Breathing is an essential process in all organisms, including humans. Human can survive without food for quite a long time. Without breathing, humans, obviously, will not survive.
Breathing is an absolute human need. In an emergency, airway and breathing are the main problems that must be addressed immediately. Empirically, breathing techniques are generally varied. Of all breathing patterns, it is believed that there must be the most optimal one. One of them is diaphragmatic breathing (DB). DB plays the role of the diaphragm as the main muscle that performs the activity of inhaling and exhaling. Optimal breathing patterns, including certain DB, have the ability to relieve several medical problems.
Although humans breathe on a regular basis, it turns out that breathing is not necessarily effective. Generally, people will just breathe like usual. In fact, if it is conducted properly with a simple technique, a lot of benefits will be gained, like preventing various diseases. It really helps in medical treatment.
In general, humans breathe 12-20 times per minute in adults aged 19-59 years old. Breathing per hour means 60 multiplied by 16 (average respiratory rate), while there are 24 hours per day. Breathing per day is the result of multiplication results by 24, 60, and 16. This attempt means enormous to do in a week, let alone a year. If it is practiced with certain simple techniques, lots of benefits will be gained.
One of the indicators of effective breathing is the minimum energy expended in one breath which can be trained. Breath training is able to increase the strength of the respiratory muscles, breathing exercises practice good and correct breathing, train effective expectoration.
Diaphragmatic breathing (DB) is one type of effective breathing. During inhalation, the diaphragm contracts, hence the lungs can expand into extra space and let in as much air as needed. It stimulates deep breathing and expands the lungs into the diaphragm rather than using the abdomen or ribs. DB technique is specific to the moderate rate of breath using processes such as counting breaths while increasing the stomach and inhaling deeply through the nose, pausing, followed by contraction of the stomach, and exhaling slowly and completely through the mouth. This technique includes developing an inhalation and exhalation pattern to decrease the respiratory rate.
DB requires no special equipment, easy to practice, and saves costs. Optimal DB can produce a therapeutic effect to relieve diseases; such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), asthma, chronic stroke, congestive heart failure (CHF), gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), cerebral palsy (CP), pain management in labor, and anxiety.
World Health Organization (WHO) notes that COPD is the fifth highest prevalence disease worldwide, with the death rate increasing every year.
Asthma symptoms include recurrent episodes of coughing, shortness of breath, and chest tightness, along with symptoms that worsen periodically, known as exacerbations. Exacerbations can be fatal and are more frequent and more serious in high-risk patients or patients with uncontrolled asthma.
According to WHO, 17.5 million people died from cardiovascular disorders worldwide. Dyspnea is a main symptom of CHF.
GERD is a digestive system disorder and the prevalence is increasing from year to year. It is caused by disturbances in the movement of the upper digestive tract and the reflux of stomach acid in the esophagus, which causes various sores and makes the body uncomfortable.
Stroke is a condition that occurs when the blood supply to the brain is reduced due to a blockage (ischemic stroke) or rupture of a blood vessel (hemorrhagic stroke). The respiratory function of stroke patients is directly/indirectly affected by a decrease in oxygen transport related to the function of the cardiovascular system and heart rate function as well as a decrease in paresis of the breast wall movement and a drastic decrease in the function of the cardiovascular system due to a decrease in the frequency of physical activity.
Another disease, such as anxiety is a state of understanding or worrying that something bad will happen soon. It is also associated with characteristics of COPD parameters. CP is a non-progressive syndrome of posture and motor impairment that causes activity limitation and is often accompanied by cognitive impairment or visual deficits. Brain damage is permanent and irreversible, but the symptoms of CP can be minimized.
According to the literatures and journals, various diseases can be prevented through effective breathing, DB.
Author: Prof. Dr. H. Abdurachman, dr., M.Kes. PA(K)
Journal link: Optimal Diaphragmatic Breathing Patterns Can Light Some Medical Problems
