Diagnostic Techniques, Treatments Forum - Why am I short of breath? Is it a tumor?

Conditions and Diseases > Diagnostic Techniques, Treatments Forum > Why am I short of breath? Is it a tumor?

Q: Why am I short of breath? Is it a tumor?

asked by: DoctorQuestion on June 7th, 2006

Hi I went to the doctor about 3 months ago for shortness of breath. She did a chest xray which was normal, ecg normal, blood pressure high. She said the shortness of breath was due to anxiety. She put me on meds for that and blood pressure. Well still 3 months later I still have the shortness of breath. With no exerise, I can just be sitting down, does that still sound like anxiety. I asked her about lung cancer cause I used to smoke for 13 years. I am now 29. She said no it would of showed up in the xray and blood work. Does anyone know if this true?

Replies(1)

Dr. Nikola Gjuzelov , MD

replied on June 14th, 2006

Diagnostic Techniques Answer A1069

Yes, it is true. An X-ray can detect lung tumor. When a lung tumor is detected, the next procedure in medical protocol is an endoscopy (bronchoscopy) to identify the nature of the tumor (benign or malignant). Standard blood work usually shows high sedimentation. You might focus your attention now on functional lung tests such as the pick-flow-metry and measuring the vital capacity of the lungs. If these tests are also negative, than the remaining possible cause for “shortness of breath” it is probable anxiety.

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