Asthma and Hyperventilation

The last patient in the morning surgery was a lady with asthma who said she was not any better despite the treatment she was given last week.

She had been an asthmatic for 12 years and took her inhalers regularly. She had a recent chest infection and had completed a course of steroids and antibiotics and was worried she was still short of breath.

An acute attack of asthma can be terrifying and as breathing becomes more difficult- it can feel like drowning. No wonder people panic when it happens and are fearful it can recur. If you wish to view click

When I examined her chest was clear and her lung function had not deteriorated-I checked it on her peak flow meter. However I saw that her breathing was rapid and shallow, and when I pointed this out to her she said it was worse when she was anxious and sometimes her lips and arms started to tingle. This was not a worsening of her asthma but she was hyperventilating. These are classical symptoms of hyperventilation.

The remedy for hyperventilation is to slow the breathing and take deeper breathes from the belly. It sounds simple- and it is when you are calm. But it needs practice.

Lie flat on your bed with the palms of your hands resting on your belly. Try and relax, then watch your breathing. Breathe through your nose slowly and find your own natural rhythm to your breathing. Concentrate on your breath. Your hands should rise up when you breathe in, and fall when you breath out.

I do this if I find it difficult getting to sleep at night. It is like counting sheep-you rarely get beyond 10 before you are asleep.

I showed this lady how to do this and referred her to a physiotherapist to encourage her to practice. This will not only help her when she is hyperventilating, but the deep breathing will directly help her asthma.