Breathing Exercises for COPD

Lack of oxygen in the bloodstream causes shortness of breath (also called dyspnea) and it is directly related to the disturbances in the lungs caused by COPD. Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease patients need help in managing the problems associated with the disease, and this is where breathing exercises for COPD comes in. These breathing exercises are also referred to as diaphragmatic exercises.

Pursed Lip Breathing
This breathing technique will help you make your lungs stronger. In simple words, pursed lip breathing means breathing out slowly, as though you were breathing into a straw. For this exercise, breathe in through your nose as you count till 3. Now slowly exhale out through your mouth. Remember, exhaling should take double the amount of time required to breathe in, which means as you start exhaling, count till 6. Do the counting, till you become used to it, after which you won't need to count. When you exhale the air, make sure you are not forcing your lungs to empty out completely. The benefit of pursed lip breathing is that it will help you to control your breathing rate and also solve your shortness of breath problems. As the air goes into the lungs, the energy required to breathe also flows to the lungs. As you practice this breathing, you will notice that you will be able to do common tasks more easily.

Diaphragmatic Breathing
Diaphragmatic breathing is also known as belly breathing. This type of breathing will help your lungs expand and help you breathe in more air. To do this exercise, sit comfortably on a chair and keep your shoulders relaxed. Keep one hand on your abdomen. Start inhaling and as you start breathing in, push your abdomen out, so as to accommodate more air. Now start exhaling by pushing into your abdominal muscles. Use the pursed lip breathing technique as your exhale. As you are exhaling, you should feel your abdominal muscles contracting. Repeat this exercise thrice at a time and about three times a day. You can do this exercise while lying down as well. The goal is to reach a stage where you will be able to do diaphragmatic breathing as you ascend a staircase.

Deep Breathing
Like the other two, this is also a simple exercise for COPD patients. Sit comfortably on a chair and pull your elbows firmly back from the waist and slowly breathe in. Keep your chest arched as you hold your breath and count till five. Now contract your abdominal muscles and force the air out. Repeat this breathing exercise 10 times.

Controlled Coughing
Breathing problems associated with COPD are mainly due to the obstruction of the airways by mucus. Hence, it is necessary to clear the airways and get rid of mucus. To clear the airways along with diaphragmatic breathing, you will have to use the following steps.

• Sit upright in a chair, but allow your head to lean forward slightly. Keep your feet firmly on the ground.
• Now using the diaphragmatic breathing technique, take a deep breath. Hold your breath for a minimum of 3 seconds.
• Open your mouth and like in diaphragmatic breathing, press your hand against the abdomen and cough once. This will help to move the mucus towards your throat. Once the mucus moves to your throat, cough again to remove the mucus from your system itself.
• You may want to spit the mucus in a tissue, to show it to your health care professional to negate any possible signs of infection. Wash your hands with soap and water thereafter.
• If needed, you can repeat the exercise.

A word of advice before you start any of these breathing exercises for COPD. Consult your physician to verify which of these exercises are right for your case. Your physician may suggest some changes to these exercises to make them more suitable to treat your condition. Remember, these exercises will only help you in dealing with COPD and they should not be substituted for the treatment of COPD.