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With Normal Oxygen Saturation, Is There A Possibility Of Having Shortness Of Breath, Anxiety, Lung Or Heart Problem?
Question: If my oxygen saturation reads 98-99%. Is it possible for me to feel short of breath? Or would it just be anxiety? Or could it be an underlying lung or heart problem?
Sometimes it feels like I am breathing cold air out of my nose. Is this a sign or a heart problem?
Sometimes it feels like I am breathing cold air out of my nose. Is this a sign or a heart problem?
Hi XXXXXXX,
Thanks for writing to the health care magic.
I am a qualified cardiologist and I read your question with diligence.
Heart pumps oxygenated blood (oxygenation takes place as we breath in lungs) to body through arteries and de-oxygenated blood is brought to it by veins which is pumped to the lungs through pulmonary artery and pulmonary veins return the oxygenated blood. When you are referring to oxygen saturation, I assume you are referring to the saturation of blood in your hands or toes where the probe is attached. On room air (that is you are not breathing oxygen) a saturation reading of 98-99% is absolutely normal. It could not be better, that means:
1. Your heart is pumping blood normally
2. Your lungs are functioning normally
The function of nose is to warm the air to be inhaled as lungs prefer air which is at room temperature. In situation when you breath in cold air while it pass through passages that is nose, larynx and bronchi it gets warm enough. Your inhaling cold air is not a sign of any disease for that is only air available for you to inhale. Now, if it so cold that passage through nose larynx and bronchi before oxygenation takes place in alveolar tissue of lungs, it has not got warmed enough you are likely to exhale that is, breath out, less than warm (it would be warmer than inhaled but cold yet) air. Other reason is sweating, in warm and humid climate sweat from nose and humidity of air causes sweating like activity in the nose. Evaporation of which causes cooling and hence the perception of breathing out cold air. No that is not a sign of heart disease.
I hope I have answered both your questions if you have more for followup, I shall be happy to answer. If not, kindly close the question with comments.
With Best Wishes. Thank you once again.
Dr Anil Grover
MBBS, MD(Internal Medicine) DM(Cardiology)
WWW.WWWW.WW
Thanks for writing to the health care magic.
I am a qualified cardiologist and I read your question with diligence.
Heart pumps oxygenated blood (oxygenation takes place as we breath in lungs) to body through arteries and de-oxygenated blood is brought to it by veins which is pumped to the lungs through pulmonary artery and pulmonary veins return the oxygenated blood. When you are referring to oxygen saturation, I assume you are referring to the saturation of blood in your hands or toes where the probe is attached. On room air (that is you are not breathing oxygen) a saturation reading of 98-99% is absolutely normal. It could not be better, that means:
1. Your heart is pumping blood normally
2. Your lungs are functioning normally
The function of nose is to warm the air to be inhaled as lungs prefer air which is at room temperature. In situation when you breath in cold air while it pass through passages that is nose, larynx and bronchi it gets warm enough. Your inhaling cold air is not a sign of any disease for that is only air available for you to inhale. Now, if it so cold that passage through nose larynx and bronchi before oxygenation takes place in alveolar tissue of lungs, it has not got warmed enough you are likely to exhale that is, breath out, less than warm (it would be warmer than inhaled but cold yet) air. Other reason is sweating, in warm and humid climate sweat from nose and humidity of air causes sweating like activity in the nose. Evaporation of which causes cooling and hence the perception of breathing out cold air. No that is not a sign of heart disease.
I hope I have answered both your questions if you have more for followup, I shall be happy to answer. If not, kindly close the question with comments.
With Best Wishes. Thank you once again.
Dr Anil Grover
MBBS, MD(Internal Medicine) DM(Cardiology)
WWW.WWWW.WW
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
Thank you Dr. XXXXXXX
I use the oximeter on my finger. It gives me a reading of 98-99% oxygen saturation. Does that mean I have a good oxygen saturation? I have anxiety and it feels like I cannot breath.
Could this breathlessness feeling be because of my hemoglobin is low, 9.8?
I use the oximeter on my finger. It gives me a reading of 98-99% oxygen saturation. Does that mean I have a good oxygen saturation? I have anxiety and it feels like I cannot breath.
Could this breathlessness feeling be because of my hemoglobin is low, 9.8?
Hello,
With the situation you have described I am certain that you do not have congestive heart failure (unless echocardiography is done one can not say heart is structrally normal) and no pulmonary disease of significance. I will consider Anxiety and low hemoglobin both as contributory factors to your perception of breathlessness. Please see a doctor, not an urgency unless you have bleeding from somewhere, and try to find out cause of anemia that would be a priority.
Best of luck
Dr Anil Grover
MBBS, MD(Internal Medicine) DM(Cardiology)
WWW.WWWW.WW
With the situation you have described I am certain that you do not have congestive heart failure (unless echocardiography is done one can not say heart is structrally normal) and no pulmonary disease of significance. I will consider Anxiety and low hemoglobin both as contributory factors to your perception of breathlessness. Please see a doctor, not an urgency unless you have bleeding from somewhere, and try to find out cause of anemia that would be a priority.
Best of luck
Dr Anil Grover
MBBS, MD(Internal Medicine) DM(Cardiology)
WWW.WWWW.WW
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
Thank you Dr. XXXXXXX XXXXXXX
I had an EKG done the other day at my local urgent care facility and the doctor says that my EKG was perfect.
I had a 24 hour holter monitor when I was 20 years old. that was 10 years ago. But, they did not find anything wrong at that time either. thank you, again.
I had an EKG done the other day at my local urgent care facility and the doctor says that my EKG was perfect.
I had a 24 hour holter monitor when I was 20 years old. that was 10 years ago. But, they did not find anything wrong at that time either. thank you, again.
Hi XXXXXXX,
Good morning to you from where I am and Have a nice day or what is left of it where you are.
That only proves that your heart rhythm is perfectly normal as was expected.
Best Wishes.
Dr Anil Grover
MBBS, MD(Internal Medicine) DM(Cardiology)
WWW.WWWW.WW
Good morning to you from where I am and Have a nice day or what is left of it where you are.
That only proves that your heart rhythm is perfectly normal as was expected.
Best Wishes.
Dr Anil Grover
MBBS, MD(Internal Medicine) DM(Cardiology)
WWW.WWWW.WW
Note: For further queries related to coronary artery disease and prevention, click here.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
Answered by
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