What breathing techniques to use in the era of coronavirus? We ask the doctor

We can ensure proper lung ventilation thanks to proper breathing techniques. In the era of coronavirus, this is particularly important because it allows you to reduce the risk of complications after infection. How to breathe to improve blood supply to the lower lobes of the lungs? A British doctor made a film about it, and we ask a Polish expert if it is worth following his advice.

A popular British doctor movie

For several weeks, a video has been circulating on the web with the advice of a British doctor on breathing techniques for people with a viral infection. Dr. Sarfaraz Munshi recommends taking five deep breaths as part of your breathing exercises and holding your breath for five seconds after each breath, and after the sixth inhalation, cough (covering your mouth) to open the lower airways and cough up what’s in them. According to the author of the film, this cycle should be repeated twice, then lie down for 10 minutes with the pillow stretched out in front of you and take deep breaths again and again. The presented breathing training sessions would reduce the risk of an infection turning into pneumonia.

We asked the drug for an opinion on these exercises. med. Elżbieta Dudzińska from the “Patient Zone” clinic, which deals with respiratory therapies, provides individual counseling and conducts breathing workshops.

Exercise dangerous for the sick?

– The presented breathing exercise may be dangerous for patients – says our expert. – Healthy people shouldn’t do it either, as it can trigger panic and anxiety attacks in some people.

Elżbieta Dudzińska explains:

At the beginning of the film, the doctor points out that ventilation of the lower lobes of the lungs is very important in patients. This is true, but the presented technique works just the opposite.

Dlaczego?

1. The elements that improve blood supply to the lower lobes and blood distribution in the lungs are: calm nasal breathing and diaphragmatic breathing. The presented exercise shows just the opposite: mouth breathing, triggering upper chest breathing, not very effective for the diaphragm.

2. Breathing through the nose warms, moisturizes and cleans the air before it reaches the lungs, provides nitric oxide, better activates the diaphragm, improves blood circulation in the lower lobes and increases oxygen uptake by 10-15 percent. With the presented exercise, while breathing through the mouth, the benefits of nitric oxide (NO) are lost. Only when we breathe through the nose does it reach the lungs and exert its good effect: it has a vasodilating and bronchodilating effect, and improves blood distribution throughout the lungs.

3. Mouth breathingin addition to drying and cooling the mucous membranes, it increases the respiratory volume, reducing the level of CO2 in the blood, which may lead to spasm of the blood vessels and bronchi, and thus worsen the patient’s condition.

You could see it in the video: the doctor only after the first cycle, i.e. six such breaths, said that he could not do the second cycle, i.e. the next six breaths that he recommended for the patient. He also said: “I feel dizzy”. In short, he moved into a state of hyperventilation and led, among other things, to to spasm of the carotid arteries, poorer blood flow to the brain and feelings of lightheadedness (dizzy).

4. The only positive point the doctor drew attention to is the need to change position in patients who are lying down. In addition to changing positions, if possible, patting the patient can be used.

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In the event of illness, it is important to:

1. try to breathe through your nose,
2. try to activate the diaphragm. For patients lying in bed, it is a simple maneuver that improves the functioning of the diaphragm the so-called beach position, i.e. putting your hands behind your head, 
3. try to breathe as calmly and slowly as possible – of course as much as possible. If the patient is breathless due to breathlessness, exercise with brief breath holds may help. 

What breathing techniques are effective? Specialist’s suggestions

Our interlocutor presents other, safe breathing techniques.

1. Exercise 1 

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 for 10-15 seconds seconds and then stop breathing again after exhalation for 3-5 seconds. We go back to normal nasal breathing for 10-15 seconds and stop again after exhaling …

Remember that you should always stop breathing after exhaling! Air must not be held in for more than 5 seconds. In very serious patients, it is recommended to stop breathing for 3 seconds, not longer. The exercise may be performed multiple times a day.

1. Exercise 2 

Another useful exercise if you are able to breathe through your nose (breathe in and out through your nose) is to make a bee buzzing sound as you exhale through your nose. After exhaling, the next breath is always taken through the nose. This exercise (examined by doctors from the Karolinska Institute) increases the production of nitric oxide in the sinuses by 7-10 times.

Rapid and shallow breaths through the mouth only worsen the oxygenation level of the body and negatively affect the blood oxygen saturation and flow in the lower parts of the lungs. The disease causes a reflex to breathe faster and through the mouth, which you should try to contain as much as possible.

The editorial board recommends:

1. Why are COVID-19 patients placed on their stomachs?
2. Koronawirus w wydychanym powietrzu. Co mówią badania?
3. The coronavirus affects not only the lungs. It affects all organs

Have a question about the coronavirus? Send them to the following address: [email protected]. You will find a daily updated list of answers HERE: Coronavirus – frequently asked questions and answers.