Skip to main content

Breathing Techniques for Breathlessness

  • Chapter
  • First Online:
Managing Breathlessness in Clinical Practice

Abstract

Breathing techniques are most commonly used in combination with positioning and the fan to the face or other facial cooling. This chapter will focus on three different breathing techniques that can help reduce the feeling of breathlessness:

  • Breathing Control

  • Pursed-lips Breathing

  • Recovery Breathing

Technique selection, modification to suit the patient and combining techniques will be discussed, as well as the role of breathing pattern re-education in breathlessness management.

My doctor said you would teach me how to breathe correctly. What a ridiculous idea, I have been breathing all my life!

– A patient’s view on breathing techniques.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this chapter

Chapter
USD 29.95
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
eBook
USD 89.00
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as EPUB and PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Softcover Book
USD 119.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Compact, lightweight edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Institutional subscriptions

References

  • Bradley D. Hyperventilation syndrome breathing pattern disorders and how to overcome them. London: Kyle Books; 2011.

    Google Scholar 

  • Bianchi R, Gigliotti F, Romagnoli I, Lanini B, Castella C, Binazzi B, et al. Patterns of chest wall kinematics during volitional pursed-lip breathing in COPD at rest. Respir Med. 2007;101(7):1412–8.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Belman MJ, Botnick WC, Shin JW. Inhaled bronchodilators reduce dynamic hyperinflation during exercise in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. Am J Respir Crit Care Med. 1996;153(3):967–75.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Brindley J, Olive J, Godfrey K, Austin G, Shampan L . Buteyko breathing technique: teacher training manual. 3rd ed. Chipping Ongar. The Buteyko Breathing Association; 2012.

    Google Scholar 

  • British Thoracic Society & Association of Chartered Physiotherapists in Respiratory Care (BTS/ACPRC). Guidelines for the physiotherapy management of the adult, medical, spontaneously breathing patient. Thorax. 2009;64(Supplement I):i1–51.

    Google Scholar 

  • Folinsbee LJ, Wallace ES, Bedi JF, Horvath SM. Exercise respiratory pattern in elite cyclists and sedentary subjects. Med Sci Sports Exerc. 1983;15(6):503–9.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Gosselink RA, Wagnenaar RC, Rijswijki H, et al. Diaphragmatic breathing reduces the efficiency of breathing in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. Am J Respir Crit Care Med. 1995;151:1136–42.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Macdonald P. The Alexander technique as I see it. Brighton: Rahula Books; 1989.

    Google Scholar 

  • Marin JM, Carrizo SJ, Gascon M, Sanchez A, Gallego B, Celli BR. Inspiratory capacity, dynamic hyperinflation, breathlessness and exercise performance during the 6-minute-walk test in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. Am J Respir Crit Care Med. 2001;162:1395–9.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Nield MA, Soo Hoo GW, Roper JM, Santiago S. Efficacy of pursed lips breathing: a breathing pattern retraining strategy for dyspnoea reduction. J Cardiopulm Rehabil Prev. 2007;27(4):237–44.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Newton MF, O’Donnell DE, Forkert L. Response of lung volumes to inhaled salbutamol in a large population of patients with severe hyperinflation. Chest. 2002;121(4):1042–50.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE). Lung cancer: the diagnosis and treatment of lung cancer. CG 121. London: National Institute for Health and Care Excellence; 2011.

    Google Scholar 

  • O’Donnell DE. Hyperinflation, dyspnoea and exercise tolerance in COPD. Proc Am Thorac Soc. 2006;3:180–4.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Roberts SE, Stern M, Schreuder FM, Watson T. The use of pursed lips breathing in stable chronic obstructive pulmonary disease: a systematic review of the evidence. Phys Ther Rev. 2009;14(4):240–6.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Spahija J, Marchie M, Ghezzo H, Grassino A. Factors discriminating spontaneous pursed-lips breathing use in patients with COPD. COPD. 2010;7(4):254–61.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Spahija J, de Marchie M, Grassino A. Effects of imposed pursed-lips breathing on respiratory mechanics and dyspnoea at rest and during exercise in COPD. Chest. 2005;128(2):640–50.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • West JB. Respiratory physiology the essentials. 8th ed. Philadelphia: Lippincott Williams & Wilkins; 2008.

    Google Scholar 

  • Van der Schans CP, De Jong W, Kort E, Wijkstra PJ, Koeter GH, Postma DS, et al. Mouth pressures during pursed lip breathing. Physiother Theory Pract. 1995;11:29–34.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Vitacca M, Clini E, Banchi L, et al. Acute effects of deep diaphragmatic breathing in COPD patients with chronic respiratory insufficiency. Eur Respir J. 1998;11:408–15.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 2014 Springer-Verlag London

About this chapter

Cite this chapter

Booth, S., Burkin, J., Moffat, C., Spathis, A. (2014). Breathing Techniques for Breathlessness. In: Managing Breathlessness in Clinical Practice. Springer, London. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4471-4754-1_5

Download citation

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4471-4754-1_5

  • Published:

  • Publisher Name: Springer, London

  • Print ISBN: 978-1-4471-4753-4

  • Online ISBN: 978-1-4471-4754-1

  • eBook Packages: MedicineMedicine (R0)

Publish with us

Policies and ethics