What are some causes of difficulty breathing?
• The brain – if the respiratory center in the brain isn’t working normally, even if everything else is working well, breathing difficulty can occur. Causes for this include trauma to the brain, increased pressure in the brain, some drugs (narcotics for example), and problems with chemical balances in the blood. • The heart – if the heart has problems pumping blood to the lungs or throughout the body, the body will not get enough blood with oxygen and will cause difficulty breathing. Examples include “holes” in the heart, valve problems, or a heart that can’t keep up with the amount of blood that needs to be pumped (congestive heart failure). • The lungs – even though the blood can get to the lungs, and oxygen can get to the lungs, the lungs don’t work well and can’t transfer the oxygen. Examples include infection or fluid in the lungs (pneumonia), and diseases like cystic fibrosis. • The respiratory muscles – if the muscles that are used to help breathe are weak or paralyzed (don’t wo
