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Feeling Breathing Difficulty While Walking Up Hill. I Cough Permanently. What Is The Problem?

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Posted on Fri, 10 Aug 2012
Question: Why do I stuggle to breath when I am walking up hill. On the flat or downhill is no problem at all. I have been like this all my life.
I cough permanently and wonder if this is related or do I have two seperate issues.
doctor
Answered by Dr. Anil Grover (3 hours later)
Hi XXXXXX
Thanks for writing down.
I am a qualified and certified cardiologist. I read your mail with diligence.
In 58 year old lady two possibilities come to mind when I read your main symptoms.
1. Exercise induced Bronchospasm. Do you get wheeze in chest while climbing up?
2. Exertional angina: Do you get chest pain? Are your symptoms relieved by rest?

Cough can be due to your decreased pumping function of heart being bad or at least becoming bad with the result back flow of blood into lungs and producing shortness of breath and cough both. I urge you to see a doctor who can do proper physical and systemic examination and order suitable investigations for until we reach a diagnosis the treatment will be empirical. You deserve better than that.

Regards, looking forward to hear from you.


Dr Anil Grover,
Cardiologist
M.B.;B.S, M.D. (Internal Medicine) D.M.(Cardiology)
http://www/ WWW.WWWW.WW
Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
doctor
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Follow up: Dr. Anil Grover (8 hours later)
I do wheeze when walking up hill and struggle to hold a conversation. There is no chest pain and a chest xray showed nothing. Is this a form of asthma?

I have coughed all my life and someone indicated that this too may be asthma. Again chest xray showed nothing.

To me the cough seems to come from the throat rather than the chest as I always seem to be "clearing my throat".
doctor
Answered by Dr. Anil Grover (20 minutes later)
Hi XXXXXX

With history of wheeze the problem is shifting towards bronchospasm. In some cases of left ventricular failure when heart is not able to pump blood forward into the aorta, its filling pressure is raised and upper chamber left atrium can not fill it without raising atrial pressure, thus causing back flow in the pulmonary vein. That, is pulmonary edema. In some cases of pulmonary edema wheeze can occur. But wheeze which you can bear and push on. Relieved with rest. Intermittent. Suggests conditions akin to bronchial asthma treatment for which will be bronchodilators as inhalers with instant relief. Your doctor can do pulmonary function test and prove this diagnosis. Chronic cough can occur because of this. The symptoms are confined to throat is not against this diagnosis. I urge you to see your doctor and ask about this. Good Luck.

Dr Anil Grover,
Cardiologist
M.B.;B.S, M.D. (Internal Medicine) D.M.(Cardiology)
http://www/ WWW.WWWW.WW

Note: For further information on diet changes to reduce allergy symptoms or to boost your immunity, Ask here.

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
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Answered by
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Dr. Anil Grover

Cardiologist

Practicing since :1981

Answered : 922 Questions

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Feeling Breathing Difficulty While Walking Up Hill. I Cough Permanently. What Is The Problem?

Hi XXXXXX
Thanks for writing down.
I am a qualified and certified cardiologist. I read your mail with diligence.
In 58 year old lady two possibilities come to mind when I read your main symptoms.
1. Exercise induced Bronchospasm. Do you get wheeze in chest while climbing up?
2. Exertional angina: Do you get chest pain? Are your symptoms relieved by rest?

Cough can be due to your decreased pumping function of heart being bad or at least becoming bad with the result back flow of blood into lungs and producing shortness of breath and cough both. I urge you to see a doctor who can do proper physical and systemic examination and order suitable investigations for until we reach a diagnosis the treatment will be empirical. You deserve better than that.

Regards, looking forward to hear from you.


Dr Anil Grover,
Cardiologist
M.B.;B.S, M.D. (Internal Medicine) D.M.(Cardiology)
http://www/ WWW.WWWW.WW