Life coping with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease or COPD is not easy. Fortunately, studies have revealed a few encouraging insights about breath management techniques. Let's discuss some interesting breathing techniques for COPD that positively change your breathing ability and enhance your well-being.
What are the Breathing Exercises for Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD)?
COPD is a lung disease, and as such, an infected person faces difficulty in taking deep breaths. However, once you practice some of the important and effective breathing exercises for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, you will be able to enhance your breathing muscles, eventually enhancing the general functionality of the respiratory system.
These exercises are easy to master and you can practice them almost anywhere. So, let’s look at some of the most helpful breathing techniques. COPD and breathing exercises, or COPD and breathing techniques, may sound antithetical to someone facing difficulties breathing normally, but altering the way you have been breathing all along can do wonders for your overall well-being.
1) Pursed-Lip Breathing
This exercise helps you gain control over your breath and keeps the airways more open for extended periods, thus easing shortness of breath.
- Relax your neck and shoulders.
- Inhale through your nostrils in a controlled manner for about 2 seconds.
- Purse your lips as if you’re about to whistle and slowly exhale through your mouth for about 4 seconds.
- Take your time when breathing out. Always exhale this way after breathing in.
2) Diaphragmatic Breathing (Belly Breathing)
Belly breathing, or breathing deeply as though from the diaphragm, which makes the belly feel like an inflated balloon, helps a person to put in less effort to breathe, enabling deep breathing and body relaxation.
- If necessary, lie down on your back with your knees bent or use a chair to sit up.
- Inhale comfortably through one's mouth while one hand is placed on the upper chest and the other on the abdomen.
- Inhale deeply through the nose up to a count of three, feeling the belly getting full.
- Hold in your stomach and breathe out through pursed lips to a count of six. Your belly drops while your chest remains still.
3) Controlled Coughing
- This procedure aims to remove excess mucus from the lungs, aiding in easier breathing.
- Make yourself comfortable and inhale fully.
- Close your mouth for a few seconds.
- Cough twice with your mouth a bit apart. The first cough cleaves the mucus, and the second cough brings it out.
- Breathe gently through the nose, and if needed, repeat for a few times.
4) Coordinated Breathing
This technique helps a person cope with the problem of being short of breath while doing something actively.
- Before engaging in any range of motion activity, such as walking or lifting, inhale through your nose.
- While engaging in this activity, exhale through pursed lips.
- If you feel out of breath, slow your motions and concentrate on the breathing rhythm.
The purpose of these breath enhancement techniques is more than just being beneficial for your general posture. It’s about restoring proportion, balance, and comfort in your life as you manage COPD. Fitting these exercises into your schedule can help alleviate those moments that leave you gasping and enhance your overall well-being.
Conclusion
COPD patients can reap great benefits if they choose to practice these breathing exercises for COPD as part of their daily schedule. After all, it is not only about breathing properly; it is about mitigating the challenges posed by COPD in a simple way. Another simple and easy way to cope with degenerative diseases such as COPD is to sign up for a sound health insurance plan. Insurance takes care of the financial aspect, freeing you of anxious thoughts such as how to pay for your medical bills.
Disclaimer: The information provided in this blog is for educational and informational purposes only. It is not intended as a substitute for professional advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Please consult your general physician or another certified medical professional for any questions regarding a medical condition. Relying on any information provided in this blog is solely at your own risk, and ICICI Lombard is not responsible for any effects or consequences resulting from the use of the information shared.