Difficulty breathing is a symptom that requires attention to its underlying cause.
Word in 30 Seconds
- Feeling of difficulty or discomfort when breathing.
- Symptom, not a disease itself.
- Can be caused by many factors.
Overview
呼吸困难（Dyspnea）是一个医学术语，用来描述患者主观上感觉到的呼吸费力或不适感。它是一种症状，而非疾病本身，可能预示着多种潜在的健康问题。这种感觉通常伴随着呼吸频率加快、深度减浅，或者需要付出更大的努力才能完成一次呼吸。
在日常生活中，人们可能会用“喘不上气”、“气不够使”等词来描述呼吸困难。在医学语境下，医生会询问患者呼吸困难的程度、诱发因素、持续时间以及伴随症状，以便诊断。例如，“患者主诉劳力性呼吸困难”、“突发性呼吸困难需紧急就医”。
呼吸困难可能出现在以下几种情况：
焦虑或惊恐发作：心理因素也可能引发呼吸困难感。
与“呼吸困难”相似的词语包括“胸闷”、“气促”、“喘息”。
- 胸闷 (Chest tightness)：更侧重于胸部有压迫感或不适感，不一定伴随明显的呼吸费力。
- 气促 (Shortness of breath)：与呼吸困难非常接近，通常指呼吸频率加快、呼吸浅快，强调呼吸的急促感。
- 喘息 (Wheezing)：特指呼吸时发出一种高调的、类似口哨的声音，通常是由于气道狭窄（如哮喘）引起，是呼吸困难的一种具体表现。
Examples
爬完这座山后，我感到非常呼吸困难。
everydayAfter climbing this mountain, I felt very breathless.
患者主诉夜间阵发性呼吸困难，怀疑有心源性因素。
academicThe patient complained of paroxysmal nocturnal dyspnea, suggesting a cardiac cause.
他一激动就容易呼吸困难。
informalHe tends to have difficulty breathing whenever he gets agitated.
慢性肺病患者常伴有不同程度的呼吸困难。
medicalPatients with chronic lung diseases often experience varying degrees of dyspnea.
Common Collocations
Common Phrases
阵发性呼吸困难
Paroxysmal dyspnea
活动后呼吸困难
Dyspnea after activity
夜间呼吸困难
Nocturnal dyspnea
Often Confused With
Chest tightness (胸闷) is a feeling of pressure or constriction in the chest, which may or may not be accompanied by difficulty breathing. Dyspnea is specifically the sensation of difficult breathing.
Shortness of breath (气短) is a very close synonym and often used interchangeably with dyspnea. It emphasizes the rapid and shallow nature of breathing.
Grammar Patterns
How to Use It
Usage Notes
The term '呼吸困难' is primarily used in medical contexts or when describing serious physical distress. In everyday casual conversation, people might use simpler phrases like '喘不上气' (can't catch my breath) or '有点喘' (a bit out of breath). Using '呼吸困难' in a very light context might sound overly dramatic or clinical.
Common Mistakes
Mistaking '呼吸困难' for a disease itself rather than a symptom. It's crucial to identify the underlying cause. Also, downplaying severe symptoms, thinking they will resolve on their own, can be dangerous.
Tips
Listen to Your Body's Signals
Pay attention to any unusual difficulty in breathing. Persistent or severe symptoms need medical evaluation.
Sudden Severe Difficulty Breathing
A sudden onset of severe breathing difficulty is a medical emergency. Seek immediate help.
Expressing Discomfort
In Chinese culture, directly complaining about physical discomfort might be less common in casual settings, but '呼吸困难' is a clear and understood medical term.
Word Origin
The term '呼吸困难' is a direct translation from the English medical term 'dyspnea' (difficulty breathing). '呼吸' (hūxī) means respiration or breathing, and '困难' (kùnnán) means difficult or difficulty.
Cultural Context
In Chinese medical practice, clearly describing symptoms like '呼吸困难' is essential for diagnosis. While directness is valued in medical settings, in social situations, people might use more indirect language to express discomfort unless it's severe.
Memory Tip
Imagine someone struggling to '呼' (call out) because they can't '吸' (inhale) properly – this is '呼吸困难'. The characters '呼' and '吸' represent the act of breathing.
Frequently Asked Questions
4 questions如果呼吸困难是突然发生的、非常严重的，或者伴有胸痛、意识模糊、嘴唇或指甲发紫等症状，应立即拨打急救电话或前往医院。
适度的呼吸困难是剧烈运动后的正常生理反应，通常在停止运动后几分钟内会自行缓解。但如果运动量不大，呼吸困难却很严重或持续时间长，则需要注意。
慢性阻塞性肺疾病（COPD）、哮喘、心力衰竭、肺纤维化等慢性疾病都可能导致反复发作或持续性的呼吸困难。
尽量详细地描述，包括何时开始、持续多久、什么情况下会加重（如活动时、平躺时）、是否有其他伴随症状（如咳嗽、发烧、胸痛），以及您认为可能的原因。
Test Yourself
剧烈运动后，他感到有些______，需要休息一下。
剧烈运动后可能出现呼吸急促甚至呼吸困难感，这是常见的生理反应。
下列哪项最可能导致严重的呼吸困难？
哮喘发作会导致气道痉挛和狭窄，引起严重的呼吸困难。
他 / 呼吸困难 / 出现 / 突然
这个句子结构完整，语序自然，表达了“他”的状况。
Score: /3
Summary
Difficulty breathing is a symptom that requires attention to its underlying cause.
- Feeling of difficulty or discomfort when breathing.
- Symptom, not a disease itself.
- Can be caused by many factors.
Listen to Your Body's Signals
Pay attention to any unusual difficulty in breathing. Persistent or severe symptoms need medical evaluation.
Sudden Severe Difficulty Breathing
A sudden onset of severe breathing difficulty is a medical emergency. Seek immediate help.
Expressing Discomfort
In Chinese culture, directly complaining about physical discomfort might be less common in casual settings, but '呼吸困难' is a clear and understood medical term.
Examples
4 of 4爬完这座山后，我感到非常呼吸困难。
After climbing this mountain, I felt very breathless.
患者主诉夜间阵发性呼吸困难，怀疑有心源性因素。
The patient complained of paroxysmal nocturnal dyspnea, suggesting a cardiac cause.
他一激动就容易呼吸困难。
He tends to have difficulty breathing whenever he gets agitated.
慢性肺病患者常伴有不同程度的呼吸困难。
Patients with chronic lung diseases often experience varying degrees of dyspnea.
