The doctor advises how to breathe with a mask. Proven ways

Although the obligation to cover the nose and mouth has been in place – intermittently – for almost a year, many people still find it difficult to get used to it. There is no shortage of those who complain that they find it difficult to breathe in the mask, that they are suffocating and getting tired. What to do in that case? What mistakes to avoid? Doubts are dispelled by the drug. med. Elżbieta Dudzińska from the Patient Zone clinic, a specialist dealing with disorders of the breathing pattern and respiratory therapies.

1. New restrictions apply in Poland from February 27. It is forbidden to cover the nose and mouth with a helmet, scarf or handkerchief. This can only be done with a mask
2. The Minister of Health recommends using surgical masks or even more effective FFP2 or FFP3 masks. Cotton masks are allowed but not recommended
3. Many people replaced the mask with a visor because of the comfort and easier breathing
4. How to get rid of the feeling that we are choking in a mask? Bow. med. Elżbieta Dudzińska has several effective tips that will reduce the discomfort of breathing wearing a mask
5. For more up-to-date information on the coronavirus epidemic, visit the TvoiLokony home page

Mask breathing

With the mask on, we have less air, so many people may have the reflex to breathe through their mouths and inhale more. We must absolutely fight this temptation and not change our normal breathing pattern. The breathing in the mask should be the same as without the mask, assuming, of course, that we breathe properly without the mask. So how? Correct, physiological breathing is quiet, calm, effortless, rhythmic, diaphragmatic, i.e. the lower part of the chest, at rest only through the nose, day and night.

– The mask will provoke mouth breathing, faster and de facto shallower. It is imperative to resist the temptation to breathe through your mouth faster, as this will only worsen the situation and aggravate the feeling of breathlessness. If we manage to do this, we will adapt after a few days and we will not feel breathlessness, provided that the mask is made of a material that is permeable to air – comments Dr. Dudzińska.

Mask breathing – why breathe through your nose?

Nasal breathing is the only normal, physiological way to breathe at rest. The nose is a natural filter that prepares the air before it reaches the lungs.

Advantages of nasal breathing:

1. moisturizing the inhaled air
2. warming of the inhaled air
3. air contact with the nasal mucosa and its defense mechanisms, which largely neutralize pollutants, microorganisms and allergens
4. purification of inhaled air – eliminates inhalation of a significant amount of pathogenic microorganisms and pollutants
5. the effect of nitric oxide (NO) produced by the nose and paranasal sinuses is: disinfecting, antiviral (e.g. by blocking the replication of many viruses) and antibacterial, improving blood supply to the lungs, which positively affects the oxygenation of the body
6. support for the production of the so-called a surface factor, i.e. a substance that affects the condition of the lung tissue and its elasticity
7. full diaphragm activation
8. increased oxygen uptake by 10-20%
9. prolonged exhalation, which increases the body’s relaxation response
10. exhaling through the nose stops by 42 percent. more moisture, compared to exhaling through the mouth
11. The seven most common myths about face masks

Mask breathing – why not breathe through your mouth?

Mouth breathing has negative consequences for our health. These are:

1.    tendency to overbreathing, i.e. exceeding the norm in relation to the real needs of the body
2.    disproportionately greater exposure to inhalation of harmful factors, and therefore greater risk of any infection
3.    a higher number of microbes reaching the lungs and the body; and a higher rate of infection (e.g. higher number of viruses absorbed).
4.    inhalation of improperly prepared air (lack of moisture, warming, disinfection)
5.    no beneficial effects of nitric oxide
6.    weakening of immunity due to drying and cooling of mucous membranes, unfavorable pH change in the oral cavity, bronchospasm and increased secretion of mucus.
7. You can buy medical masks at an attractive price at Medonet Market

Where does the feeling of breathlessness come from when we are wearing a mask?

There may be several reasons for this:

Psychological factor

1.        the impression of being cut off from the air – covering the nose and mouth brings to mind that we lack air supply. Many people may experience shortness of breath, although in fact we do not lack air at all and the oxygen saturation of the blood (oxygenation) is normal;
2.        attitudes and beliefs about wearing the mask – people who have the inner belief that the mask protects them and increases safety will tolerate it better. If someone is convinced, in some situations or all the time, that the mask is unnecessary, does not protect and hinders functioning, then he will be irritated, nervous, and this will be associated with stimulation of the sympathetic nervous system, stress response and automatically change the way of breathing to a faster one shallower and through the mouth, which will increase the feeling of breathlessness and create the so-called vicious circle.

Excessive breathing. Some people in response to the feeling of lack of air begin to breathe excessively, i.e. faster, shallower and through the mouth. Paradoxically, this way of breathing leads to hypoxia. It leads to excessive ventilation, reduces the level of carbon dioxide in the blood, which translates into vasoconstriction and bronchospasm, weaker oxygenation of the body and a feeling of shortness of breath as a result of the actual decrease in oxygenation of cells and tissues, which is not due to wearing a mask, but an abnormal breathing pattern.

1. Types of protective masks. Which Best Protects Against Coronavirus?

A slightly higher level of CO2 in the inhaled air, depending on the type of mask. Breathing through the mask, we inhale a small amount of air that we have just exhaled. This makes us exposed to a slightly higher concentration of carbon dioxide, absolutely harmless (unless we use the wrong, low-permeable masks). Sensitive chemoreceptors in the respiratory center, which are accustomed to a different level, react to this phenomenon and send out stimuli that provoke us to breathe faster to return to the CO2 norm as they know it. When using masks with the correct permeability, the CO2 level is still within the normal range – blood saturation and oxygenation are normal. If we only resist the reflex to breathe faster through the mouth, we will even improve the oxygenation of the body. There will be a reaction to the increase of CO2 in the form of dilatation of blood vessels and bronchi, and easier oxygen donation by hemoglobin (the so-called Bohr effect). Unfortunately, the problem may arise when we do not stop this need and start breathing excessively. Then the negative consequences described in the point above will appear.

1. More and more countries are introducing the obligation to wear FFP2 masks

Wrong fabric. Commercially produced masks must, by definition, meet the criteria required and established in the relevant regulations, including air permeability, that is, the breathability of the fabric, type of material, non-flammability, number of layers, etc. As a large part of the masks are produced “at home”, it is worth paying attention to several risks.

1. Poor air permeability (e.g. material too dense, too many layers) will result in a real breathlessness. Difficulty breathing through such a mask will force the respiratory muscles to exert extra effort, make them tired, and make it harder to breathe.
2.        The type of material is also of great importance. Paints and dyes from colorful printed fabrics can be inhaled and absorbed through the skin. It may be harmful to the systemic organism and cause allergies. Inadequate structure of the fabric will irritate the skin of the face.

Who may find it more difficult to breathe through the mask and why?

1. People who have a permanent improper breathing pattern, i.e. those who have previously breathed abnormally. They include both healthy and sick people. A harmful habit, by definition, left unchecked, may worsen in the mask and cause symptoms of hyperventilation.
2. People with respiratory, circulatory and other diseases, incl. with heart disease, hypertension, asthma, COPD, snoring, with sleep apnea, with or without allergic rhinitis, with acid reflux disease, people with panic attacks. Most of these people have an established habit of excessive breathing, which unfortunately, regardless of the masks, negatively affects the course of the disease and exacerbates the symptoms.
3. Young children, especially those who breathe chronically through the mouth (studies estimate that there are over 40% of them). Importantly, this way of breathing, regardless of the current situation with the coronavirus, has a very negative impact on the child’s development: physical, mental and intellectual. It is extremely important to correct this. The consequences can later be irreversible. Research shows that abnormal breathing causes, among other things, malocclusion, craniofacial development disorders, and even worse intellectual development.

What are the risks of breathing through the mask?

If we breathe properly in the mask, there are no threats. However, if we give in to the feeling of air deficiency and we breathe excessively, the following risks may arise:

1.    The development of an abnormal breathing pattern, that is, improper breathing without a mask and chronic hyperventilation, which in turn causes a number of negative health consequences.
2.    The deepening and worsening of an already existing abnormal breathing pattern, which is associated with the exacerbation of symptoms in people with diseases and the emergence of new symptoms in people who have not experienced them before.
3.    Excessive stimulation of the sympathetic nervous system, i.e. a stress response generated by thoughts and beliefs about the mask or by changing the way you breathe.

Are there any positives to breathing through the mask?

Definitely yes. Many healthy, sick and children breathe inappropriately, i.e. often excessively in relation to metabolic needs and deviating from physiological breathing. This generates, among others increased sensitivity and decreased tolerance to fluctuations in carbon dioxide levels. Breathing through a mask offers the opportunity to optimize your response to your carbon dioxide levels. When we breathe properly in the mask, i.e. calmly, through the nose or the lower part of the chest, we have a chance to correct or correct an incorrect breathing pattern.

We can treat mask breathing as a breathing exercise, improving the flexibility of responses to changes in CO2 levels, for which we usually do not have time.

1. Why is it not allowed to use the same mask several times?

A mask and practicing sports outside

For most of us, playing sports in a mask is a great discomfort. It may be a consolation that if the mask is made of the right material and does not restrict air exchange, it should not interfere with sports. Besides, many people already before the epidemic were running in masks to protect themselves against smog and other air pollutants. For the rest, not used to the masks, it can be quite a challenge for the reasons mentioned above.

The most important thing is to avoid mouth breathing when the intensity of metabolically exertion does not already require it and the adverse consequences associated with it. Many people breathe this way when playing sports, and a facial mask can exacerbate this abnormal pattern. Such breathing leads to hyperventilation, excessive vasoconstriction and bronchospasm, hypoxia, loss of fitness and endurance, and sometimes other disturbing symptoms – chest tightness / pain, significant shortness of breath, and even cardiac arrhythmias.

1. Experts warn: masks are less effective in rain. Why?

What can be done to make it easier to adapt to mask breathing?

– You can help yourself with breathing exercises at home, without a mask, which will strengthen the correct breathing pattern and help to improve tolerance to fluctuations in carbon dioxide levels. Exercise will be helpful for everyone, but people with a persistent inappropriate breathing pattern often require professional support to reverse a habit that has taken root over the years. Regardless of the exercises, you should be patient, give yourself time to adapt and verify your “mental attitude” to the mask – explains Dr. Elżbieta Dudzińska.

exercises:

1.    Breathing through the nose during the day and at night, that is, drawing attention to the breath and consciously working on it
2.    Brief Breathing Holds – An exercise that improves your CO2 tolerance can be done multiple times a day

Description of the exercise: for 10-15 seconds we breathe normally through the nose (inhale and exhale through the nose), then stop after exhaling and count mentally to 5 (i.e. hold the breath for 3-5 seconds), then return to normal nose breathing through 10-15 seconds and then stop breathing again after exhalation for 3-5 seconds, return to normal nose breathing for 10-15 seconds and stop again after exhalation …

Remember that you should always stop breathing after exhaling! Air must not be held in for more than 5 seconds. Patients in a more serious condition should not hold their breath for more than 3 seconds.

Strengthening exercises to help your diaphragm work better

1.    Breathing through the nose with a book on the stomach in the supine position conscious work so that by inhaling air into the lower part of the chest and exhaling, the book goes up and down.
2.    Breathing in the “beach position” – lying or sitting, keep your hands clasped behind your head, at the nape of your neck, elbows away from your head. This body posture blocks the upper chest and forces healthy diaphragmatic breathing.

Also read:

1. You don’t have to disinfect everything? Experts change recommendations
2. Experts: we will win with the pandemic if 60 percent. the population will wear masks and keep their distance
3. Grzesiowski: «drive thru» vaccination points break safety rules. Vaccination is not fast food
4. Will there be consequences for people not getting the COVID-19 vaccine?
5. How many people in Poland died or had thrombosis after vaccination? New data
6. Will it also be possible to mix COVID-19 vaccines in Poland? The Ministry of Health responds

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