Shortness of breath and fatigue are symptoms that can be experienced with many physical conditions and disorders, including endocrine disorders, heart and blood vessel disorders, lung disease, and anemia, or as side effects of medications. These two symptoms are most commonly associated with weight gain, limited athletic ability, depression, and anxiety. A medical professional may look for evidence that points to one of these causes before testing for less common conditions.
The phrase "shortness of breath" can mean different things to different people. For some people, it can mean that they feel unable to breathe as deeply as they normally would because their lungs won't expand as much as usual or they feel congested. For others, they mean that even though their lungs feel clear and they can breathe fully, they feel the need to breathe much faster or deeper, or both, than normal. These two different definitions can be the result of different causes, and misunderstandings between a medical professional and a patient can lead to a misdiagnosis.
Similarly, fatigue can have several meanings. Physical fatigue encompasses both fatigue in specific muscles and a feeling of lethargy throughout the body. There is also a significant difference between mental and physical fatigue. Mental fatigue can mean persistent sleepiness or a general inability to concentrate. Again, the patient should be as clear as possible with their health care provider about what type of fatigue they are feeling.
Common endocrine disorders, diabetes, thyroiditis, and adrenal fatigue, are known to cause shortness of breath and fatigue. Thyroiditis can be caused by various problems, many of which are autoimmune disorders. Typically, people with low thyroid function are responsible for these symptoms. Adrenal fatigue often accompanies hypothyroidism because the adrenal glands will attempt to compensate for the hormonal imbalance caused by insufficient thyroid function.
Disorders of the heart and blood vessels include congestive heart failure and coronary heart disease. When shortness of breath occurs when the person is at rest, especially when lying down, heart failure is a strong possibility. Coronary artery disease is characterized by shortness of breath that occurs while the person is active and usually occurs along with chest pain.
Lung diseases such as asthma, pneumonia, and lung cancer can cause shortness of breath and fatigue due to congestion of the lungs or constriction of the airways within the lungs. Coughing and chest tightness are likely to be experienced if one of these conditions is behind the symptoms. Anemia, a dramatically low number of red blood cells available to carry oxygen from the lungs to all other cells in the body, can also lead to shortness of breath and fatigue.
Some medications list shortness of breath and fatigue as possible side effects. If a new medication was started before the onset of symptoms, a medical professional can determine if it is responsible for the symptoms. Anyone who experiences breathing problems after taking medication or during normal physical activity should contact a medical professional as soon as possible.