Medical Questions > General Forum Topics > General Q and A Forum

Trouble Breathing: Anxiety or Medical Issue?

Must Read
Learn how doctors clinically diagnose one of twelve kinds of anxiety disorders...and which doctors you should see for an anxiety diagnosis....
Anxiety disorders can affect anyone. But do you know the common signs and symptoms of anxiety disorders? Learn more now....
Anxiety is a normal, healthy emotion when experienced during specific moments. But do you know the signs that anxiety has gotten out of control? Read more here...
User Profile
Hello,

I have been having problems breathing for quite awhile. Only now it has progressed to the point were it is extremely uncomfortable. I'm experiencing fatigue, dizziness, tingling in hands, head aches, shortness of breath, and some pain right underneath my sternum. I can never get a full breath so what I do is I try to yawn. Sometimes that usually will help. If I push with my two fingers inward right underneath my sternum, I feel a bump of some sort. It kind of feels like scar tissue, but not sure what it could be. I went to emergency because I was having problems breathing. They took x-rays of my chest and came up with the conclusion that it was anxiety. When they gave me my diagnosis, I was almost sure that they were wrong. I have deep concern and am affraid that it might be something worse than anxiety. I asked the doctor if they could take some blood test just to be on the safe side, but he refused and told me just to go home and relax. He gave no prescription, but did say that if I wanted any tests to be done that I would have to ask my physician to do it. The problem is that I have no physician because I have no insurance. I would have to go to a clinic of some sort, but I just want to know if you might think that there might be something there more then just anxiety. Also, what you might think could be the problem.


Did you find this post helpful?
|

User Profile
replied July 18th, 2006
General Q&A Answer A1228
According to your age, your symptoms, and my experience I would also say that it seems that you are highly anxious. To confirm that and to exclude other diseases, several diagnostic procedures have to be done. You have already done a physical examination and chest X-ray. These diagnostic procedures are enough to exclude bronchitis, pneumonia, pleurisy, pneumotorax, lung tumor and some other diseases that may give some of the symptoms you might be experienced. Because everything was ok, the doctors in the emergency room didn’t prescribe you anything and didn’t perform any further analyses. If you to, can go to your GP to do standard blood analyses and an ECG...these seem medically unnecessary but can help give you ease of mind.
|
Did you find this post helpful?
DISCLAIMER: "Ask a Doctor" questions are answered by certified physicians and other medical professionals. For more information about experts participating in the "Ask a Doctor" Network, please visit our medical experts page. You may also visit our General Q and A , for moderated patient to patient support and information.

The information provided on eHealth Forum is designed to improve, not replace, the relationship between a patient and his/her own physician. Personal consultation(s) with a qualified medical professional is the proper means for diagnosing any medical condition.