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Suggest Treatment For Shortness Of Breath And High Heart Rate While Having Emphysema
My father has emphysema and has shingles. He has been suffering for almost a month. His breathing has worsened and can hardly walk without getting very short of breathe. He has no fever no cough but his resting heart rate is 100. Do the symptoms of worsened shortness of breathe and high heart rate go back to baseline after the end of shingles or does this become the new norm.
Tue, 18 Sep 2018
Hi,
Shingles are caused by a virus that usually presents as a painful rash in one area on the body. It would not be the cause of your father's shortness of breath, unless the pain is making it hard for him to breathe. It is more likely that your father's emphysema is getting worse. Without a cough or fever, it is unlikely he has an infection, but he may need his medications for emphysema adjusted.
The heart rate is a little high but is not as concerning to me as the shortness of breath. A fast heart rate may be from the pain from shingles or from the stress of being short of breath. If the pain and shortness of breath can be improved, I would expect the heart rate to improve too.
Hope I have answered your query. Let me know if I can assist you further.
Regards,
Dr. Aaron Branch,
General & Family Physician
Shingles are caused by a virus that usually presents as a painful rash in one area on the body. It would not be the cause of your father's shortness of breath, unless the pain is making it hard for him to breathe. It is more likely that your father's emphysema is getting worse. Without a cough or fever, it is unlikely he has an infection, but he may need his medications for emphysema adjusted.
The heart rate is a little high but is not as concerning to me as the shortness of breath. A fast heart rate may be from the pain from shingles or from the stress of being short of breath. If the pain and shortness of breath can be improved, I would expect the heart rate to improve too.
Hope I have answered your query. Let me know if I can assist you further.
Regards,
Dr. Aaron Branch,
General & Family Physician
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