The short answer
Call 999 if you are struggling to breathe, can't get words out, have chest pain or tightness, lips or skin turning blue or grey, or sudden confusion. Contact NHS 111 if you are more breathless than usual, coughing up blood or have a painful, swollen leg. See a GP if breathlessness is gradually getting worse.
On this page
Call 999 or go to A&E now if
- You have severe difficulty breathing: you are gasping, choking or can’t get words out.
- Your chest feels tight or heavy.
- You have pain that spreads to your arms, back, neck or jaw.
- Your lips or skin are turning very pale, blue or grey. On brown or black skin this may be easier to see on the palms of the hands.
- You suddenly feel confused.
Don’t drive yourself to A&E. For a child, call 999 if they are struggling to breathe, making grunting noises or sucking their stomach in under their ribs.
Contact NHS 111 if
- You are more short of breath than usual.
- You feel sick or are being sick.
- You are coughing up blood.
- You have pain or swelling in one of your legs.
- You have palpitations: your heart is racing, fluttering or skipping beats.
You can call 111 or use 111 online.
See a GP if
- Your breathlessness is gradually getting worse with your normal activities, or when you lie down.
- You are short of breath and have swollen ankles.
- You have been coughing for three weeks or more.
It is important to find out the cause. You’re not wasting anyone’s time.
Common causes of breathlessness
Breathlessness has many causes, and some can look alike. They include asthma, COPD and chest infections, heart problems such as heart failure, anaemia, blood clots in the lungs, anxiety and panic, breathing pattern disorder, being unfit or overweight, and the after-effects of COVID-19. Sudden breathlessness usually needs urgent checking; breathlessness that builds up over weeks or months needs a GP appointment.
How breathless are you?
Doctors in the UK often use a simple five-point scale, the MRC dyspnoea scale, to describe how much breathlessness affects daily life. NICE uses it to decide who should be offered pulmonary rehabilitation for COPD.
| Grade | What it means |
|---|---|
| 1 | Not troubled by breathlessness except on strenuous exercise |
| 2 | Short of breath when hurrying on the level or walking up a slight hill |
| 3 | Walks slower than most people of the same age on the level because of breathlessness, or has to stop for breath when walking at own pace |
| 4 | Stops for breath after walking about 100 metres or after a few minutes on the level |
| 5 | Too breathless to leave the house, or breathless when dressing or undressing |
If you have COPD and are at grade 3 or above, ask your GP about pulmonary rehabilitation.
When breathing exercises can help
Once you know the cause, breathing techniques can make a real difference to breathlessness from long-term conditions. Pursed-lip breathing, positions that ease breathlessness, blow as you go and paced breathing are the main ones. But they are for managing breathlessness you understand, not for treating new symptoms. If you are in doubt, get checked.
Keep reading
- Breathing exercises for asthma: what helps and what trials show
Which breathing exercises help asthma, how much they improve symptoms and quality of life, what they don't do, and how to learn them on the NHS.
Moderate - Breathing exercises for COPD: techniques that ease breathlessness
The breathing techniques used in NHS pulmonary rehabilitation for COPD, how they ease breathlessness and clear phlegm, and what the Cochrane reviews show.
Moderate - Breathing exercises for long COVID breathlessness
How breathing exercises can help breathlessness after COVID-19, what the UK ENO Breathe trial found, how to pace yourself, and when to get checked.
Weak
Common questions
When is shortness of breath an emergency?
Call 999 or go to A&E if you have severe difficulty breathing, are gasping or can't get words out, your chest feels tight or heavy, you have pain spreading to your arm, back, neck or jaw, your lips or skin are turning pale, blue or grey, or you suddenly feel confused.
Can anxiety cause shortness of breath?
Yes. Anxiety and panic often cause breathlessness, chest tightness and tingling. But so can heart and lung problems, so if breathlessness is new, severe or not clearly linked to anxiety, get checked first. Never assume it is anxiety if you also have chest pain.
Should I do breathing exercises if I'm short of breath?
If you have a diagnosed condition and breathlessness you know, techniques such as pursed-lip breathing and leaning forward can help. But breathing exercises are not a substitute for finding the cause of new or worsening breathlessness. Get that checked first.
References
- NHS. Shortness of breath.nhs.uk
- NICE. Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease in over 16s: diagnosis and management (NG115).nice.org.uk
- Asthma + Lung UK. Breathlessness.asthmaandlung.org.uk
First published 4 November 2026. Next review due November 2027. Spotted an error? Tell us and we'll correct it. Read our editorial policy.