AIR HUNGER
Updated: Oct 24
Babesia was my hardest co-infection to climb out of, and air hunger was one of the scariest symptoms I had. I hope this helps you understand what it is, why it happens and what may help.
Short on time or energy? A quick-view graphic with the key points is at the bottom of this post.
WHAT AIR HUNGER FEELS LIKE
-Air hunger is the feeling that you can't get enough air or take a full, satisfying breath.
-Some people find themselves sighing or yawning a lot, and trying to take bigger or faster breaths can make the feeling worse.
-Experts describe it as its own kind of breathlessness, not quite the same as ordinary shortness of breath.
-One patient writer with Babesia shared that her air hunger comes on after exertion, sometimes just from walking up a flight of stairs.
-Air hunger can happen even when a pulse oximeter shows a normal oxygen level. As one patient writer with Babesia put it, a normal reading doesn't mean the symptom isn't real.
WHY IT HAPPENS WITH BABESIA
-Babesia is a malaria-like parasite that infects red blood cells, and LymeDisease.org lists shortness of breath ("air hunger") among its symptoms.
-Dr. Todd Maderis lists air hunger among the hallmark signs of Babesia, along with fevers, night sweats, vivid dreams, headaches and nausea.
-Dr. Nancy O'Hara, a pediatrician, lists cough and air hunger among the symptoms of chronic Babesia in an IGeneX webinar. LymeDisease.org notes that Babesia can break down red blood cells and cause anemia.
-Dr. Wayne Anderson, ND, has written that Babesia may disrupt the autonomic nervous system, which helps control breathing, but the exact cause of air hunger hasn't been proven.
-In a 2025 study of 147 adults hospitalized with babesiosis, 42% had respiratory symptoms such as cough or shortness of breath. Severe breathing trouble was more common in the most serious cases.
MY EXPERIENCE
-Feeling like I couldn't take a deep breath scared me, and I remember a tight feeling in my chest. I focused on breathing exercises like square breathing and deep breathing, and you'll find square breathing and others in my Breathing Exercises post.
OTHER CAUSES TO RULE OUT
-Air hunger and shortness of breath can have many causes besides Babesia, so ask your doctor to check for other causes, such as:
-Heart problems, like heart rhythm problems, angina or heart failure. Lyme can also affect the heart (Lyme carditis), which can cause shortness of breath, dizziness, palpitations, fainting and chest pain.
-Lung problems, like asthma, pneumonia or a blood clot in the lungs
-Anemia (low hemoglobin)
-Allergies, such as to mold, dander or pollen
-Anxiety or panic attacks
-A hiatal hernia
-POTS or dysautonomia. Dysautonomia International lists chest pain and shortness of breath among POTS symptoms.
-Mold illness (CIRS). Bay Area Lyme Foundation lists shortness of breath among the symptoms of mold illness, which can happen alongside Lyme.
-Tests your doctor may order include a pulse oximeter reading, blood tests, a chest X-ray, an ECG, an echocardiogram and lung function tests.
WHAT MAY HELP
-Work with your Lyme literate doctor on testing and treating Babesia. My Babesia - Possible Solutions post (linked below) covers the options.
-Ask your doctor about checking for anemia and your iron levels. One patient writer with Babesia shared that her ferritin tends to drop during her flares.
-Pace yourself. One patient writer with Babesia shared that starting physical therapy too soon set her back.
-Breathing retraining, often taught by a physical therapist, is the most studied treatment for dysfunctional breathing, and an international expert panel rated it essential. It hasn't been studied for air hunger from Babesia.
-Gentle techniques like pursed-lip breathing (breathing out slowly through pursed lips), mindful breathing and a cool fan on your face may help you feel more comfortable.
-My Breathing Exercises and Respiratory posts (linked below) have more ideas.
WHEN TO GET HELP RIGHT AWAY
Call 911 or go to the emergency room if:
-Breathing is very hard, you're gasping, or you can't speak
-Your chest feels tight or heavy, or pain spreads to your arms, back, neck or jaw
-Your lips, fingers or skin turn very pale, blue or gray
-You're coughing up blood
-You suddenly feel confused or very sleepy
-You have air hunger for the first time
RELATED POSTS
Babesia
Babesia - Possible Solutions
Breathing Exercises
Respiratory - Possible Solution Ideas
Babesia Most Common Symptoms
Anemia in Lyme and Co-Infections
Anemia - My Experience
POTS - Possible Solutions
Mold - Possible Solutions
SOURCES
LymeDisease.org - Babesia (updated May 2022)
Global Lyme Alliance - Jennifer Crystal, Help! Babesiosis, air hunger, and lab work (November 2022)
Global Lyme Alliance - Jennifer Crystal, What is air hunger, anyway? (March 2018, older source, still worth reading)
IGeneX - Dr. Nancy O'Hara, Demystifying TBD: Borrelia, Bartonella and Babesia (webinar, February 2025)
Dr. Todd Maderis, Babesia symptoms, diagnosis, and treatment (updated October 2023)
LymeDisease.org - Dr. Wayne Anderson, ND, Touched by Lyme: A close look at six Lyme-related infections (May 2017, older source, still worth reading)
Pathogens - Williams et al., Pulmonary manifestations of babesiosis and predictors of mortality from a quaternary care center in Westchester, New York (April 2025)
Victoria University - Prof. Clarice Tang, What is air hunger? And can it be treated? (March 2026)
Clinical and Experimental Allergy - Bondarenko et al., Optimal treatment for dysfunctional breathing in adults: an international Delphi study (February 2026)
MedlinePlus - Breathing difficulty (April 2025)
Dysautonomia International - Postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome (no date shown, older source, still worth reading)
Bay Area Lyme Foundation - The connection between mold illness and Lyme disease (December 2020, older source, still worth reading)
Bay Area Lyme Foundation - Getting to the heart of the issue, Lyme carditis: why early diagnosis is critical (October 2017, older source, still worth reading)
NHS 111 Wales - Shortness of breath (September 2026)
MedlinePlus - Breathing difficulties, first aid (January 2025)
Disclaimer: Rise Above Lyme makes no claims about any possible benefit of using any product mentioned within this site. Always consult with your doctor before adding anything. The information shared is based on personal experience, years of accumulated researched resources from Lyme Literate doctors and polls conducted within Lyme groups from actual patient experience using these solution ideas.
The best air hunger and elephant on my chest relief has come via this Backpod. There are imitators and THE ORIGINAL is the one that works for me.