Unlocking the Breath: How Stress Affects Respiratory Health with Dr. Mark J. Pamer

Can Stress Cause Lung Issues?

Stress might be the unseen thief of your breath, but not anymore after you tune into our heart-to-heart with Dr. Mark J. Pamer. This episode peels back the layers of how emotional strain can lead to physical manifestations within the lungs, such as asthma attacks and vocal cord dysfunction. Dr. Pamer's insights into the physiological spiral that stress initiates, from hyperventilation to the nuances of respiratory alkalosis, are not only profound but also immensely practical for everyday wellness.

Join us as we explore with Dr. Pamer the often-overlooked ways that psychological stresses can weaken immune defenses, paving the way for viral reactivations and susceptibility to new infections. Discover how stress-induced behaviors, like reaching for comfort foods or cigarettes, can add to the burden on our lungs. For anyone seeking to understand the complex dance between mind and body, or looking to safeguard their respiratory health against the backdrop of life's inevitable challenges, this conversation is an invaluable resource.

To learn more about Dr. Pamer, go to:
https://www.markpamerdo.com/

Dr. Mark J. Pamer DO
573 NW Lake Whitney Place, Suite 105
Port Saint Lucie, FL 34986
[phone]

Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
Welcome to the Dr Mark J Pamer podcast, a doctor
who uses his heart to treat yourlungs.
Here's your host, Dr Mark JPamer.

Speaker 2 (00:13):
Is stress taking your breath away?
Find out in an eye-openinginterview with a top Port St
Lucie lung doctor.
Welcome back everyone.
Garfield Bowen Cole slashproducer.
Back in the studio with Dr MarkPamer.
Dr Pamer, how are you doingtoday?

Speaker 3 (00:30):
I'm stressed, and I'm short of breath, garfield.

Speaker 2 (00:35):
So Dr Pamer tell me can stress cause lung issues?

Speaker 3 (00:40):
Yeah, absolutely.
I'm glad you said lung issuesand not lung disease.
But it absolutely can causelung issues.
You're spot on, it certainlycan.
It wouldn't cause lung disease.
I mean, I guess you could makethe argument it could, but we'd
have to go off on a bridge andyou know it'd be a road.
It'd be a long road, but let'sjust say you got underlying lung

(01:02):
issues.
You know asthma.
It is well established that.
You know high anxiety,emotional stress, could trigger
asthma.
I mean, that's well known.
Certainly there's conditionsvocal cord dysfunction, now
called inducible or angioobstruction where emotional
stress could trigger that.

(01:22):
And you know the throat'sclosing, the vocal cords are
closing.
A person's short of breath,can't breathe.
Certainly, hyperventilationduring periods of anxiety, panic
attacks, absolutely people getshort of breath.
They just know they're short ofbreath.
They don't realize they'rehyperventilating.
I'll ask them you know, do youget numb around your lips?

(01:43):
Do you get numbness on thefingertips, the toes?
Is there cramping in the handsand the feet?
They're developing arespiratory alkalosis.
They're hyperventilating, theircalcium levels drop and they
get what we call paresthesia.
That's from hyperventilation.
That's usually stress-induced.
Stress can certainly impairimmunity.

(02:04):
We know that.
Everybody knows that that'susually stress-induced.
Stress can certainly impairimmunity.
We know that, everybody knowsthat.
That's absolutely true.
And once your immune system isimpaired, all kinds of things
can happen and that can set aperson up for reactivation of
existing viruses.
It doesn't even have to do withthe lungs.
I mean, how many people haveyou seen shingles come out on
because they've been stressed?

(02:25):
But you know there can bereactivation of viruses,
reactivation of underlyingissues, the asthma.
But you know, with impairedimmunity it can set you up to
get infected by pathogens.
And people just in an anxiousstate may just manifest with
increased shortness of breath.
Further, you know, when they'restressed out, they may eat, put

(02:49):
weight on, they got any heartfailure, they put fluid weight
on, they're getting short ofbreath.
It may worsen their cough.
There's certainly psychogeniccough, I see it.
People just seem to manifesttheir anxiety as a cough.
There's plenty of ways thatstress can manifest.
It shortens the breath cough,wheeze, chest tightness, throat
closing, hyperventilation,increased illness.

(03:12):
Absolutely, absolutely.

Speaker 2 (03:16):
I guess people smoke when they're stressed out too.
Huh, yep, that's a good point.
Don't smoke, listen.
Great job, dr Pamer.
Enjoy the rest of your day.
We'll see you in the nextepisode.

Speaker 1 (03:40):
Thank you, sir.
Thanks for listening to the DrMark Jpamerdocom.
Or call 772-785-5864.
Once again, that's 772-785-5864.