Breath training for COPD (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease)

What is breath training for COPD?

Breathing is hard when you have COPD. Breathing with quick, short breaths makes it harder to get air into your lungs.

You can try three basic ways to help your breathing:

• Pursed-lip breathing helps you breathe more air out so that your next breath can be deeper.
• Breathing with your diaphragm, or belly breathing, helps your lungs expand so that they take in more air. Your diaphragm is the large muscle that separates your lungs from your belly.
• Breathing while bending forward at the waist helps the diaphragm move more easily. It helps draw air into your lungs as you breathe.

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Author:	Cynthia Tank	Last Updated: November 13, 2007
Medical Review:	Caroline S. Rhoads, MD - Internal Medicine Ken Y. Yoneda, MD - Pulmonology
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