Compulsive Sighing: Very Common but Unknown to Many and Often Misdiagnosed as Asthma or Anxiety Disorder
Introduction: Compulsive sighing, or sighing syndrome, is a noxious feeling caused by repeated sensations of incomplete breathing (air hunger) that result in deep, effortful breaths. Often, these patients are misdiagnosed as having asthma or anxiety. This condition is not well known to healthcare pr...
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| Main Authors: | , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Jaypee Brothers Medical Publisher
2025-05-01
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| Series: | Indian Journal of Respiratory Care |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.ijrc.in/doi/IJRC/pdf/10.5005/jp-journals-11010-1155 |
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| Summary: | Introduction: Compulsive sighing, or sighing syndrome, is a noxious feeling caused by repeated sensations of incomplete breathing (air hunger) that result in deep, effortful breaths. Often, these patients are misdiagnosed as having asthma or anxiety. This condition is not well known to healthcare providers; hence, we decided to publish our data.
Methodology: This was a retrospective observational study in which demographics and clinical data of all patients who were diagnosed, managed, and followed for compulsive sighing from January 2019 to December 2023 (5 years) at a tertiary care center in Pune, India, were collected. Data were collected, entered into an Excel sheet, tabulated, and studied systematically.
Results: The study includes data of 120 patients with compulsive sighing who were diagnosed, managed, and followed in the last 5 years at a tertiary center. There was an increase in the number of cases from 2020 to 2022, which corresponds to the COVID-19 pandemic, a period of psychological stress. Out of 43 males, 33 belonged to the age-group of 20–40 years, and out of 67 females, 50 belonged to the age-group of 20–40 years, indicating a higher burden in females and a prevalence in the reproductive age-group. A total of 107 patients came to our center for a second opinion after having consulted a specialist or superspecialist. This indicates that this condition is largely unknown among medical professionals.
Conclusion: Compulsive sighing is a common diagnosis, but most cases remain undiagnosed or misdiagnosed as asthma or anxiety. It is mostly seen in young females. Negative psychological emotions play a role in disease initiation, which resulted in an increase in the number of cases during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. Reassurance counseling, along with antidepressant medications, results in successful management without recurrence. |
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| ISSN: | 2277-9019 2321-4899 |