Conditions Treatmed

Breathing Pattern Disorders

Breathing is something we never have to think about. If something comes along and disrupts the normal balance of breathing you start to become aware of your breathing and you may have a breathing pattern disorder . For some these changes are very subtle; breathing with the mouth and upper chest but for others over breathing is extreme and you could have hyperventilation syndrome.

Why has this happened? There could be a specific identifiable cause like a stressful life event, pain or even something like pregnancy but for some it is hard to say. Respiratory physio works on where you are now, stopping the symptoms from happening and getting your control back.

Chronic Lung Disease

Managing chronic lung disease is about so much more than just taking medications. If you cough, bring up phlegm and suffer with regular chest infections respiratory physio will work on getting you an airway clearance regime set up to maintain good airway hygiene.

The idea is to limit the amount of chest infections that you get and help you to manage these better. Exercise, keeping active and improving your cardiovascular fitness is key for those with lung disease but it can be very scary to do this on your own; especially if you are breathless just moving around your home. Respiratory physio will look at what you are able to do currently and work with you on setting goals for things that you would like to achieve. Your treatment will involve a personalized exercise programme which includes education around your condition and aims to improve your muscle strength and endurance which will help your breathlessness. Lastly; looking at the way that you breathe and what muscles you are using is important to ensure that you have the most biomechanically efficient pattern. We know that your lungs are affected and we want you to use what you have in the best possible way. Maximising your breathing pattern will help with rest, relaxation, activity and during periods of stress and anxiety.

Long Covid Recovery

About 10-20% of COVID-19 patients will experience lingering symptoms following SARS-Cov-2 infection. Common symptoms include fatigue, shortness of breath, cognitive dysfunction, chest pain and others. These have an impact on everyday functioning and they will fluctuate or relapse over time.

This leads to frustration and anxiety understandably and respiratory physio can help. After an initial assessment treatment would include things like breathing re-training, strengthening breathing muscles, working on fatigue management strategies and assisting with pain and muscle weakness.

Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome (POTS)

Many people who have the diagnosis of POTS will too have a breathing pattern disorder. This will be making POTS symptoms worse and limit your ability to be able to exercise. Learning to breathe correctly can help to manage some of the symptoms alongside your other treatments.

Chronic Fatigue / M.E.

Shortness of breath can be a symptom for some and the cause will be a Breathing Pattern Disorder. Incorrect breathing has been shown to use up to 30% of your energy stores rather than 4 % . Learning an effective breathing pattern can help alongside your other management strategies.

Sports and performance

Breathing well is so important for resting the mind and the body. It calms your nerves and helps to reduce anxiety. Looking at beathing at rest is important and at the opposite extreme when you are pushing yourself to the maximum during sport and exercise.

Once respiratory physio has balanced your breathing working on respiratory muscle endurance and strength could be the key in allowing you to have a more energy efficient breathing system. Inspiratory muscle training works on the respiratory muscles and in short they need less energy to work. This energy can be put into your musculoskeletal system rather meaning you can go longer, faster and with less muscle pain.

Chronic Cough

Cough is an important defense mechanism to clear the airways of foreign particles and sputum but it can go wrong. Chronic cough is defined as a cough that lasts for longer than 8 weeks. It may be due to a number of health issues like asthma, reflux, post nasal drip, excessive sputum in the airways etc.

Whatever the initial cause the cough reflex becomes hypersensitive due to a complex neural mechanism meaning that things like talking cause you to cough when it really shouldn’t. This starts to affect quality of life; you limit social interactions due to embarrassment and anxiety, musculoskeletal pain occurs and maybe even some incontinence. If this is you it’s time to see a respiratory physiotherapist.

Respiratory physio will work with you to find a management strategy which may include airway clearance, suppression techniques, breathing re-training, identifying triggers and behavioural modifications to allow you to feel more in control of your cough with the overall aim of improving your quality of life.

Stress, anxiety,
and burn out

All these factors will cause your breathing pattern to change over time without you even noticing. If this carries on for a long time this new breathing becomes your normal and this is when you start to get symptoms. Why does this happen?

Poor breathing disrupts your nervous system and causes an imbalance in the bodies physiological balance. This is what causes you to feel chest pain, breathlessness, yawning, fatigue, dizziness only to name a few causing you to see specialists and still be left feeling the same.

Respiratory physio will work on correcting your breathing biomechanics, look at triggers for your symptoms and work on ways for you to manage these more effectively. All of this is to help you feel more in control, give you the tools to manage this in the future and to feel more like yourself again.

After Hospital care:
Post-op or admission rehabilitation.

Studies have shown that even after a few days of bed rest there is a significant amount of muscle mass loss. A stay in hospital can take a toll on your body and leave you with a significant loss of function; moving around your home, getting out of bed and even just

getting washed and dressed can leave you feeling breathless and weak. Respiratory physio looks at your current ability and what you would like to achieve. A personalised rehabilitation programme is set up to help you get back to being you.

Children/Youth breathing

Bad habits can start to set in once children begin school, have you ever looked at a baby breathing! They are naturally nose breathers and use their diaphragms really well. You get older and begin to spend more time sedentary and this includes time on devices

and add in poor postures. Emotional stressors can also begin at this age that can affect breathing. Teaching good breathing habits early and providing them with tools that they can take with them into adulthood is invaluable.

Types of conditions seen: Asthma management, Exercise Induced Laryngeal Obstruction (EILO), breathless when taking part in sports, other lung conditions and cough.

The initial assessment will help gauge what the problems may be and includes a holistic look at diet, sleep, anxiety, physical activity as well as breathing pattern. In general children are fast learners and only take a few sessions.

I'm Helene, a Repiratory Physiotherapist with over 15 years experience in supporting people with their breathing. My focus is to help you maximise your breathing function and help you get the most out of your lungs.

Links

Home
Conditions Treated
Services Provided
All About Me
Prices and Booking
FAQ
Contact

Contact and Locations

07785 611 868
helene@hbhphysio.co.uk

Stride Healthcare
Sussex Cricket Grounds
Eaton Road, Hove
East Sussex, BN3 3AN

Total Therapy Studios
2 Denne Parade, Horsham
West Sussex, RH12 1JD

Six Physio
39 High Street, Lindfield
Haywards Heath
West Sussex, RH16 2HJ

Professional Bodies

Chartered Society of Physiotherapists
www.csp.org.uk

ACPRC
www.acprc.org.uk/account/

BBA
www.buteykobreathing.org

Physiotherapy for BPD
www.physiotherapyforbpd.org.uk

Design by Ddm° Creative