Getting out of breath on a few stairs, or a tight chest at the end of a cold, raises the question of how long to wait and see. The NHS page “Shortness of breath” says shortness of breath might not be anything to worry about, but can sometimes be serious and need medical attention. It then sorts it into three levels: 999 (emergency), 111 (urgent advice) and a GP. Gasping, being unable to get words out or a tight chest means 999; coughing up blood or pain or swelling in one leg means 111; a cough for 3 weeks or more or swollen ankles with breathlessness means a GP. It lists five common causes and four more serious ones, but says do not try to self-diagnose the cause — always see a GP. This sets out that page, with our notes added.
1. Gasping, choking or unable to get words out; a tight or heavy chest; lips or skin turning blue: 999.
2. More short of breath than usual, coughing up blood, pain or swelling in one leg, or palpitations: 111.
3. Worse with normal activities or lying down, breathless with swollen ankles, or a cough for 3 weeks or more: see a GP.
Call 999 now — NHS
| Who | Signs the NHS lists | Worth noting (our gloss) |
|---|---|---|
| Adult | Severe difficulty breathing — gasping, choking or not able to get words out | — |
| Adult | Your chest feels tight or heavy | Heart signs are also in heart attack warning signs |
| Adult | Pain that spreads to your arms, back, neck and jaw | — |
| Adult | Lips or skin turning very pale, blue or grey | — |
| Adult | You suddenly feel confused | — |
| Child | Difficulty breathing — grunting noises or sucking the stomach in under the ribcage | The same signs as on the croup page |
| Child | Lips or skin turning very pale, blue or grey | — |
| Child | Suddenly confused — agitated, behaving oddly or crying constantly | — |
| Child | Limp, floppy or not responding as they normally do | — |
Do not drive to A&E — ask someone to drive you or call 999 and ask for an ambulance — and bring any medicines you take. 999 is the UK emergency number; in Korea, read 119 for an ambulance (our reading).
Contact 111 — NHS
- Difficulty breathing — more short of breath than usual
- Feeling sick or being sick
- Coughing up blood
- Pain or swelling in 1 of your legs
- Heart palpitations — a heartbeat that is racing, slow, skipping or fluttering
111 is the UK non-emergency health line, by phone or online. In Korea this means a local clinic or the emergency department (our reading).
See a GP — NHS
| Sign | What the NHS says | Worth noting (our gloss) |
|---|---|---|
| Activity or lying down | Shortness of breath gets worse with your normal activities or when you lie down | — |
| Ankles | Short of breath with swollen ankles | The page doesn’t pair it with a cause |
| Cough | Coughing for 3 weeks or more | Coughs in general: cough |
Causes — NHS
| Group | Cause the NHS lists | On this site |
|---|---|---|
| Common | Asthma | asthma |
| Common | A chest infection | chest infection |
| Common | Being overweight | BMI and waist size |
| Common | Smoking | — |
| Common | A panic attack | breathing exercise for stress |
| Possibly more serious | Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) | COPD |
| Possibly more serious | Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis — scarring of the lungs | — |
| Possibly more serious | Heart failure | — |
| Possibly more serious | Lung cancer | — |
The NHS says shortness of breath has lots of different causes and that any treatment depends on what’s causing your symptoms. It says do not try to self-diagnose the cause — always see a GP. The page has no table pairing each cause with other symptoms, so the right-hand column is our own pointer to related pages on this site. If you know the cause, it says you can get advice on things you and other people can do to help (from the UK charity Asthma + Lung UK and others).
For breathlessness with a temperature or cough, see COVID-19 symptoms and high temperature in adults too.
Checklist
- ☐ Gasping, can’t get words out, tight chest, blue lips: 999
- ☐ Don’t drive yourself to A&E; bring your medicines
- ☐ Coughing up blood, one swollen leg, palpitations: 111
- ☐ Worse lying down or with swollen ankles: GP
- ☐ A cough for 3 weeks or more: GP
- ☐ Don’t self-diagnose the cause
Questions that remain
Is getting out of breath after exercise a problem?
This page doesn’t mention breathlessness after exercise. It says shortness of breath might not be anything to worry about, and to see a GP if it gets worse with normal activities.
Is there anything to do at home?
This page points to charities’ advice once you know the cause. The COVID-19 page gives breathing in through the nose and out with lips together, sitting upright and leaning forward slightly.
More winter coughs and fevers on this site: flu symptoms, pneumonia, bronchitis, croup.
Sources
- NHS — Shortness of breath — source (page shows: reviewed 30 January 2024, next review 30 January 2027; checked 10 November 2026). 999, 111 and GP signs (adults and children), not driving to A&E, 5 common and 4 more serious causes, not self-diagnosing.
- NHS — COVID-19 symptoms and what to do — source (checked 10 November 2026). Positions and breathing when breathless.
- Not read. Asthma + Lung UK’s breathlessness advice, the NHS panic disorder page, Korean agency guidance on breathlessness.
- What we added. The “worth noting” and “on this site” columns, the 111 and 119 readings.
Where else to check
- A local clinic (internal or respiratory medicine) — if breathlessness lasts or gets worse.
Written on 10 November 2026. The content is from the NHS; the glosses are ours. It does not replace diagnosis or treatment.
