Your GP will use the following scale to measure your breathlessness, this is called the Medical Research Council breathlessness scale or MRC scale.
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
| You are not troubled by breathlessness except on strenuous exercise | You are short of breath when hurrying on the level or walking up a slight hill | You walk slower than most people on the level, stop after a mile or so, or stop after 15 minutes walking at own pace | You stop for breath after walking about 100 yards (60 metres) or after a few minutes on level ground | You are too breathless to leave the house, or breathless when dressing or undressing |
Where do you fit into this chart today? If you notice that you have gone from a 2 to a 3 or from a 3 to a 4 this would be the time to make an appointment with your GP or healthcare professional for advice and review. If your GP measures you as 3 or above you should be referred to pulmonary rehabilitation.
For more information please see our section on Pulmonary Rehab.
You have reached the end of this topic on What makes you breathless?. What do you want to do next?
