Breathless on Stairs (Saans Phoolna): Unfit, Anaemia or Heart? (Video)

Transcript

Breathless after two flights? Here's how to know if it's serious.

Breathless after two flights? Here's how to know if it's serious.

Breathless on Stairs

Here's the short, honest answer, and one tip most people miss.

Emergency signs

If you feel breathless while sitting still, can't finish a sentence, have chest pain, blue lips, or sudden shortness over minutes, or if it happens while lying flat, call 1122 or 112 right away.

Stairs test

The stairs test is simple. Walk up two flights at your normal pace, then stand still at the top and time how long it takes to breathe normally again. Do it once a week and note the result.

Key quote

Getting less able each month is the real warning, more than how breathless you are on any one day.

Common causes

Low fitness, extra weight, anaemia, asthma, smog irritation, and smoking are the usual culprits, and anxiety can also play a role. Each has its own clues: puffed effort with fast recovery for fitness, pale hands for anaemia, wheeze at night for asthma, and morning cough for chronic bronchitis.

Resting oxygen threshold

A pulse oximeter reading below 94% at rest signals you should see a doctor, and below 90% is an emergency.

Four-week walking plan

Start with ten minutes of walking a day at a talk-test pace. Add five minutes each week, then a gentle slope in week three, and finish with twenty-five to thirty minutes in week four before retaking the stairs test. If breathlessness worsens, stop and see a doctor.

The one clue to watch

The most reliable sign is a steady decline month after month. If you notice you need more time or have to stop more often, that’s the cue to get checked promptly.

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Read the full guide

Read the complete guide on thecareonline.com. This is general information, not medical advice.