Shortness of breath—also called dyspnea—is typically described as the inability to breathe deeply or having a tight feeling in your chest. It’s a common symptom of many medical conditions, including heart and lung disorders, which makes it difficult to determine the cause and, therefore, hard to treat. At West Coast Pulmonary & Sleep Disorders Center, our team of board-certified pulmonologists will get to the bottom of your dyspnea to provide the shortness of breath treatment you need. We have facilities throughout Ventura County and provide patient-centric, top-notch care.
When there is an imbalance in the brain’s demand for breath and the body’s ability to breathe, dyspnea occurs. When this happens, you may feel as if you can’t inhale or exhale as deeply or quickly as your body needs. It’s normal to have shortness of breath while exercising or engaging in a strenuous activity like climbing stairs. It’s abnormal to have shortness of breath when you aren’t doing anything that would dramatically raise your heart rate, such as sitting on the couch or going for a short walk. Shortness of breath can be acute (comes on suddenly) or chronic (developing slowly over many years) and can feel mild or severe.
Shortness of breath can be caused by many different medical conditions, including:
Shortness of breath is also a prevalent symptom in people with anxiety and depression, often related to panic attacks. It’s also common in obese individuals and those who are inactive on a consistent basis.
At West Coast Pulmonary & Sleep Disorders Center, our pulmonologists are highly experienced and have multiple advanced diagnostics at their disposal to diagnose the cause of shortness of breath. You’ll begin your journey with us with an initial consultation during which your pulmonologist will review your medical history, learn about the symptoms you’re experiencing, and conduct a detailed physical examination. From there, he or she will recommend the diagnostics necessary to confirm a diagnosis. At our centers, we can perform:
Treatment for shortness of breath depends on the condition that is causing this symptom. For example, a patient with COPD may have a different treatment protocol than one with post-COVID symptoms. At West Coast Pulmonary & Sleep Disorders Center, we offer individualized treatment plans for our patients that include follow-up visits to monitor their condition and assess their response to treatment. What’s more, we work closely with our patients’ primary care physicians to manage their condition.
Shortness of breath treatment may entail:
If you are experiencing shortness of breath, treatment is just a phone call away. Contact West Coast Pulmonary & Sleep Disorders Center to schedule a consultation with one of our board-certified pulmonologists. We have clinics in Oxnard and Camarillo, and also offer convenient telemedicine appointments with our providers.
When you need top-notch pulmonology care or treatment for a sleep disorder, we’re the specialist you can trust. We provide state-of-the-art diagnostics, comprehensive treatment, and patient-centric service.
The experienced team of medical providers at West Coast Pulmonary & Sleep Disorders Center is here to provide you with top-notch care that goes above and beyond to meet your needs. All of our providers are board-certified in internal medicine and many also hold additional board certifications in pulmonary disease, sleep medicine, and critical care medicine. Our bilingual staff can speak English and Spanish for our patients’ convenience.
company info
1910 Outlet Center Drive
Oxnard, CA 93036
4000 Calle Tecate, Suite 105
Camarillo, CA 93012
2851 N. Ventura Rd., Suite 201
Oxnard, CA 93036
1910 Outlet Center Drive
Oxnard, CA 93036
