lung and airway disorders
Atelectasis
Symptoms of Atelectasis
Atelectasis itself does not cause any symptoms except sometimes shortness of breath. The presence and severity of shortness of breath depend on how rapidly atelectasis develops and how much of the lung is affected. If atelectasis involves a limited portion of the lung or develops slowly, symptoms may be mild or not even noticed. If a large number of alveoli are affected, particularly if atelectasis occurs rapidly, shortness of breath may be severe. The heart rate and breathing rate may increase, and sometimes the person may look bluish (a condition called Cyanosis ) because oxygen levels in the blood are low. This appearance may be darker brown or black in people with dark skin. Symptoms may also reflect the disorder that caused atelectasis (for example, chest pain due to an injury) or a disorder that results from atelectasis (for example, chest pain with deep breathing, due to Overview of Pneumonia ). 