Diaphragm breathing

My breathing got really bad in early 2020, just before it was likely to be COVID. I had to sleep sitting up and really concentrate on pushing air all the way out. Part of my recovery was teaching myself to use my diaphragm to breathe. It is now second nature and now my asthma only flares up when I am forced to breathe pollution. It has been life changing. I haven't used an inhaler since then which is great because inhalers spike my anxiety levels in an intolerable way. I find putting an air filter on clears my breathing faster if do get an asthma attack. I bought a portable one to take out.

I also used to get a lot of intercostal pain in my ribs which is also now a thing of the past now I am not gasping for breath all the time. I also mouth breathe less so my mouth doesn't dry out at night any more.

It has been life changing and I highly recommend learning it. It takes concentration at first but once you get it you no longer have to think about it.

As I used to teach diaphragmatic breathing as a physio student in both ante-natal classes & at the start & end of all back pain classes, I think this shows the wide range in which this can be helpful.

Having suffered chronic daily pain myself now for years, I can feel the importance of it personally as it helps reduce stress & also pain, & is something we all should practice, which is why I've mentioned it before on the forum!

It's breathing in the same way that babies & young children automatically do.

https://www.cheshire-epaige.nhs.uk/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/Diaphragmatic-breathing-techniques.pdf

@Littlefatfriend every year we (Dame Allan's Girls School) went to Newcastle Cathedral to hear the Christmas Carol service there; I don't know if that tradition continued.

@theme79 - one of my constant gripes/mutterings is that so often there's not a holistic approach with healthcare. Oh, to get all specialists (who may be at the top of their pinnacle but can't sometimes see beyond it), in one room & actually talk to each other!

I had a lovely rheumatologist who was frustrated in that I'd already seen a neurologist & neurosurgeons in his hospital (to whom he'd normally have then referred me), but who had proved absolutely unhelpful, & he believed me. He decided to give me a neurological exam which showed that part of my problems had to be a central nervous system problem & they affected all of my limbs. Unfortunately he didn't write a letter confirming this, & I can understand this, as I was then postulating that 2 certain disorders had to be associated, but it gave me the confidence to continue to independently research my family's problems, & I got there in the end.

If a consultant hadn't already said they would send me a copy of any letter to my GP, I always requested these, & in some instances was asked to correct them by a consultant before they were sent them to my GP.

It's pretty bad that many of us have to advocate for ourselves. My youngest granddaughter has just seen a consultant today, who won't take on board that her very low blood pressure is commonly found in our family's genetic disorder, & is looking for far, far less likely causes. The uphill battle just seems to continue!

I have had to continuingly advocate for my daughter & grandchildren, & my daughter has been successful in getting some GPs & consultants to phone me as she struggles with explaining our family's medical history.

With apologies for my rant @Biblioklept - back to 'diaphragmatic breathing,' if you've ever felt panicked/stressed you might find you tend to raise your shoulders & concentrate on your upper airway breathing. Diaphragmatic breathing is imagining you are filling a balloon of air lower down, which is why you place one hand on your chest & one lower down. You don't push your stomach area up, just imagine it as a balloon infilling with air. Don't count breathes in or out either, just breathe in your natural rhythm, as I feel counting is unhelpful (which some sites advocate).

Well I won a bursary to attend Dame Allan's Girls School, & girls hadn't perhaps been considered with some aspects that might be important to them.

I wanted to go to Dame Allan's School as they, at that time, had innovatively built a Physics lab, so felt they might help me in pursuing a medical career.

I studied Latin, which I had to take a year early at GCSE level (& also Greek for some reason); again thinking what might be helpful in a medical career,

Well I had an English teacher, who happened to be Welsh, say I ought to pursue a career in journalism as I happened to be good at English (& Geography). She did signpost me to a University in Wales where I could do a conversion course for 5 years before beginning a medical career.

I decided to pursue looking at physiotherapy instead, as I didn't want to leave home as my Mum had terminal cancer by then. I have no regrets, other than wishing I could counter some Dr's misinfirmatiom; I usually can as far as my family's medical history goes.

I think my background, including my education, helped shape me.