Can you have shortness of breath with good oxygen saturation

Shortness of breath does not always indicate that you are hypoxic. In other words, your level of dyspnea, or air hunger, does not always correlate with your oxygen saturation. This means that you can be short of breath, even extremely short of breath, even in the presence of normal oxygen saturation.

Most cases of shortness of breath are due to heart or lung conditions. Your heart and lungs are involved in transporting oxygen to your tissues and removing carbon dioxide, and problems with either of these processes affect your breathing.

Seek emergency medical care if your shortness of breath is accompanied by chest pain, fainting, nausea, a bluish tinge to lips or nails, or a change in mental alertness — as these may be signs of a heart attack or pulmonary embolism.