Breathing exercises Health Dictionary

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Breathing Exercises: From 1 Different Sources

Techniques for learning to control the rate and depth of breathing. They aim to teach people to inhale through the nose, while expanding the chest, and then to exhale fully through the mouth, while contracting the abdominal muscles. They are used after chest surgery and for people with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (see pulmonary disease, chronic obstructive). Breathing exercises can also help people with anxiety disorders and may help to relieve symptoms in some people with asthma.

In yoga, deep rhythmic breathing is used to achieve a state of relaxation. During childbirth, breathing exercises relax the mother and also help to control contractions and reduce pain. (See also physiotherapy.)

Health Source: BMA Medical Dictionary
Author: The British Medical Association

Breathing

See RESPIRATION.... breathing

Cavernous Breathing

A peculiar quality of the respiratory sounds heard on AUSCULTATION over a cavity in the lung.... cavernous breathing

Paradoxical Breathing

The reverse of the normal movements of breathing (see RESPIRATION). The chest wall moves in instead of out when breathing in (inspiration), and out instead of in when breathing out (expiration). The spaces between the ribs are indrawn on inspiration – a symptom seen in children with respiratory distress, say, as a result of ASTHMA or lung infections. Patients with CHRONIC OBSTRUCTIVE PULMONARY DISEASE (COPD) often suffer from paradoxical breathing; and trauma to the rib cage, with fractured sternum and ribs, also cause the condition. Treatment is of the underlying cause.... paradoxical breathing

Vesicular Breathing

Normal breath sounds heard in the lung by means of a stethoscope. These are soft regular sounds which become altered by disease; the changed characteristics may help the physician to diagnose a disease in the lung.... vesicular breathing

Cheyne-stokes Breathing

A type of breathing which gets very faint for a short time, then gradually deepens until full inspirations are taken for a few seconds, and then gradually dies away to another quiet period, again increasing in depth after a few seconds and so on in cycles. It is seen in some serious neurological disorders, such as brain tumours and stroke, and also in the case of persons with advanced disease of the heart or kidneys. When well marked it is a sign that death is impending, though milder degrees of it do not carry such a serious implication in elderly patients.... cheyne-stokes breathing

Breathing Irregularities

Accelerated inspiration, followed by slow expiration is usually not serious. May accompany fevers and certain nervous disorders for which no specific treatment is necessary. Where condition is chronic the causal factor should be investigated. Any underlying condition should be treated. For transient irregularity:–

Teas: Balm, Motherwort, Mistletoe, Lime flowers. Tablets/capsules. Lobelia, Hawthorn, Motherwort, Valerian. ... breathing irregularities

Pelvic Floor Exercises

A programme of exercises to strengthen the muscles and tighten the ligaments at the base of the abdomen, which form the pelvic floor.

These muscles and ligaments support the uterus, vagina, bladder, urethra, and rectum. Performing the exercises may help to prevent prolapse of the uterus (see uterus, prolapse of) and urinary stress incontinence (see incontinence, urinary). They may also help women who find achieving orgasm difficult.

The pelvic floor muscles are those that tighten when urine flow is stopped midstream. The exercises involve stopping and starting urine flow several times by contracting and relaxing the muscles. Ideally, they should be performed for 5 minutes every hour throughout the day. They can be done standing, sitting, or lying down, by imagining that urine is being passed, contracting and holding the muscles for 10 seconds, and then slowly releasing them, repeating 5–10 times as often as possible.... pelvic floor exercises

Aerobic Exercises

see exercise.... aerobic exercises

Brandt–daroff Exercises

a sequence of exercises used in the treatment of *benign paroxysmal positional vertigo. Patients are taught how to perform the exercises and then continue the programme at home.... brandt–daroff exercises

Cooksey–cawthorne Exercises

a series of physical exercises used in the rehabilitation of patients with certain forms of *vertigo.... cooksey–cawthorne exercises

Isometric Exercises

(isometrics) a system of exercises based on the principle of isometric contraction of muscles. This occurs when the fibres are called upon to contract and do work, but despite an increase in tension do not shorten in length. It can be induced in muscles that are used when a limb is made to pull or push against something that does not move. The exercises increase fitness and build muscle.... isometric exercises

Isotonic Exercises

see exercise.... isotonic exercises

Kegel Exercises

(pelvic-floor muscle training, pelvic-floor exelrcises) active rehabilitation of the pelvic-floor muscles by conscious contractions, which leads to a cure in 50–80% of patients with stress incontinence. [A. H. Kegel (20th century), US gynaecologist]... kegel exercises

Kussmaul Breathing

the slow deep respiration associated with acidosis. [A. Kussmaul (1822–1902), German physician]

kV symbol for *kilovolt.... kussmaul breathing

See-saw Breathing

a pattern of breathing seen in complete (or almost complete) airway obstruction. As the patient attempts to breathe, the diaphragm descends, causing the abdomen to lift and the chest to sink. The reverse happens as the diaphragm relaxes. It is almost always associated with use of the *accessory muscles of respiration and drawing in (recession) of the *intercostal muscles of the chest wall.... see-saw breathing

Sleep Disordered Breathing

(SDB) abnormal patterns of respiration seen during sleep. *Obstructive sleep apnoea is the most common SDB; other types include central *sleep apnoea, such as *Cheyne–Stokes respiration.... sleep disordered breathing

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