Breathing test for asthma

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Breathing in bronchial asthma

Bronchial asthma is a chronic disease, the main symptoms of which are manifested in the form of difficulty breathing or frequently recurring attacks of suffocation, which are very life-threatening for the patient.

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During an attack, a person does not have enough air to breathe, the feeling of anxiety increases and panic often sets in. This condition is dangerous because with a passive reaction to an attack, death is quite possible. Breathing during bronchial asthma depends on the degree of the allergic attack that provoked this condition.

Why do attacks of allergic suffocation occur?

An allergic reaction in the form of an attack of suffocation occurs in bronchial asthma due to the penetration of an irritant into the body. If such irritants are cosmetics, dust particles, food products or dry medicines, this can lead to damage to the respiratory tract. With severe damage, a person may experience swelling of the mucous membranes, with a milder nature of the damage - allergic rhinitis, hay fever and conjunctivitis. It is not uncommon for a person to experience a narrowing of the nasal passages or larynx.

A severe allergy attack provokes difficulty in the passage of air through the nasopharynx. For many, this condition is frightening and causes a panic reaction. Therefore, it is important to get your bearings in time and call an ambulance if you do not have the necessary medications at hand that can help you cope with an attack. With swelling of the larynx, complete asphyxia can occur, leading to death.

Symptoms of an allergy attack

When an allergy attack occurs, alarming symptoms occur that should immediately alert a person. You need to immediately understand what to do when symptoms appear. If a patient of any age loses the ability to breathe, this is expressed in the following:
  • Frequent whistling breathing.
  • Clearly audible whistling sounds in the chest
  • Cough and shortness of breath.
  • Feeling of insufficient oxygen for a full breath.
  • Lump in the throat.
  • Acquiring a pale skin tone.

In addition to these symptoms, a number of individual changes may also appear. For example, the appearance of cold sweat throughout the body. In the area of ​​the ears and lips, fingertips and nose, disruption of blood flow occurs. These areas take on a bluish tint.

An allergy attack of this nature occurs in most cases at night. When a person displays strong emotions, anxiety, or stress, attacks become more frequent. Excessive physical activity can also contribute to the manifestation of this problem.

Allergic suffocation is worst experienced by sick children. For a child, this process is much more complex, both emotionally and physically. It is important to call an ambulance when the first alarm signals appear for resuscitation procedures. It is also necessary to identify the primary cause that provokes respiratory problems. This will help to avoid relapses of such a reaction of the body to an irritant, because each new attack is fraught with new complications and problems. This problem leads to oxygen starvation, which affects the functioning of absolutely all internal organs and systems of the body.

First aid for an attack

An allergy attack with signs of suffocation is a manifestation of a severe allergic reaction, which is very difficult for the patient to cope with alone. Therefore, in such a case, you need to immediately call an ambulance. After this, it is necessary to reassure and support the patient as much as possible, since with excitement the attack tends to intensify and breathing becomes even more difficult. Before medical representatives arrive, it is necessary to position the person in a comfortable position. Dialogue with him must be conducted in a very calm and slow manner.

In addition to difficulty breathing, symptoms of suffocation in a person may be accompanied by swelling of the face, excessive tearing, redness of the eyes and hyperemia of the skin. An allergic attack can be relieved with antihistamines. Among them are:

  • Suprastin (active substance - chloropyramine).
  • Zodak (active substance - cetirizine).
  • Diphenhydramine (active substance - diphenhydramine).
  • Tavegil (active substance - clemastine).

In individual cases, a person is given an injection of Prednisol to relieve an attack. This drug is usually found in an emergency medicine cabinet. Some patients who have previously experienced allergic attacks may have this remedy with them. In this case, the necessary injection can be given before the doctors arrive to alleviate the patient’s condition.

Important: In case of an allergy attack provoked by a food irritant, it is necessary to take sorbents. For example, Polysorb, Polyphepan, activated carbon, Filtrum, Smectu, etc.

Naturally, you need to try to get rid of the allergen that provoked the reaction. If it is pollen from flowering plants or trees, the person must be moved to a room without foreign odors; if, on the contrary, it is pet hair or dust, the person must be taken out into the fresh air. For better access of oxygen to the brain and blood vessels, it is necessary to put the person in bed without a pillow so that the body and head are at the same level. Using heating pads or containers of hot water also helps. They cover the back and chest area.

What to do in case of an allergic attack of bronchial asthma?

This attack cannot be confused with any other. The body's reaction manifests itself within a few minutes and is manifested in the following algorithm: shortness of breath - wheezing with whistling when inhaling - hypoxia - loss of coordination of movements. To relieve an asthma attack, do the following:

  • Reassure the patient as much as possible.
  • Have the person sit astride a chair with their face turned toward the back. You need to place a pillow under your chest. In this position, the human muscles maximally help the person perform the functions of inhalation and exhalation.
  • Provide a good flow of fresh air (open a window or door).
  • Use an inhaler to relieve choking. Bronchodilator drugs include Terbutaline, Salbutamol and Fenoterol. First, 2 inhalations are performed; if relief does not occur after 10 minutes, the inhalation is repeated again.
  • Give the patient an antihistamine.
  • Give an injection of an anti-asthma drug. For example, Ephidrine or Euphyllin.
  • If all of the above steps do not give any result and the person continues to breathe heavily, immediately seek help from a doctor. He will be able to additionally inject a hormonal drug to relieve the attack.

What to do with Quincke's edema?

The most severe consequence of an allergic attack is Quincke's edema. In this case, the following measures must be taken:

  • Raise the person's head and fix him in this position.
  • Apply an ice pack to the patient's neck or chest.
  • Call an ambulance or transport the patient to the hospital yourself using personal transport.

How to prevent an attack

To prevent exacerbation of asthma in the form of attacks, planned, systematic treatment of the pathology is necessary. The priority methods in this case are the use of inhaled forms of beta-blockers and corticosteroid drugs. These medications are prescribed by the attending physician on an individual basis. After taking glucocorticoid hormones, if any are included in the treatment regimen, it is recommended to rinse the mouth to avoid the development of candidiasis. It should be understood that even a prolonged course of a disease such as bronchitis, against the background of complications, can lead to bronchial asthma.

A person diagnosed with bronchial asthma must maintain a hypoallergenic lifestyle in his home and organize very strict rules of hygienic conditions. To do this, you need to get rid of items that can trigger another allergy attack: flowering indoor plants, feather mattresses, blankets, pillows, high-pile carpets and soft toys. It is not recommended to have any pets in the house, as their fur is often a strong irritant.

To reduce the risk of recurrence of attacks, you need to limit the use of perfume compositions with pronounced odors, eat only filtered water, stop smoking and monitor humidity levels in the room. The living room must be ventilated and wet cleaned daily, and bed linen must be replaced every week.

The patient should have adequate sleep and a balanced diet rich in vitamins. You should not use preservatives of any origin, spices or additives that cause an allergic reaction.

As a preventive measure, breathing exercises are indicated, which strengthens smooth muscles, clears the airways of accumulated mucus and microbes, normalizes blood circulation and enhances the drainage function of the bronchi.

It is necessary to constantly keep your health under control and monitor the slightest changes in your condition. If you feel that you are breathing poorly and heavily, take appropriate measures to prevent an attack. It is recommended to use a peak flow meter, which can identify triggers (irritants) that provoke worsening of bronchial asthma. Some triggers are extremely difficult to avoid, especially if they are related to air pollution, viral infections or weather conditions. However, minimizing exposure to other irritants, such as fungal spores, dust mites, and pet dander, is something everyone can do.

It is worth understanding that attacks of suffocation are the result of an inappropriate treatment plan or a strong influence of the irritant on the body. To find out the causes of such an attack, you must consult a doctor, even if you managed to stop it on your own. This will help adjust your treatment and prevent further possible breathing problems of this kind.

Source: http://allergiu.ru/bolezni/duhanie-astma.html

Breathing in bronchial asthma

Bronchial asthma is a well-known disease that can manifest itself in both children and adults. The disease is a chronic disease of the respiratory tract. This disease can be identified by the following symptoms:

  • wheezing
  • dyspnea
  • feeling of heaviness in the chest area
  • sudden bouts of coughing.

Bronchial asthma has a progressive course and a complex treatment process. When this disease occurs, it is quite difficult for the patient to inhale and exhale. A human patient may develop a sharp cough, which is accompanied by a whistling sound. It is formed during the passage of incoming air through the narrowed opening of the bronchial tube. The oxygen that is located in the alveoli (small air sacs) cannot be “released.” It would seem that such a simple breathing movement as inhalation and exhalation becomes extremely complex; the patient’s breathing is irregular, short and frequent.

Asthma was known back in ancient Greece. The disease was popularly called suffocation. This disease was repeatedly mentioned in the works of Hippocrates, Galen and Celsius.

More information about bronchial asthma can be found here.

Stages of a bronchial attack

The bronchi are compressed

The bronchial tubes are surrounded by thin muscle. When you inhale air that contains irritating substances, the muscles sharply begin to contract and compress the bronchi. Through the bronchial tubes, air can no longer move to the lungs. Therefore, they do not receive the required amount of clean air, and do not give away processed oxygen and carbon dioxide that is no longer needed for the body.

The bronchi fill with mucus

A mucous membrane forms inside the bronchial tubes, which contains cells for producing mucus. When a person is healthy, this mucus keeps the airways moist. When a person has bronchial asthma, an allergen enters the bronchi, and these cells produce a large volume of mucus, which leads to the closure of the passages. After this, increased difficulty breathing begins.

The walls of the bronchi swell

From constant irritation of the bronchial tubes, the process of inflammation begins. When the passages are inflamed, their size increases significantly and thickens. When the membrane thickens, a strong narrowing of the lumen of the bronchi begins, which leads to difficulty inhaling and exhaling air. The more the bronchi are narrowed, the more difficult it is to get air.

1 hour after the attack, a small amount of viscous transparent sputum begins to be released from the respiratory tract, this process is accompanied by coughing.

Degrees of bronchial asthma

Bronchial asthma leads to changes in the structure of the bronchi, disruption of the functioning of the ciliated epithelium cilia and destruction of the bronchial epithelium. Microcirculation in the bronchi malfunctions, which provokes the occurrence of sclerosis. In the process of inflammation of the bronchi, a mast cell takes part, having a high level of biologically active substances - histamine, bradykinin, calidin and serotonin.

Due to many changes, bronchial spasm syndrome begins to form. The appearance of bronchospasm is influenced by the process of narrowing of the bronchi, swelling of the mucous membrane, the process of impaired mucus formation, as well as sclerotic disorders. An important role in the formation of bronchospasm is played by increased hyperreactivity of the bronchi, namely an active reaction to the influence of irritants that are in the air.

There are three degrees of complexity of the disease:

  • Light form. At this stage, the patient does not experience an attack of suffocation. The sign of spasm may occur once to twice a week. The patient may experience respiratory discomfort no more than twice a month.
  • Average. With this degree of complexity, an attack of bronchial asthma can occur more than three times a week. Nocturnal asthma attacks may occur more than three times a month. You need to take the medicine even with the onset of the interictal period.
  • Heavy. There is a high probability of prolonged attacks even at night. An attack may appear regardless of irritants in the air.

The difficulty is that asthma has a relapsing nature. It has a high tendency to exacerbation.

Irritants of bronchial asthma

But the main question arises: “What can provoke the occurrence of this disease?”:

  • Non-infectious allergen. They are found in dust and can be caused by various fruits and vegetables
  • Infectious allergen – virus and bacteria that affect the respiratory tract
  • Chemical influence. These include vapors of harmful acids and alkali
  • Emotional stress.

This type of asthma is one of the serious diseases. Therefore, at the first symptoms, it is better to consult a doctor. Delayed treatment can lead to a number of negative consequences and complications.

With bronchial asthma, proper breathing is very important - calm, shallow, shallow; it is important not to take deep breaths, as this can lead to increased attacks.

Breathing exercises

If classes are carried out regularly, positive changes will occur:

  • blood vessels become more elastic, which helps reduce the likelihood of a stroke
  • Cholesterol plaques will not form on the walls of blood vessels
  • the immune system is strengthened, the level of activity at the cellular level increases
  • metabolism improves.

There are the following rules that must be followed when doing breathing exercises:

  • Inhalation and exhalation should be done only through the mouth
  • When the stage of the disease is more complicated, a set of exercises must be performed strictly at intervals between inhalation and exhalation in order to prevent a coughing attack
  • The breath should not be deep
  • It is very important to be able to calm yourself; for this, exhalations should be moderate and sighs should be shallow.
  • To achieve a good result, this gymnastics must be performed several times a day.

Breathing exercises for bronchial asthma

  • A set of exercises “awakening”. This gymnastics is performed in bed, immediately after waking up - you need to bend your legs at the knees and pull them to your chest as close as possible, while doing this you need to exhale slowly.
  • "Bloating." This complex is performed in a standing position, you need to breathe through your nose, when you inhale, your stomach needs to be inflated like a ball, but when you exhale sharply, it needs to be pulled in.

Source: http://lekhar.ru/bolesni/pulmonologija/dyhanie-pri-bronchialnoj-astme/

Breathing exercises according to Buteyko and Strelnikova for bronchial asthma

Bronchial asthma is a serious disease that accompanies a person throughout his life. Drug treatment aimed at restoring airway patency does not always help fight attacks of the disease. Breathing exercises for bronchial asthma are a recommended method for preventing attacks and facilitating breathing.

What is bronchial asthma?

Bronchial asthma is a chronic inflammatory disease of the airways

Bronchial asthma is a common chronic disease characterized by breathing problems. It is also the most common chronic disease among children. Bronchial asthma occurs against the background of damage to the walls of the respiratory tract. In this case, breathing problems are associated with narrowing of the bronchi and accumulation of mucus.

The mechanism of formation of bronchial asthma includes inflammation of the walls of the airways, impaired air passage and bronchial hyperreactivity. The inflammation that occurs with this disease can be acute or chronic.

The formation of swelling of the airways and increased secretion of mucus also contributes to airway obstruction. Changes in bronchial tissue are also noted: the number of eosinophils and monocytes increases, desquamation of the epithelium occurs and the proliferation of smooth muscles affects the tone of the bronchi.

The disease is known not only for constant breathing problems, but also for the occurrence of severe attacks that can lead to the death of the patient.

During an attack of bronchial asthma the following phenomena occur:

  • The muscular lining of the bronchi contracts and further narrows the lumen of the airways.
  • The volume of air passing through the respiratory tract to the lungs sharply decreases.
  • The inflammatory process and mucus secretion contribute to an even greater narrowing of the bronchi.
  • The patient is suffocating.

To understand the causes of bronchial asthma, it is necessary to have an understanding of the breathing process. Normally, with each breath, air mass moves into the lungs under the influence of pressure differences. Air is transported through the nasal and oral cavities, larynx, trachea and bronchi. The bronchi form a branched bronchial tree, consisting of large, medium and small bronchi.

With the development of bronchial asthma, the walls of the bronchi change due to the effects of chronic inflammatory processes. The proliferation of bronchial muscle tissue, damage to the epithelium, impaired tone and significant mucus secretion ultimately leads to respiratory failure.

Causes and signs of the disease

Bronchial asthma can be of allergic, non-allergic and mixed origin

Impaired airway patency in bronchial asthma occurs in response to various internal and external irritating factors that cause a reaction from the immune system.

The result is stimulation of smooth muscles that control the lumen of the bronchi, and the release of inflammatory mediators by special cells. This is a pathological reaction of the immune system because in this case the cells react to normal stimuli and cause the destruction of their own tissue.

In the development of bronchial asthma, there are many factors that can cause an attack. In particular, such factors include:

  • Environmental allergens: mites, dust, cat and dog hair, cockroaches, mold and others.
  • Viral respiratory tract infections.
  • Gastroesophageal reflux disease.
  • Chronic sinusitis or rhinitis.
  • Taking aspirin and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs.
  • Taking beta-adrenergic receptor blockers, including ophthalmic drugs.
  • Obesity.
  • Active and passive smoking.
  • Exposure to respiratory tract irritants as a result of professional activities.
  • Various high molecular weight compounds, the sources of which can be insects, plants, latex, anhydrides and wood dust.
  • Emotional state, stress.
  • Perinatal factors: prematurity, maternal age, maternal smoking, and neonatal exposure to tobacco smoke.
  • Excessive physical activity (exercise-induced asthma).
  • Sulfites and preservatives added to some foods.

Despite the fact that bronchial asthma is not a purely hereditary disease, there is a certain relationship between genetics and the risk of developing the disease. When diagnosing pathology, doctors pay attention to the family history of diseases.

However, it is also necessary to take into account that bronchial asthma can occur against the background of complete clinical well-being.

Symptoms and signs of the disease:

  1. Labored breathing.
  2. Unpleasant sensations in the chest area, pain.
  3. Sleep disturbance caused by shortness of breath, coughing and wheezing.
  4. A whistling sound during exhalation.
  5. Cough with mucus. In this case, the cough is significantly aggravated by viral infections of the respiratory tract (for example, with a cold).

Signs of bronchial asthma largely depend on the type of disease. Thus, the symptoms of the allergic form may differ in many ways from the symptoms of exercise-induced asthma. It should also be borne in mind that outside of attacks, patients may not have any complaints, but during attacks the condition worsens sharply.

Dangerous symptoms and complications

Pathology can cause acute respiratory failure

Patients with bronchial asthma may not experience unpleasant symptoms most of the time. The greatest danger is associated with severe attacks of the disease, when a sudden disturbance in breathing occurs, leading to suffocation.

It is important not only to identify signs of an attack in time, but also to effectively stop an acute episode of the disease. An asthma attack often causes the death of a patient.

Signs of a severe attack:

  • A sharp deterioration in breathing, wheezing.
  • No improvement after using a rapid-relief inhaler (such as an albuterol inhaler).
  • Shortness of breath with minimal physical activity.

If such symptoms occur, you should consult a doctor immediately. You should also consult a doctor if you suspect you have asthma and to check your health status if you have an already diagnosed disease.

Possible complications of the pathology include:

  • Sleep disturbance and deterioration in performance.
  • Constant narrowing of the bronchi, affecting breathing even in the absence of an attack.
  • Suffocation and death in severe asthma attacks.
  • Side effects from long-term use of certain drugs to relieve attacks of the disease.

Competent medication prescriptions, regular examinations and observed preventive measures help reduce the frequency of attacks of the disease.

The effectiveness of breathing exercises for asthma

Exercises help normalize breathing and relieve asthma attacks

Many drug treatments for the disease do not have the desired effect. Medicines used on a regular basis to make breathing easier can cause a variety of side effects, which also affect the quality of daily life. In this regard, many doctors recommend breathing exercises.

Breathing exercises for asthma can be divided into three groups:

  1. Exercises aimed at retraining the respiratory tract.
  2. Exercises aimed at increasing the strength and endurance of the respiratory muscles.
  3. Exercises aimed at increasing chest flexibility and improving posture.

Many doctors note that gymnastics aimed at retraining the respiratory tract is the most effective. Reliable studies have also revealed the effectiveness of these methods in treating the disease in adolescents, adults and children. In this case, exercises aimed at training the musculoskeletal system can play a supporting role in the prevention of the disease.

Scientists still cannot explain what causes the effect of breathing exercises. Initially, this method of preventing attacks was not considered due to its unproven effectiveness, but now the gymnastic methods of Buteyko, Strelnikova and Papworth are prescribed to many patients. However, most doctors do not recommend abandoning medication methods even with a significant effect of breathing exercises, since there is always a risk of a severe attack.

Breathing exercises according to Buteyko

Buteyko controls are based on shallow and shallow breathing

Konstantin Buteyko's method is based on the assumption that undiagnosed hyperventilation is the main cause of numerous pathologies of the respiratory system, including bronchial asthma.

It is known that hyperventilation leads to a decrease in the concentration of carbon dioxide in the blood, which ultimately can cause an imbalance in the acid-base balance and a decrease in the concentration of oxygen in the tissues.

Proponents of this theory believe that the consequences of chronic hyperventilation are a prerequisite for the occurrence of asthma. It is because of this pathology that spasms occur in the smooth muscles of the bronchi, an imbalance in the energy balance in cells and other disorders. The Buteyko method is aimed at reconfiguring the respiratory activity of the body.

  • Nasal breathing. Buteyko drew attention to the importance of nasal breathing, which protects the respiratory tract from damage by humidifying, warming and purifying the air. Many asthma patients suffer from sleep-disordered breathing, which Buteyko believes is the result of unconscious mouth breathing. Reinforcing the habit of breathing through the nose and keeping the sinuses clear is the main point of this exercise.
  • Reducing breathing load. The main exercise is related to breathing control. The patient should establish the habit of decreasing the rate and volume of breathing, since this method helps reduce the load on the respiratory tract.

Maintain a pause between breathing movements. Buteyko recommended maintaining a comfortable interval.

The Buteyko method has not received absolute recognition in the medical community, but many patients still practice this method of gymnastics.

Breathing exercises according to Strelnikova

Exercises according to Strelnikova not only reduce the frequency of attacks, but can also stop them

The method proposed by Alexandra Strelnikova differs sharply from traditional breathing exercises. Unlike Buteyko, Strelnikova did not suggest reconfiguring the frequency, volume and speed of respiratory movements.

The basic principle of her method is based on quickly inhaling through the nose and gradually exhaling through the mouth. According to the researcher, this method of breathing contributes to better saturation of tissues with oxygen.

Another important recommendation is the method of exhalation. It is only necessary to hold the air in the lungs a little, gradually exhaling after a forced inhalation. Forced exhalation is contraindicated with this method of breathing.

Contraindications

Breathing exercises are contraindicated in the following conditions:

  • Severe bronchial asthma.
  • Pathologies of internal organs, especially the respiratory system.
  • Damage to the brain and spinal cord.
  • Bleeding.
  • Spinal damage.
  • Glaucoma.
  • Cardiovascular diseases.

You can learn more about Strelnikova’s breathing exercises from the video:

Before using gymnastic methods to treat asthma, it is recommended to consult your doctor.

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The medical information published on this page is strictly not recommended for self-medication. If you feel negative changes in your health, immediately contact an ENT specialist. All articles published on our resource are for informational purposes only. If you use this material or a fragment of it on your website, an active link to the source is required.

Source: http://tvojlor.com/lor/respiratory/astma/dyhatelnaya-gimnastika-pri-bronchialnoj-astme.html

JMedic.ru

Bronchial asthma is usually called a disease that is accompanied by temporary disturbances in the patency of the bronchial tree. The degree and duration of these disorders may vary. The latter determines the stage of the disease at diagnosis. There can be five stages of bronchial asthma in total. It is important to determine the stage of the disease according to its severity, because the treatment of the disease depends on the stage. It is now believed that the mentioned disorders of bronchial obstruction are associated with a chronic inflammatory process in the lungs, exacerbations of which give rise to the characteristic clinical manifestations of the disease: cough, shortness of breath, suffocation.

Constant inflammation in the bronchial mucosa increases the strength of its reaction to an external stimulus, that is, it makes the bronchi hyperreactive.

In order to promptly recognize the disease and begin the necessary treatment, it is important to know the signs of bronchial asthma. Treatment of the disease can either be purely medicinal or support the patient’s lungs with folk remedies. Breathing exercises are also sometimes used. At the same time, the doctor must know about every step the patient takes. This is important, since exacerbations of the disease can have serious consequences: the patient may experience severe respiratory failure, even death due to lack of oxygen - suffocation. Only by choosing the right treatment and following all the specialist’s recommendations can you avoid severe attacks and bring the patient to a quality standard of living. Then the disease will not become the only important, constant and painful event for the patient.

Conversation with the patient

To recognize bronchial asthma and make the correct diagnosis, it is necessary to obtain as much information as possible about the patient and his disease.

It is important to study his complaints, examine lung function: both inhalation and exhalation, conduct an objective examination of the patient and draw the right conclusions. Additional studies may also be performed to confirm the diagnosis of the disease.

A patient's visit to the doctor usually begins with the doctor collecting anamnesis. Anamnesis is the information that can be obtained through questioning the patient. It is these patient memories that usually constitute the main, basic vector for subsequent diagnostic searches. Typically, the doctor spends five to fifteen minutes to collect anamnesis. Often the patient’s first complaints indicate lung damage.

The first clinical manifestations of the disease can be very unstable, but it is important to recognize them. Usually the patient complains that more and more often he feels that his exhalation is difficult. He is also bothered by a dry, strong cough, attacks of which occur along with shortness of breath. However, the cough does not bring relief. It is important to ask the patient how his coughing and shortness of breath episodes go away. In a carrier of the disease, the onset of an attack is usually associated with hypothermia, physical exertion or anxiety, and the end either occurs spontaneously, or the patient has to use medications, for example, bronchodilators.

The medical history must include information about whether exacerbations occur repeatedly, how often this happens and what the patient associates with them: season, contact with allergens and other factors. Symptoms of bronchial asthma in working adults may also be associated with contact of the mucous membrane of the lungs with irritating substances inhaled at work - pollutants.

The latter may include chemical compounds of paints and varnishes, dust, and metal fumes.

History is the basis for diagnosis. If the patient’s history clearly shows constant exacerbations, manifested by a dry cough, shortness of breath or suffocation, moreover, associated with some third-party factor, for example, contact with an allergen, the diagnosis of bronchial asthma for the doctor, of course, comes to the fore.

Objective examination of the patient

An objective examination is all the information that a doctor can obtain through his own senses: smell, consistency, sound, appearance, palpation.

An objective examination usually begins with an examination. A patient with bronchial asthma, if he has been ill for some time, may develop external signs of the disease. The latter include a barrel-shaped chest, as if frozen after inhalation. The patient's supraclavicular fossae usually seem to sink in and become very pronounced.

Barrel-shaped chest, “frozen” when inhaling.

If a doctor observes a patient during an exacerbation of the disease, he can see the wings of the patient’s nose flaring when breathing, the patient’s speech is intermittent, he is excited, and additional muscles begin to participate in the respiratory act: the shoulder girdle, for example. In this case, the patient usually tries to lean on the back of the bed or chair with his hands to make it easier to connect additional muscles. The doctor may also hear wheezing and a dry cough, which soon depletes the patient’s strength, but does not bring him tangible relief.

After the examination, percussion is performed, that is, percussion, of the lungs on the surface of the chest. When the breathing apparatus is functioning normally, the sound produced by tapping is called clear pulmonary. It has a rich, almost musical, coloring. When a patient has bronchial asthma, it is difficult to exhale; the lung tissue is filled with air. The latter circumstance gives the so-called box percussion sound. Approximately the same sound can be heard if you percussion a cardboard box or pillow stuffed with goose feathers.

On the left in the image you can see percussion, on the right – auscultation.

Next, auscultation of the lungs is performed. Auscultation is listening to breathing sounds over the surface of the chest, which is performed using a special device - a stethoscope. On one side of the device there is a funnel: this section allows you to hear low-frequency noise well, on the other side of the device there is a membrane. The physics of reception is such that the membrane cuts out low-frequency noise and enhances high-frequency noise. When listening to an asthmatic during an attack, it is usually possible to distinguish dry rales that are scattered. This is due to the fact that different parts of the bronchial tree are narrowed to different degrees. During the period between attacks, wheezing may be heard or not appear at all.

Additional Research

To confirm the diagnosis, the doctor resorts to various additional studies. The latter can even help in determining the cause of the disease, for example, if asthma is of an allergic nature.

To assess the so-called allergic status of the patient, special provocative tests are used. Their essence lies in the fact that in a limited area of ​​the skin the patient comes into contact with suspected allergens. If there is an allergy, then signs of inflammation will appear at the site of contact: redness, burning, pain. In addition, usually patients with an allergic form of bronchial asthma have relatives with the same disease.

This is how a skin test is performed for different allergens.

You can also examine the level of immunoglobulin E, which is involved in allergic reactions, in the patient's blood serum. In some people it is elevated. This condition is called atopy, and bronchial asthma of this nature is called atopic.

In addition to immunoglobulin E, other indicators are important in a blood test. During an exacerbation, an increase in blood eosinophils - cells involved in hypersensitivity reactions or hyperreactive reactions - is usually also detected. There is also an increase in the number of leukocytes - white blood cells, an increase in ESR - erythrocyte sedimentation rate, which under normal conditions is 8-15 mm/hour.

When a patient's sputum is analyzed, so-called Charcot-Leyden crystals are detected. They are crystals of enzymes of eosinophil cells that move to hyperreactive areas of the bronchial mucosa. Sputum analysis also detects Kurshman spirals. Kurshman's spirals are long, thick, glass-like impressions of mucus. The shape of the spirals is due to the fact that before the patient was released into the external environment, they filled the small bronchi.

In the diagram numbered 1 – Kurshman spirals, 2 – Charcot-Leyden crystals.

Also, a good and reliable method is to study the functions of external respiration: spirometry and peak flowmetry are used for this, which the patient can subsequently carry out independently and, based on the results, keep a special diary, by looking into which one can understand whether the treatment he is taking is effective.

To carry out spirometry, a special device is used - a spirometer, which is designed in such a way that it can quantify the tidal volumes and lung capacities of the patient, that is, record the indicators of his breathing. Important indicators are forced expiratory volume in the first second, or FEV1, and peak expiratory flow, or PEF. In asthmatics, this figure increases significantly over time, usually by more than 12% of normal values.

For the patient, peak flowmetry is of greater importance. A small device, a peak flow meter, can be carried with you at all times.

This is what a peak flow meter looks like.

It allows you to control the degree of obstruction or narrowing of the patient’s bronchi by peak exhalation flow. The patient conducts the test twice a day and records the results in a special diary. This approach allows for dynamic monitoring of bronchial patency over a long period of time, as well as timely noticing the deterioration of an asthmatic’s condition and taking appropriate measures.

Using a peak flow meter, you must proceed in the following order:

  1. Attach a special mouthpiece to the device.
  2. Make sure that the slider is at the zero mark, and while standing, hold the peak flow meter in a horizontal position.
  3. Take a deep breath, then wrap your lips around the mouthpiece and exhale sharply. It is a sharp exhalation that allows the device to detect the patient’s peak exhalation rate.
  4. Mark the result.
  5. Repeat the breathing maneuver using the device three times.
  6. Record the best results in your self-observation diary.

(NB) If the patient has difficulty understanding how to use the device, you need to explain to him that he should exhale as if he were about to blow out birthday candles on a cake.

Sometimes, when examining an asthmatic, they resort to the x-ray method. However, this method serves rather to refute other possible pathologies, and not to confirm the diagnosis of bronchial asthma as such. Typically, the x-ray shows an increase in the airiness of the lung tissue.

Overview of treatment measures

Treatment of bronchial asthma involves establishing and maintaining the patient’s quality of life. It is important to try to achieve results in which the patient can exercise at least moderate physical activity without problems.

Treatment of the disease during an exacerbation, especially if the patient experiences respiratory failure, should only be medicinal. However, if in the interictal period the clinical manifestations of the disease are moderate, the attacks themselves are rare, and the attending physician does not mind, the patient can resort to non-drug methods to maintain his good condition. The latter include treatment with folk remedies and breathing exercises.

It is important to remember that drug therapy has strict indications. They must not be neglected. To ensure that the indications for the use of certain medications are clearly defined and correctly implemented, an asthmatic must be regularly observed by a specialist. Before treatment begins, the patient must be taught competent, correct behavior within the framework of his illness.

Drug therapy for bronchial asthma

Treatment of bronchial asthma involves the use of two large groups of drugs. Firstly, bronchodilators are used, and secondly, anti-inflammatory drugs that have a beneficial effect on the inflamed mucous membrane of the narrowed bronchi. Bronchodilators include inhalants, short- and long-acting β-adrenergic agonists. Anti-inflammatory drugs include those used locally by inhalation, as well as systemic glucocorticosteroids, leukotriene receptor antagonists and mast cell membrane stabilizers. In addition, theophylline preparations are sometimes used.

(NB) Specific medications and treatment regimens are prescribed ONLY by a doctor for a specific patient! In this case, you should not self-medicate, because drugs used for bronchial asthma require strict consideration of contraindications.

Non-drug treatments

Of the non-drug methods of treating bronchial asthma, the most used are breathing exercises and treatment with folk remedies.

You can promote the patient’s good condition using the following folk remedies:

It is better to once again consult with your doctor which folk recipes can be safely used for bronchial asthma.

Breathing exercises can also be used for bronchial asthma. One of the good methods is considered to be gymnastics by A.N. Strelnikova. The technique is based on active inhalation and passive exhalation, which are performed by the patient quickly and regularly. Inhalation in this case resembles sniffing, and exhalation occurs without the patient’s efforts, independently through the mouth. Typically, inhalation and exhalation are done four or eight times, after which the patient rests for a few seconds. Next, the series of inhalation and exhalation is repeated. Classically, the patient repeats 20 series of inhalation-exhalation in one session. If breathing exercises are performed correctly and regularly, the patient’s breathing parameters improve; gymnastics helps to ensure that exacerbations of bronchial asthma occur less frequently in the patient.

Summary

In order to promptly recognize the disease and begin its treatment, it is important to know how bronchial asthma manifests itself. Typically, the patient complains that he has a severe dry cough that is difficult to stop, exhalation is difficult to the point of suffocation, and symptoms appear regularly. An important point for making a diagnosis is a correctly collected anamnesis. Often, the patient’s medical history shows a connection between attacks of illness and hypothermia, anxiety, or contact with some allergenic substance. If, after anamnesis has been collected and an objective examination has been carried out, the diagnostic search is somewhat difficult, additional diagnostic methods are used to confirm the diagnosis: clinical blood test, sputum test, spirometry and peak flowmetry, x-ray examination.

The symptoms of bronchial asthma manifest themselves most clearly during its exacerbation. Difficulty exhaling, exhaustion of the additional respiratory muscles that the patient uses to breathe, and severe coughing lead to the patient quickly developing respiratory failure. He needs timely medical attention.

Non-drug measures, such as breathing exercises or traditional medicine recipes, may be suitable for the treatment of bronchial asthma. However, it is important for the patient to be regularly monitored by a doctor and resort to drug therapy if necessary. It is also necessary to carry out self-monitoring using a peak flow meter and keep a special log of peak expiratory flow, which will allow you to track the patient’s condition over time and notice a deterioration in time, if it occurs.

It is important that the doctor trains the patient to correctly perceive his own illness. To do this, direct conversations are carried out with the patient, and short educational brochures are also issued, which are usually available to patients at the medical institution.

Source: http://jmedic.ru/astma/simptomy-bronchialnoj-astmy.html

Breathing exercises for asthmatics. How to breathe correctly

The respiratory function is fundamental to maintaining human life. Doctors have long noticed that when this function is disrupted, the entire body suffers. To restore the normal functioning of the respiratory system, various methods are used, including special training of the respiratory muscles.

Breathing exercises are successfully used by doctors in the treatment of diseases of the respiratory and cardiovascular systems, promote rapid recovery in the postoperative period, and increase the tone of the body as a whole.

Bronchial asthma is a complex respiratory disease that occurs in a chronic form and has an allergic component in its nature. The disease manifests itself in the form of periodic attacks of suffocation; constant symptoms of asthma are a dry cough, a feeling of heaviness and pressure in the chest, and difficulty breathing. Therapy for bronchial asthma should be comprehensive.

Improvement of the condition and the onset of long-term remissions is achieved by combining drug therapy, physiotherapeutic treatment methods, physical therapy and sanatorium-resort treatment. One of the methods of physical therapy used for bronchial asthma is therapeutic breathing exercises.

Breathing exercises for bronchial asthma are an indispensable tool that complements drug therapy. As is known, asthmatics have difficulty exhaling due to pathological changes in the bronchi: narrowing of the lumens and spasm of the bronchial tree, filling of the bronchi with thick sputum, which is difficult to expectorate. When you inhale very deeply, the receptors on the inner lining of the bronchi are irritated, and bronchi spasm occurs. Therefore, it is necessary for those who suffer from this disease to know about proper breathing. Breathing exercises for asthmatics will teach you how to breathe correctly during asthma, asthma attacks will appear less frequently, and the condition of important organs and systems will improve.

With the help of regular exercises, you can improve bronchial patency and even reduce the number of asthma attacks. To do this, you need to perform quality exercises every day, but not give up taking medications.

Breathing exercises are an additional way to treat bronchial asthma and cannot replace drug therapy!

What effect can be expected from physical therapy?

There is no need to wait for a complete cure for bronchial asthma. Bronchial asthma is a chronic, progressive disease; you need to learn to live with the disease and try to reduce the number of attacks.

By regularly performing a set of breathing exercises, you can achieve the following results:

  1. The muscle layer in the walls of the bronchi relaxes, as a result of which the spasm stops, the lumens of the bronchi become wider.
  2. Sputum separation occurs easier and faster, the airways are cleared of mucus, and more air passes into the lungs.
  3. The muscles directly involved in the act of breathing are strengthened: intercostal, paravertebral, diaphragm.
  4. You will learn to control your breathing, which will help reduce the number of attacks or prevent their occurrence.
  5. Breathing exercises have a beneficial effect on the cardiovascular system, improving blood circulation in organs, normalizing blood pressure, increasing the body's defenses, and relieving stress.

Advantages of this method:

  1. Anyone can learn breathing exercises.
  2. Does not require special devices or money.
  3. It has few contraindications and no age restrictions.
  4. With regular exercise, you can achieve stable remission.

Before you begin breathing exercises, talk to your doctor. In some cases, physical therapy is contraindicated.

  1. Asthmatic attack or severe coughing attack.
  2. Exercises should not be carried out in extreme weather conditions: rain, wind, too low or high air temperature.
  3. Also, classes are contraindicated in a stuffy, unventilated room.
  4. Should be avoided during acute respiratory diseases: acute bronchitis, pneumonia, etc.
  5. Do not exercise if you feel unwell or lack strength.

We create favorable conditions for classes

A positive attitude and focus on good results are the main conditions in the fight against the disease! For full-fledged classes, you need to comply with a minimum of conditions.

  1. Classes should take place outdoors, regardless of the time of year. If it is not possible to study outside, then you need to open the windows in the room. There must be enough oxygen in the air to saturate the body with it.
  2. You need to perform the exercises in complete silence, music and extraneous noise will not allow you to hear your breathing, you will not know whether you are doing the exercise correctly.
  3. It is best to practice alone (with the exception of special groups for therapeutic exercises), so that none of the household members disturbs you or takes away your breath.
  4. Gymnastics are performed daily - morning and evening.
  5. We combine breathing exercises with physiotherapy.

Mastering the technique

As already mentioned, classes should be regular and conducted, if possible, 2 times a day. We begin to train our breathing as soon as we wake up. You don't have to get out of bed right away to do this.

Bend your legs at the knee joints and try to pull them towards your chest, exhaling for a long time through your mouth. Perform until you feel slightly tired. Exercise helps remove mucus from the bronchi.

Next, we move on to exercises in a standing or sitting position.

  1. We inhale sharply through our nose, count to three and exhale through our mouth, while pronouncing the sound “z” or “sh”.
  2. Close the right nostril and inhale through the mouth, then exhale through the left half of the nose. We change the nostril and do the same several times.
  3. We inhale through the nose, exhale slowly through the mouth, while making the lips in the form of a tube.
  4. Inflate several regular balloons every day. This technique is widely used even for bedridden patients.
  5. Sitting at the table, place a glass of water in front of you and take a drinking straw. Inhale through the straw and exhale into a glass of water.

Breathing exercises for asthma

  1. Place your hands on your waist, while inhaling, try to inflate your stomach so that it becomes like a ball, exhale sharply and draw in your stomach.
  2. "Woodcutter". Stand on your toes, hands closed in your palms and raised above your head. At the count of times, we change the position from our toes to our feet and lean forward, imitating the movement of our hands as when chopping wood. At this moment, a sharp exhalation occurs. On the count of two we return our hands.
  3. In a standing position, place your hands at the lower part of the chest and squeeze it slightly. While exhaling slowly, make the following sounds: “rrr”, “pff”, “brrrroh”, “droh”, “brrh”.
  4. Standing, arms down. Slowly raise your shoulders as you inhale, slowly lower them as you exhale and pronounce the sound “kha.”

A large number of similar complexes have been developed; there is no need to try to do everything at once. A positive effect is achieved only with regular and high-quality implementation. To begin, choose a few activities that you especially like and learn how to do them correctly. In the future, add new exercises, master a dozen different techniques, don’t forget to do them every day, and the result will not be long in coming. If unpleasant symptoms appear, you should stop exercising immediately.

Strelnikova’s gymnastics for asthma

Alexandra Nikolaevna Strelnikova, a well-known domestic phoniatrist, has developed a unique method for restoring and improving voice. In her life, she herself lost her voice and was forced to work painstakingly to restore it. This is how Strelnikova’s gymnastics appeared. Later it was proven that gymnastics using her method not only restores the voice, but has many positive effects on the body. With regular exercise, respiratory function improves, the condition of bronchitis, pneumonia, and bronchial asthma is alleviated; gymnastics has a general strengthening effect, helps with postural disorders and strengthens the diaphragm; treats neuroses, helps cope with stuttering and improves vocal performance.

Therefore, today Strelnikova’s technique is recommended for various pathologies of organs and systems, but primarily for various pathologies of the respiratory system. An undoubted advantage is the simplicity and accessibility of the program. Daily activities do not require a lot of space or special equipment.

Gymnastics is performed sitting or lying down, the main thing is to breathe correctly. Subject to all the rules, Strelnikovskaya gymnastics has no age restrictions. There are contraindications for hypertensive patients and patients with glaucoma.

For bronchial asthma, physical therapy according to Strelnikova alleviates the condition and even helps prevent the occurrence of asthma attacks. With regular exercise, ventilation in the lungs improves, the bronchi expand, mucus is cleared more easily, internal organs receive more oxygen, and the general condition improves significantly.

Basic principles that must be learned before performing physical therapy:

  1. The inhalation should be short and done through the nose. You need to do it as if you are trying to sniff some unpleasant smell.
  2. Exhalation is done through the mouth and should be passive, that is, it happens on its own.
  3. Therapeutic gymnastics classes are performed in a certain rhythm, counting to 4.

Exercises effective for asthma:

Performed standing, feet shoulder-width apart, arms along the body. While inhaling sharply and noisily, we clench our fingers into a fist with our nose; while exhaling calmly, we unclench our fingers with our mouth.

  • "Pump".

    Can be performed standing or sitting. Relax your shoulder girdle, lower your arms, bend over and imagine that you are pumping the tire with a hand pump. Take a short and sharp breath as you bend over, and as you exhale, straighten up. We do it rhythmically.

  • "Epaulettes."

    In a standing position, place your feet shoulder-width apart. Place your hands at waist level, clench into fists. As you inhale, stretch your arms sharply forward and down, while unclenching your fists and spreading your fingers. As you exhale, return to the original position.

  • “Hug your shoulders.”

    Performed standing or sitting. Raise your arms bent at the elbows to shoulder level, while inhaling, sharply try to hug yourself by the shoulders, do not allow your arms to cross. As you exhale, return to the starting position.

  • "Head turns."

    While inhaling sharply and briefly, you need to turn your head left and right, exhalation will occur on its own, exhale through your slightly open mouth. You can do this exercise while lying in bed.

    • The last two exercises can prevent an attack if you start doing them at the first symptoms of approaching suffocation.

    Practicing according to Strelnikova is easy and interesting; you can involve children in the process, but you should make sure that you inhale and exhale correctly. Only then will the results be positive. Of course, you shouldn’t rely only on breathing training; no one has canceled drug therapy. Gymnastics is only a complement to drug treatment and increases its effectiveness.

    Video exercises

    Will yoga help?

    Yoga treatment can be used for bronchial asthma if specially designed exercises are performed that improve pulmonary breathing and promote the removal of sputum. In addition, with regular and correct implementation, health improvements are noted, symptoms of the disease appear less frequently, attacks become sporadic or disappear altogether. Sometimes it is possible to reduce the dosage of asthma medications, and in isolated cases, completely abandon drug treatment.

    1. Sit in the classic yoga lotus position; if this is not possible, then simply cross your legs. Relax, look at the tip of your nose. Inhale and exhale evenly about 8 times, then take a deep breath and try to hold your breath for a couple of seconds. Exhale slowly through your nose. Repeat until you feel slightly tired. Exercise saturates organ cells with oxygen and improves gas exchange in tissues.
    2. While standing, inhale slowly through your nose, so that your nostrils stick to the nasal septum. You should exhale in small portions through your lips closed into a tube. Exhale should be with effort so that the abdominal muscles and diaphragm tense. At the same time, lung drainage improves, sputum becomes thinner and easier to remove.
    3. The following position is familiar to us from physical education lessons as “shoulder stand” or “birch tree”. You need to lie on your back, bend your knees, and hold your lower back with your hands. Slowly raise your legs up until they are perpendicular to the floor, your shoulder blades should touch the floor. Try to stay in this position for a while, then smoothly lower your legs to the floor.

    Exercises that require singing various sounds, as well as self-massage of the chest, are effective. Singing and massage set the ciliated epithelium of the bronchi in motion, thick sputum begins to move and is directed towards the exit. The bronchi are cleansed, air passes through them freely and saturates the body with oxygen.

    Some yoga asanas are contraindicated for bronchial asthma, so you should practice yoga with a specialist in this field to avoid mistakes when performing and not harm your health.

    If you are not disciplined, then the right decision would be to attend special groups for therapeutic breathing exercises. There are physical therapy departments in almost every city hospital.

    By taking classes in a group, you will not only improve your health, but also gain useful information from communicating with people suffering from the same disease.

    Together with other patients, it will be easier to tune in to long-term classes; in a company, classes are more fun and time flies. If you make friends in the group, you will enjoy attending classes every day, and positive emotions will help you overcome the disease.

    Yoga and asthma (Video)

    3 thoughts on “Breathing exercises for asthmatics. How to breathe correctly"

    Good afternoon My mother has bronchial asthma of an allergic nature and is on inhalers. Recently they recommended breathing exercises to Strelnikova. I heard that if done incorrectly, exercise can have side effects, including an asthma attack. Where is the best place to start? Help me please!

    Strelnikova’s breathing exercises are accessible and well described in the book by Mikhail Shchetinin. The book is called “Breathing gymnastics by A.N. Strelnikova." Gymnastics should be taught from this book, and not from books by other authors.

    Study it yourself, it will be beneficial for you and you will help your mother.

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