. I don't know why it's happening to you, but for me it is because of chronic hyperventilation syndrome, and it obviously worsens when I have asthma.

I don't know if this might help you, I wish you all the best!

Ilis

[Springtimeholly in reply to Ilis]

Hi, can I ask what your chronic hyperventilation syndrome is from? Is it dysfunctional breathing for you or tied to a different disease process?

[Ilis in reply to Springtimeholly]

Hello,

Yes of course you can. For me it is dysfunctional breathing and it's worse when I have an asthma attack, but that's it!

Ilis

[hilary39]

This isn't silly, this happens to me when my asthma is bad. Do you have an asthma plan with your doctor to step up and step down meds as needed when you have certain symptoms? This could be a symptom to add to it-