A Study to Assess Effect of Pursed Lip Breathing Exercise on Dyspnea Among Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease Patients Attending Respiratory Medicine OPD of HSK Hospital Research Center Bagalkot

Abstract

Introduction: Lip breathing is a breathing exercise that helps slow breathing and inhale and exhale more air. Slowly inhale through nose and gently exhale through pursed lips. Pursed lip breathing makes it easier to perform physical activities and reduce stress. PLB helps to improves ventilation, releases trapped air in lungs, keeps airways open longer and decreases effort to breath, prolongs breathing out to slow breathing rate, improves breathing patterns by moving old air out of lungs and allowing new air to enter, relieves shortness of breath, causes general relaxation. [1] Exercise intolerance in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is related to airflow, gas exchange, and systemic limitations [2], with exertional dyspnea being the most common reported symptom [1], [2]. Pursed-lips breathing (PLB) is a ventilatory strategy frequently adopted spontaneously by patients with COPD to relieve dyspnoea. [3] COPD, or  chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, is a condition caused by damage to the airways or other parts of the lung. This damage leads to inflammation and other problems that block airflow and make it hard to breathe. [4]