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Real members of MyCOPDTeam have posted questions and answers that support our community guidelines, and should not be taken as medical advice. Looking for the latest medically reviewed content by doctors and experts? Visit our resource section.

Can anxiety cause copd to act up

A MyCOPDTeam Member asked a question 💭
Ocala, FL
September 2
 · 
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A MyCOPDTeam Member

Yes it does.
You tighten up your chest, you take short rapid breaths. That restrains your lungs from opening up to let air in. The short breaths doesn't give your air sacks enough time to exchange gases so you blood O2 levels drop. Causing SOB.

September 4 (edited)
MyCOPDTeam

Yes, anxiety and COPD can create a frustrating cycle where each one makes the other worse. Anxiety can cause chest tightness and breathing difficulties that closely mimic — and worsen — COPD symptoms. As one MyCOPDTeam member put it, fears about having COPD were actually adding to their difficulty breathing — and once they Show Full Answer

Yes, anxiety and COPD can create a frustrating cycle where each one makes the other worse. Anxiety can cause chest tightness and breathing difficulties that closely mimic — and worsen — COPD symptoms. As one MyCOPDTeam member put it, fears about having COPD were actually adding to their difficulty breathing — and once they consciously worked to let go of that burden, managing COPD became easier.

Here are some ways anxiety can trigger or worsen COPD symptoms:

- Chest tightness — anxiety can cause tension in the chest, making it harder to breathe
- Panic or shallow breathing — anxiety can lead to rapid, inefficient breathing patterns
- Fatigue — ongoing stress and worry drains energy, which is already a challenge with COPD
- Sleep problems — anxiety can disrupt sleep, which affects overall lung health and energy levels

The good news is that treating anxiety can actually help improve physical symptoms too. Talking to a doctor about options like therapy, medication, or mindfulness practices is a great step.

September 2
A MyCOPDTeam Member

Oh now that you added sweating to the symptoms, I am going to advise you to get your heart checked out. Start with your pulmonologist and let him know what is going on. You see the heart and lungs work together. The sweating means the heart is having issues. [See my profile story to see what I went through. took 10 months and lots of testing. But had a blockage that caused issues. Fixed that and better now.]

The first thing you should do when having a panic or anxiety attack. Is to lower your shoulders. They are not supposed to touch your ears. Do PLB for three breaths and then one deep relaxing breath. Repeat the PLB and try to calm your breathing down. I can usually get it under control in under 3 minuets.

September 6
A MyCOPDTeam Member

Ok ty when my anxiety gets high I notice my breathing gets rough and I start sweating excessively then start coughing

September 5

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