Summary: The Effectiveness Of Pursed Breathing

The Effectiveness of Pursed-lip Breathing

Pursed lip breathing enhances the lungs mechanisms and expiratory breathing, meaning breathing becomes easier for a patient experiencing dyspnea. This is predominantly useful for patients who have diagnosis of lung conditions that make breathing difficult such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease is a preventable and treatable disease characterized by persistent airflow limitation that is usually progressive. (Lewis, 2017) Patients with this disease process have declining lung function and breathing capability. It can make breathing so hard that it decreases the quality of the life for the patient. Pursed-lip breathing provides significant health

benefits for people living with COPD. Studies have found that pursed lip breathing reduced dynamic hyperinflation found in COPD patients. It also considerably enhanced their breathing pattern and exercise intolerance.
Pursed-lip Breathing
For a patient to perform pursed-lip breathing the registered nurse must begin by giving step by step instruction on the new technique. The patient should use pursed-lip breathing before, during, and after any activity causing shortness of breath. Instruct the patient to inhale slowly and deeply through their nose. Then, exhale slowly through pursed lips, almost as of whistling. Relax your face muscles without puffing your cheeks, while you are exhaling. Make breathing out (exhalation) three times as long as breathing in (inhalation). The following activities can help the patient get the “feel” of pursed-lip breathing: blow through a straw in a glass of water with the intent of forming small bubbles, blow a lit candle enough to bend the flame without blowing it out, steadily blow a table-tennis ball across the a table, blow a tissue held in the hand until it gently flaps. The patient should practice eight to ten repetitions of pursed-lip breathing three of four times a day. (Lewis, 2017). By, pushing the air against the small orifice made by the pursed lips, the patient builds pressure backward through the airways. This back pressure pushes the airways open throughout exhalation and prevents airway collapse. Thus, more air escapes during exhalation and helps prevent air trapping.