ASTHMATIC BREATHING

Asthma is a respiratory disease that affects millions of people in the United States. Often asthma is accompanied by abnormal breathing patterns that occur chronically or during an asthma attack. The narrowing of the airways caused by inflammation and/or constriction of the muscles around the airways can prevent normal inhaling and exhaling. Narrowed and tightened airways make exhaling air to empty the lungs very difficult. The more air that is left in the lungs before the next breath is taken, the less lung capacity there is for the new breath. Muscles become tired as they struggle to maintain adequate oxygen flow. With proper medical treatment, asthmatics usually can regulate their breathing with the use of prescribed asthma medications.

P.S. In addition to proper medications, breathing exercises that require conscious manipulation of breathing patterns may help some people reduce the frequency and intensity of asthma attacks.

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