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Short of breath on lying flat
Orthopnea is a symptom in which one has difficulty breathing when lying flat. It is most commonly a sign of heart failure.
Dr. Robert Kwok reviewed this
35 year experience in Pediatrics
How long it usually lasts:
How common it is:
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Related questions
A 24-year old female asked:
Short of breath. Chest tight & sore. Drainage. Pulse ox ok. EKG ok. Lung sounds ok. What could be causing me to gasp for air? Better when lying flat.
1 doctor answer • 6 doctors weighed in
A 30-year old female asked:
Im now getting white flat spots on my skin, i also hear a swooshing sound in my right ear all the time, daily pain between my ribcage, short in breath?
1 doctor answer • 1 doctor weighed in
A 56-year old female asked:
When I sleep flat I wakeup with hard palpitations, choking, then in the day I feel a bit tension in the heart, but I don't have chest pain&no short breath at normal activities?
2 doctor answers • 2 doctors weighed in
A 57-year old male asked:
Mild COPD hyperinflated lungs, flat diaphragm 58yr male 40yr former smoker now jogging healthy eating not short of breath normal lifespan possible?
2 doctor answers • 3 doctors weighed in
A 19-year old male asked:
A little short of breath while laying flat on back any ideas wht this could its winter right now where i live. My brain goes to the worst lung cancer?
2 doctor answers • 3 doctors weighed in
A 20-year old male asked:
I am experiencing nausea (severity: moderate) , dizziness (worsened by: changing head position, hot weather, lying flat, sitting upright, prolonged standing) , shortness of breath (time frame: gradual onset) (worsened by: psychological stress, lying?
1 doctor answer • 4 doctors weighed in
A 42-year old female asked about a 44-year old male:
Husband can't lie flat on back w/o not being able to breath. He's doing hida scan today and worried about lying on back for so long. He truly can't. ?
1 doctor answer • 1 doctor weighed in
A 23-year old male asked:
I have shortness of breath when lying flat. I am 21 and about 300 pounds so I am in the obese category is this in my case most likely from that since I am still young or should I be overly concerned?
1 doctor answer • 2 doctors weighed in
A 44-year old female asked:
Dry cough while lying down pain under lower left rib with deep breaths. Somewhat short of breath.
1 doctor answer • 1 doctor weighed in
A 20-year old male asked:
Shortness of breath w/normal Oxygen saturation? My Oxy Sat is usually 98 but I've been experiencing shortness of breath, especially when lying flat??
1 doctor answer • 2 doctors weighed in
A 34-year old female asked:
I am experiencing visual hallucination, dizziness that gets worse with changing head position, lying flat, sitting upright, prolonged standing, and that is unaffected by rest, moderate shortness of breath of gradual onset, that gets worse with psychologic
2 doctor answers • 4 doctors weighed in
A 18-year old male asked:
Can anxiety constantly mimic symptoms of hypertrophic cardiomyopathy such as shortness of breath lying flat fatigue. No hit in echo ekg/no famhistory.
1 doctor answer • 2 doctors weighed in
A 18-year old female asked:
I am experiencing difficulty breathing (worsened by: lying flat) (quality: noisy) . The following also describe me: Shortness of breath, Chest pain or discomfort, Rapid heart rate, Dizziness, and Headache. What should I do?
1 doctor answer • 5 doctors weighed in
A 35-year old female asked:
I am 33 geting a tight chest, pain middle of my chest and on my back in between my shoulder blades worse with certain movements. Short of breath comes and goes worse while lying down, congested sinus and some pressure on chest?
1 doctor answer • 2 doctors weighed in
A 35-year old male asked:
35m, lost weight(10kg), chest discomfort/mild pain, random skipped beats followed by single cough/short breath. Physical activity like getting up/making the bed, rising up cause dizziness. Lying down/sleep is worst.High cholesterol and triglycerides.
2 doctor answers • 2 doctors weighed in
A 32-year old female asked:
I am experiencing wheezing worse by lying flat occurs with skin flushing turning red and hot cough with phelgm hard to breath runny nose chest tight?
1 doctor answer • 5 doctors weighed in
A 16-year old female asked:
I am experiencing wheezing (worsened by: breathing in cold air, psychological stress, after exercise, lying flat, exposure to secondhand smoke, during cold or flu) (quality: occurs with skin flushing (turning red and hot)) , shortness of breath (time fra
1 doctor answer • 1 doctor weighed in
A 28-year old male asked:
Have shortness of breath when lying flat and cough a lot.Chest CT showed mild cardiomegaly and Mild dependent atelectasis but echocardiogram was okay.
1 doctor answer • 2 doctors weighed in
A 18-year old male asked:
I am experiencing cough (worsened by: lying flat, worse at night) (quality: whooping sound when breathing in, with phelgm or mucus, chronic cough) . The following also describe me: Shortness of breath, Chest pain or discomfort, Chills, Chest congestion,
1 doctor answer • 1 doctor weighed in
A 41-year old female asked:
Fever, chills. 2 weeks of dry violent coughing fits. Now short of breath esp on exertion or lying down, yellow sputum, wheezing. Can't talk only whisper for 8 days. & sinus infection pain, mild fever. ?
1 doctor answer • 2 doctors weighed in
A 22-year old female asked:
I am experiencing shortness of breath (severity: mild) (time frame: sudden) (worsened by: lying down) (unaffected by: psychological stress, exercise or physical activity) (better by: sitting upright) (unaffected by: rest), cough (worsened by: lying flat) (unaffected by: exposure to secondhand smoke, night time) (associated with: barky, hoarse, or hacking sound, whooping sound upon breathing in, phlegm or mucus) (not associated with: blood in phlegm, chronic, persistent in winter), fever (severity: mild), dizziness (worsened by: hot weather, lying flat, sitting upright) (unaffected by: changing head position, exercise, prolonged standing) (unaffected by: with fluids, rest), headache (severity: moderate) (time frame: sudden) (occurred: 1 - 3 hours) (side: front, left, right) (worsened by: sneeze or cough, being tired) (unaffected by: bending forward, changes in sleep pattern, psychological stress, exercise, being at high altitude, menstruation, skipping meals) (better by: rest) (unaffected by: stress management) (associated with: dull or aching sensation, sensation of pressure or fullness) (not associated with: occurring at the same time of day, sharp or stabbing feeling, throbbing sensation, wake you from sleep), aching muscles, generalized weakness, chills, body aches, chest congestion, difficulty breathing through nose, runny nose, sore throat, and nasal congestion. I have the following risk factor(s): living in or recent travel to high risk covid-19 region.
2 doctor answers • 5 doctors weighed in
A 47-year old asked:
Why does going uphill make short breath?
2 doctor answers • 6 doctors weighed in
A 47-year old male asked:
Been feeling a little short breath lately just want to know what that might be?
1 doctor answer • 2 doctors weighed in
A 24-year old male asked:
I constantly find myself having short breath. It's been happening for almost a year and I'm starting to get worried?
1 doctor answer • 1 doctor weighed in
A 54-year old asked:
I have this sharp pain every once in a while. It goes away after 10-20 seconds when I take short breaths. Is this something serious?
2 doctor answers • 3 doctors weighed in
A 18-year old male asked:
Im 56 and 215 pounds I eat a bunch of food but rarely exersize And when I do I run short on breath what is wrong with me do I need medical help?
2 doctor answers • 2 doctors weighed in
A 30-year old female asked:
Is it normal for infants to have short breath?
1 doctor answer • 1 doctor weighed in
A 27-year old male asked:
Chest pains and short breath?
1 doctor answer • 1 doctor weighed in
A 31-year old female asked:
I have short breath and Im pregnant?
1 doctor answer • 1 doctor weighed in
A 42-year old asked:
Why am I so short of breath and how can I fix it?
1 doctor answer • 1 doctor weighed in
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