You spent years working for your employer, always striving to meet your goals and do an excellent job. Over the last year, though, the physical labor started getting more difficult. You were always out of breath. Eventually, it got so bad that you couldn’t even work or perform the tasks that you used to do with ease. You realized your career was over.
You also knew that something was very wrong. What conditions may lead to shortness of breath? A few examples include:
- Severe anxiety
- Chest muscle disease
- Chest wall disease
- Lung cancer
- Lung disease
- Heart disease
- Mesothelioma
- Airflow obstructions
- Pneumonia
- Diseases caused by bacteria or viruses
- Reactions to occupational toxicities
Do not take this as medical advice. It is impossible to make a diagnosis based on one symptom. These are just potential ailments.
What you should take from this, though, is that the condition could be serious. Do not just assume that it’s a result of getting older or being out of shape. You need to meet with a medical professional to determine what your condition is, what treatment options there are, what impact it is going to have on your quality of life and your ability to work.
If you do find out that you will not be able to return to your career, you will quickly have a lot of financial concerns that you need to address. The good news is that you may qualify for certain benefits designed to help those who see their careers end due to disability. Be sure you know what options you have and what steps to take.