Multi-dimensional breathing training is best for dysfunctional breathing in asthma:

What is it about?

Breathing exercises have can be helpful for people with asthma, especially if they have dysfunctional breathing. Dysfunctional breathing is a a complex condition with many facets. It can include hyperventilation, inefficient and maladaptive breathing habits and patterns and have mental, emotional and psychological components. All these aspects of dysfunctional breathing are important, together or individually they can all play a part in reducing quality of life, disrupting asthma control and aggravating asthma symptoms. Dysfunctional breathing is thought to exist in about 35% of asthmatics and up to 75% of people with difficult to treat asthma. It contributes to respiratory and non-respiratory symptoms and poor response to standard asthma treatment. There is significant variation in breathing training programs and breathing therapy approaches and also in the results they achieve. The question is how can breathing retraining be optimised to achieve the best results. This review finds that breathing training protocols that are more comprehensive and intensive and that monitor dysfunctional breathing during the course of treatment tend to get better results. Its concludes that ideal breathing retraining should be comprehensive and thorough, considering all key dimensions of dysfunctional breathing. It should evaluate the patient for presence of hyperventilation, breathing pattern disorders and psychological contributors to dysfunctional breathing at the onset and during treatment so that breathing retraining techniques, duration and training intensity can be modified as necessary.

Featured Image

Why is it important?

Dysfunctional breathing is common in asthma, yet it is often overlooked. Treatment with breathing retraining can be very effective but for best outcomes therapy should consider biochemical, biomechanical and psychophysiological aspects of dysfunctional breathing.