2. Breathing Exercises help to improve patient's:
-Oxygenation
-Ventilation
-Relaxation
Breathing exercises are helpful in managing shortness
of breath, especially for patients with Chronic
Pulmonary Obstructive Disorder.
4. Pursed Lip Breathing
Pursed Lip breathing is very simple and
helps the patient gain control of their
breathing and prevent their airways
from collapsing.
http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/patientimages/000267.htm
First, sit up and relax neck and
shoulder muscles.
Second, breathe in deeply through
the nose for 2 counts.
Once your chest is full, briefly pause
and purse your lips, as though you
were about to blow a candle out.
Then breathe out through your lips
for 4 counts.
6. It is very important to remember:
Exhale normally
Breathing out will
always be longer than
breathing in
Let the air come outYou do not need to
force it.
Repeat steps as often as
necessary to slow
breathing.
9. But first, a little background on the
Diaphragm...
http://home.messiah.edu/~jb1487/lungs_noSW.html
The diaphragm is the muscle below the lungs that
separates the chest from the abdomen.
10. Diaphragmatic Breathing
1. Lie in a comfortable place on
your back, with head supported
and knees slightly bent.
2. Place one hand on your chest
and the other on your abdomen.
3. Breathe in slowly, so that your
hand on your chest is as still as
possible and the hand on your
abdomen rises.
4. As you breathe out, tighten your
stomach muscles to force air out
through pursed lips.
http://my.clevelandclinic.org/disorders/chronic_obstructive_pulmonary_disease_copd/hic_diaphragmatic_breathin
g.aspx
11. Always remember...
Make sure the hand on your chest
stays as still as possible
throughout the exercise!!!!!
This makes sure that you are
breathing with your diaphragm.
13. Sources:
Fundamentals of Nursing, Potter and Perry, pp. 854
National Institute of Health:
http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/patientim
ages/000267.htm
Cleveland Clinic:
http://my.clevelandclinic.org/disorders/chronic_obst
ructive_pulmonary_disease_copd/hic_diaphragmatic
_breathing.aspx