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Common Symptoms of Hypersensitivity Pneumonitis
Overview
Hypersensitivity Pneumonitis is an Interstitial Lung Disease and therefore is a very personal disease. It affects each person differently. The intensity of the symptoms and number of symptoms experienced varies greatly from person to person. The onset of the disease, the speed in which it advances and what causes it is as varied as the clouds in the sky. Below you will find the most common and well documented symptoms of the disease. There are other less frequent symptoms not listed here. For more information on the disease and medical documentation, refer to our Information page.
Although this site is primarily about HP, many of the symptoms below are common to a lot of chronic lung diseases including Interstitial Lung Disease, (ILD), and COPD.
Although this site is primarily about HP, many of the symptoms below are common to a lot of chronic lung diseases including Interstitial Lung Disease, (ILD), and COPD.
DYSPNEA / Shortness of Breath
Dyspnea is defined by Wikipedia as:"Shortness of breath, also known as dyspnea, is a feeling like one cannot breathe well enough. The American Thoracic Society defines it as "a subjective experience of breathing discomfort that consists of qualitatively distinct sensations that vary in intensity", and recommends evaluating dyspnea by assessing the intensity of the distinct sensations, the degree of distress involved, and its burden or impact on activities of daily living."
This Shortness of Breath is also referred to by sufferers as "SOB". Shortness of Breath can also be accompanied by such physical symptoms as:
All of these are symptoms of Dyspnea or Shortness of Breath. Dyspnea is one of the primary symptoms of Hypersensitivity Pneumonitis and other interstitial Lung diseases or ILDs. Unfortunately it is also a primary symptom of many other chronic lung diseases. Active Beat lists 12 major medical causes for shortness of breath. It is for this reason that this symptom is not a definite pointer to HP. HP in many instances is initially misdiagnosed as COPD, chronic bronchitis, or asthma.
This Shortness of Breath is also referred to by sufferers as "SOB". Shortness of Breath can also be accompanied by such physical symptoms as:
- Tightness of the chest
- Discomfort or pain when inhaling
- Feeling like there is a rock in your chest
- Feeling like your lungs are tired
- Getting Lightheaded easily, especially when getting up after sitting
- Feeling like you cannot get enough air
- Having to stop in the middle of eating to catch your breath
- Trouble walking up stairs
- Having trouble breathing after bending over
All of these are symptoms of Dyspnea or Shortness of Breath. Dyspnea is one of the primary symptoms of Hypersensitivity Pneumonitis and other interstitial Lung diseases or ILDs. Unfortunately it is also a primary symptom of many other chronic lung diseases. Active Beat lists 12 major medical causes for shortness of breath. It is for this reason that this symptom is not a definite pointer to HP. HP in many instances is initially misdiagnosed as COPD, chronic bronchitis, or asthma.
Dry Hacking Cough
A constant dry hacking cough is another primary symptom of Hypersensitivity Pneumonitis. The dry hacking cough is a very debilitating symptom of HP. The coughing can come in violent fits that cause all sorts of secondary issues. It is extremely important to address the chronic coughing associated with HP. The cough creates a vicious cycle of creating more inflammation of the lung tissues and thus more coughing. If the coughing becomes constant and violent enough it can trigger an exacerbation of the disease and lead to hospitalization.
Cognitive Disorder
A little known symptom of Hypersensitivity Pneumonitis is loss of certain cognitive abilities. This particular symptom is caused by the lowering of the amount of oxygen making it to the brain. As one doctor described it, "It is like working at 11,000 feet without an oxygen mask." This is an insidious symptom because it can be one of the 1st symptoms of this disease, even before noticeable shortness of breath. These cognitive changes are recognizable as:
- Loss of short term memory or increasing forgetfulness.
- Loss of ability to multitask
- Shortening of time one can concentrate
- Difficulty concentrating
Tiredness
Extreme fatigue is one of the major symptoms of Hypersensitivity Pneumonitis. Because the body and organs are getting less oxygen than they are used to or need, the sufferer feel very tired all the time. Most people who have HP report that they need to take naps during the day because their energy levels are just so low. Low oxygen levels are very dangerous. If a persons oxygen saturation drops below 90%, there is a chance of organ damage. The lower the oxygen saturation, the higher the risk of organ damage.
Chills & Fever
Many people with Hypersensitivity Pneumonitis report experiencing fever and chills. This has to do with the body trying to fight the reaction to the antigens. Not all people with HP experience these symptoms.
Other Patient Reported Symptoms
Due to interfacing with hundreds of HP sufferers around the world since 2014, we have compiled a larger list of "unofficial" symptoms that appear to be common to this lung disease.
- Chest pain when inhaling
- Feeling of heaviness in the chest
- High or elevated heart rate
- Back pain when breathing
- Feeling exhausted or having a lot of problems breathing after a eating normal meal
- Loss of weight
- Loss of appetite
- Lungs feeling tired
- Bending over causes excessive shortness of breath
- Distinct odors like perfumes making it difficult to breathe
- Clubbing of fingers and toes