10 Lung Cancer Symptoms
Symptom #3: Shortness of Breath
Shortness of breath or dyspnea is a feeling when one is unable to breathe well. It can be assessed based on the degree of distress and the burden it has on daily routines. Patients may complain of requiring extra effort to breathe, air hunger, and chest tightness.
Besides lung cancer, it can also be seen in cardiac ischemia, pneumonia, asthma, interstitial lung disease, heart failure, panic disorder, anxiety, and more. In palliative cases (cancer and non-cancer), opioids may be beneficial in decreasing the shortness of breath in emergent cases. Physiotherapy and pulmonary rehabilitation may also be helpful.
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