As the American Lung Association (ALA) says “If you can’t breathe nothing else matters.”  There are several factors that lead to that feeling of “I can’t catch my breath.”  One of the reasons which does not seem to be related to breathing is the lack of good muscle tone. Weak muscles require more effort to get work done which requires more oxygen. Some of these muscles are even related to the act of breathing.

Many people complain of pain in their neck, shoulders, and sides because they are struggling to breathe and using muscles that are not usually incorporated in the act of breathing. Breathing exercises that incorporate the intercostal muscles, and the diaphragm can help to relieve this pain. The intercostal muscles are those between the ribs and the diaphragm is that flat disk at the base of the thoracic cavity that rises and falls as we breathe out and in. The ALA has an excellent video on “Belly Breathing” or diaphragmatic breathing. Belly Breathing – YouTube

A good side stretch prior to practicing diaphragmatic breathing can help by loosening up the intercostal muscles and providing more space between the ribs. You also want to practice keeping your elbows back to open the chest.

Another type of breathing that I would like to discuss today is Pursed Lip Breathing which is described on the COPD360social website.  The basic idea here is that with COPD we build up carbon dioxide and we need to get rid of the build-up. We do this by breathing out two times as long as we breathe in. For instance, we can breathe in for 2 and exhale for 4. As we breathe in, we do this through our nose and we breathe out through pursed lips as though we are blowing out a candle, or as I like to say pucker up like you are going to whistle, and then don’t breathe out hard enough to whistle.

On the same page that you find the pursed lip breathing explanation, you will find a splendid video by my friend Jane Martin.  This is such an informative video. Breathing Techniques | COPD Foundation

Soon we will talk about exercises and other breathing techniques which may help some people.