Tachypnea is the term a doctor uses to describe a patient's breathing if it is too fast and shallow, especially if it is due to the patient's lung disease or other medical cause.

The term "hyperventilation" is usually used when the patient takes frequent and deep breaths due to anxiety or panic.

Causes of rapid and shallow breathing

Rapid, rapid breathing has many possible medical causes, including:

blood clot in a lung artery;

Lack of oxygen (hypoxia);

Infection of the smallest airways in the lungs in children (bronchiolitis);

pneumonia or any other lung infection;

Transient tachypnea of ​​the newborn.

Diagnosis and treatment of rapid and shallow breathing

Rapid and shallow breathing should not be treated at home. It is generally considered to be a medical emergency.

If the patient has asthma or COPD, he needs to use inhaler medicines prescribed by a doctor. If possible, the patient should be immediately examined by a doctor, so it is important to contact the emergency department as soon as possible with this symptom.

You should go to the emergency room if the patient is breathing rapidly and if:

bluish or grayish color skin, nails, gums, lips, or around the eyes;

With each breath pulls in the chest;

It is difficult for him to breathe;

Rapid breathing for the first time (never happened before).

The doctor will need to perform a thorough examination of the heart, lungs, abdomen, head, and neck.

Tests that the doctor may prescribe:

Concentration study carbon dioxide in arterial blood and pulse oximetry;

chest x-ray;

Complete blood count and blood chemistry;

Lung scan (allows comparison of ventilation and lung perfusion).

Treatment will depend on the cause of the rapid breathing. Initial care may include oxygen therapy if the patient's oxygen levels are too low.

Respiratory disorders

Normally, at rest, a person’s breathing is rhythmic (the time intervals between breaths are the same), the breath is slightly longer than the exhalation, the respiratory rate is respiratory movements (“inhale-exhale” cycles) per minute.

At physical activity breathing quickens (up to 25 or more breaths per minute), becomes more superficial, most often remains rhythmic.

Various respiratory disorders make it possible to roughly assess the severity of the patient's condition, determine the prognosis of the disease, as well as the localization of damage to a specific area of ​​the brain.

Symptoms of impaired breathing

• Incorrect breathing rate: breathing is either excessively quickened (at the same time it becomes superficial, that is, it has very short inhalations and exhalations) or, on the contrary, is greatly reduced (often it becomes very deep).
• Violation of the rhythm of breathing: the time intervals between inhalations and exhalations are different, sometimes breathing can stop for a few seconds / minutes, and then reappear.
• Lack of consciousness: not directly related to respiratory failure, but most forms of respiratory failure appear when the patient is in an extremely serious condition, in an unconscious state.

Forms

• Cheyne-Stokes breathing - breathing consists of peculiar cycles. Against the background of a short-term absence of breathing, signs of shallow breathing begin to appear very slowly, then the amplitude of respiratory movements increases, they become deeper, reach a peak, and then gradually fade to a complete absence of breathing. Periods of no breathing between such cycles can be from 20 seconds to 2-3 minutes. Most often, this form of respiratory failure is associated with bilateral damage to the cerebral hemispheres or a general metabolic disorder in the body;
• apneustic breathing - breathing is characterized by a spasm of the respiratory muscles with a full breath. Respiratory rate may be normal or slightly reduced. Having fully inhaled, a person convulsively holds his breath for 2-3 seconds, and then slowly exhales. It is a sign of damage to the brain stem (the area of ​​\u200b\u200bthe brain in which vital centers are located, including the respiratory center);
• atactic breathing (Biot's breathing) - characterized by disordered respiratory movements. Deep breaths are randomly replaced by shallow ones, there are irregular pauses with no breathing. It is also a sign of damage to the brain stem, or rather its back;
• neurogenic (central) hyperventilation - very deep and frequent breathing with an increased frequency (25-60 breaths per minute). It is a sign of damage to the midbrain (a region of the brain located between the brain stem and its hemispheres);
• Kussmaul breathing - rare and deep, noisy breathing. Most often, it is a sign of a metabolic disorder throughout the body, that is, it is not associated with damage to a specific area of ​​\u200b\u200bthe brain.

The reasons

• Acute cerebrovascular accident.
• Metabolic disorders:
  • acidosis - acidification of the blood in severe diseases (renal or liver failure, poisoning);
  • uremia - accumulation of protein breakdown products (urea, creatinine) in renal failure;
  • ketoacidosis.
• Meningitis, encephalitis. They develop, for example, in infectious diseases: herpes, tick-borne encephalitis.
• Poisoning: e.g. carbon monoxide, organic solvents, drugs.
• Oxygen starvation: respiratory failure develops as a consequence of severe oxygen starvation (for example, in rescued drowning people).
• Tumors of the brain.
• Brain injury.

A neurologist will help in the treatment of the disease

Diagnostics

• Analysis of complaints and anamnesis of the disease:
  • how long ago there were signs of respiratory failure (violation of the rhythm and depth of breathing);
  • what event preceded the development of these disorders (head trauma, drug or alcohol poisoning);
  • how quickly the breathing disorder appeared after the loss of consciousness.
• Neurological examination.
  • Assessment of the frequency and depth of breathing.
  • Assessment of the level of consciousness.
  • Search for signs of brain damage (decrease in muscle tone, strabismus, pathological reflexes (absent in a healthy person and appearing only with damage to the brain or spinal cord)).
  • Assessment of the state of the pupils and their reaction to light:
    • wide pupils that do not respond to light are characteristic of damage to the midbrain (the area of ​​\u200b\u200bthe brain located between the brain stem and its hemispheres);
    • narrow (pinpoint) pupils, weakly responsive to light, are characteristic of damage to the brain stem (the area of ​​\u200b\u200bthe brain in which vital centers, including the respiratory center, are located).
• Blood test: assessment of the level of protein breakdown products (urea, creatinine), blood oxygen saturation.
• Acid-base state of the blood: assessment of the presence of acidification of the blood.
• Toxicological analysis: detection of toxic substances in the blood (drugs, drugs, salts of heavy metals).
• CT (computed tomography) and MRI (magnetic resonance imaging) of the head: allow you to study the structure of the brain in layers, to identify any pathological changes (tumors, hemorrhages).
• It is also possible to consult a neurosurgeon.

Treatment for respiratory problems

• Requires treatment of the disease, against which there was a violation of breathing.
  • Detoxification (fight against poisoning) in case of poisoning:
    • drugs that neutralize toxins (antidotes);
    • vitamins (groups B, C);
    • infusion therapy (infusion of solutions intravenously);
    • hemodialysis (artificial kidney) for uremia (accumulation of protein breakdown products (urea, creatinine) in renal failure);
    • antibiotics and antiviral drugs with infectious meningitis (inflammation of the meninges).
• The fight against cerebral edema (develops with most severe brain diseases):
  • diuretic drugs;
  • hormonal drugs (steroid hormones).
• Drugs that improve brain nutrition (neurotrophic, metabolic).
• Timely transfer to artificial lung ventilation.

Complications and consequences

• By itself, respiratory failure is not the cause of any serious complications.
• Oxygen starvation due to irregular breathing (when the rhythm of breathing is disturbed, the body does not receive the proper level of oxygen, that is, breathing becomes “unproductive”).

Prevention of respiratory disorders

• Prevention of respiratory disorders is impossible, as this is an unpredictable complication of severe diseases of the brain and the whole body (traumatic brain injury, poisoning, metabolic disorders).

• Sources

M. Mumenthaler - Differential diagnosis in neurology, 2010

Paul W. Brazis, Joseph C. Masdew, Jose Biller - Topical Diagnosis in Clinical Neurology, 2009

Nikiforov A.S. – Clinical neurology, v.2, 2002

Proper breathing is the key to health

Physiologically correct breathing not only ensures the normal functioning of the lungs, but also, thanks to the respiratory movements of the diaphragm, as already mentioned, improves and facilitates the activity of the heart, activates blood circulation in the abdominal organs.

Meanwhile, many people breathe incorrectly - too often and superficially, sometimes they unconsciously hold their breath, disrupting its rhythm and reducing ventilation.

Thus, shallow breathing harms both healthy and even more sick people. It is not economical, since during inhalation the air remains in the lungs for a short time and this has a bad effect on the absorption of oxygen by the blood. At the same time, a significant part of the lung volume is filled with non-renewable air.

With shallow breathing, the volume of inhaled air does not exceed 300 ml, while under normal conditions it is on average, as already noted, 500 ml.

But, perhaps, a small volume of inhalation is compensated by an increased frequency of respiratory movements? Imagine two people who inhale the same amount of air for a minute, but one of them takes 10 breaths per minute, each with a volume of 600 ml of air, and the other - 20 breaths, with a volume of 300 ml. Thus, the minute volume of breathing for both is the same and equal to 6 liters. The volume of air contained in the airways, i.e. in the so-called dead space (trachea, bronchi) and not involved in the exchange with blood gases, is approximately 140 ml. Therefore, with an inhalation depth of 300 ml, 160 ml of air will reach the pulmonary alveoli, and in 20 breaths this will be 3.2 liters. If the volume of one breath is 600 ml, 460 ml of air will reach the alveoli, and within 1 minute - 4.6 liters. Thus, it is quite clear that infrequent, but deeper breathing is much more effective than shallow and frequent.

Shallow breathing can become habitual as a result of various reasons. One of them is a sedentary lifestyle, often due to the peculiarities of the profession (sitting at a desk, work that requires long standing in one place, etc.), the other is bad posture (the habit of sitting hunched over for a long time and bringing shoulders forward). This often leads, especially at a young age, to compression of the chest organs and insufficient ventilation of the lungs.

Quite common causes of shallow breathing are obesity, constant fullness of the stomach, enlarged liver, bloating of the intestines, which limit the movement of the diaphragm and reduce the volume of the chest during inspiration.

Shallow breathing can be one of the reasons for insufficient supply of oxygen to the body. This leads to a decrease in the natural non-specific resistance of the body. Respiratory failure may occur in connection with chronic diseases of the lungs and bronchi, as well as intercostal muscles, since patients are unable to produce normal respiratory movements for some time.

In the elderly and elderly, shallow breathing may be associated with a decrease in chest mobility due to ossification of the costal cartilage and weakening of the respiratory muscles. And despite the fact that they develop compensatory adaptations (these include increased breathing and some others) that maintain sufficient ventilation of the lungs, the oxygen tension in the blood decreases due to age-related changes in the lung tissue itself, a decrease in its elasticity, irreversible expansion of the alveoli. All this prevents the transfer of oxygen from the lungs to the blood and impairs the oxygen supply to the body.

Lack of oxygen in tissues and cells (hypoxia) in some cases may be the result of circulatory disorders and blood composition. The cause of tissue hypoxia can be a decrease in the number of functioning capillaries, slowing down and frequent stops of capillary blood flow, etc.

Observations in the clinic have established that in people suffering from cardiovascular diseases - mi (ischemic heart disease, hypertension, etc.), respiratory failure, accompanied by a decrease in the amount of oxygen in the blood, is combined with an increased content of cholesterol and protein-fat complexes (lipoproteins ). From this it was concluded that the lack of oxygen in the body plays a role in the development of atherosclerosis. This conclusion was confirmed in the experiment. It turned out that the amount of oxygen in the tissues and organs of patients with atherosclerosis was significantly below the norm.

The habit of breathing through the mouth is harmful to health. It entails restriction of respiratory movements of the chest, violation of the rhythm of breathing, insufficient ventilation of the lungs. Difficulty in nasal breathing associated with some pathological processes in the nose and nasopharynx, especially common in children, sometimes leads to serious mental and physical development. In children with adenoid growths in the nasopharynx, which impede nasal breathing, general weakness, pallor, reduced resistance to infections appear, and mental development is sometimes disturbed. With a prolonged absence of nasal breathing in children, underdevelopment of the chest and its muscles is observed.

Physiologically correct nasal breathing is an essential condition for maintaining health. In view of the importance of this issue, let us dwell on it in more detail.

In the nasal cavity, the regulation of humidity and temperature of the air entering the body is carried out. So, in cold weather, the temperature of the outside air in the nasal passages rises, at a high temperature of the external environment, depending on the degree of its humidity, more or less significant heat transfer occurs due to evaporation from the nasal mucosa and nasopharynx.

If the inhaled air is too dry, then, passing through the nose, it is moistened due to the release of fluid from the goblet cells of the mucous membrane and numerous glands.

In the nasal cavity, the air flow is freed from various impurities contained in the atmosphere. There are special points in the nose where dust particles and microbes are constantly “trapped”.

Quite large particles are retained in the nasal cavity - more than 50 microns in size. Smaller particles (from 30 to 50 microns) penetrate the trachea, even smaller particles (10-30 microns) reach large and medium bronchi, particles with a diameter of 3-10 microns enter the smallest bronchi (bronchioles), and finally, the smallest (1-3 microns) - reach the alveoli. Therefore, the finer the dust particles, the deeper they can penetrate the respiratory tract.

Dust that has entered the bronchi is retained by the mucus that covers their surface, and is brought out for about an hour. The mucus covering the surface of the nasal cavity and bronchi acts as a constantly renewing movable filter and is an important barrier that protects the body from exposure to microbes, dust and gases that enter the respiratory tract.

This barrier is especially important for residents of large cities, since the concentration of dust particles in urban air is very high. A large amount of carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide, sulfur oxides, as well as dust and ash (millions of tons per year) is released into the atmosphere of cities. An average of a thousand liters of air passes through the lungs during the day, and if the airways did not have the ability to self-cleanse, they would be completely clogged within a few days.

In the purification of the bronchi and lungs from foreign particles, in addition to tracheobronchial mucus, other mechanisms also take part. So, for example, the removal of particles is facilitated by the very movement of air during exhalation. This mechanism is especially intense during forced expiration and coughing.

Of great importance for the implementation of the antimicrobial barrier function of the nasopharynx and bronchi are substances secreted by the nasal mucosa, as well as specific antibodies in the nasal cavity. Therefore, in healthy people, pathogenic microorganisms, as a rule, do not penetrate into the trachea and bronchi. That small number of microbes that nevertheless gets there is quickly removed due to a kind of protective device - the ciliated epithelium lining the surface of the respiratory tract, starting from the nose and down to the smallest bronchioles.

On the free surface of epithelial cells, facing the lumen of the respiratory tract, there is a large number of constantly fluctuating (ciliated) hairs - cilia. All cilia on the epithelial cells of the respiratory tract are closely linked to each other. Their movements are coordinated and resemble a grain field disturbed by the wind. Despite their small size, ciliated hairs can move relatively large particles weighing 5-10 mg.

In case of violation of the integrity of the ciliated epithelium due to trauma or medicinal substances that have entered directly into the respiratory tract, foreign particles and bacteria are not removed in the damaged areas. In these places, the resistance of the mucous membrane to infection is sharply reduced, conditions for the disease are created. From the mucus secreted by goblet cells, plugs are formed that clog the lumen of the bronchi. This can lead to inflammatory processes in non-ventilated areas of the lungs.

Respiratory tract diseases often occur as a result of damage to the mucous membrane of foreign impurities in the inhaled air. Tobacco smoke has a particularly harmful effect on the bronchi and lungs. It contains many toxic substances, the most famous of which is nicotine. In addition, tobacco smoke has a harmful effect on the respiratory organs: it worsens the conditions for cleansing the respiratory tract from foreign particles and bacteria, as it delays the movement of mucus in the bronchi and trachea. So, in non-smokers, the speed of mucus movement is mm per 1 min, while in smokers it is less than 3 mm per 1 min. This disrupts the removal of foreign particles and microbes to the outside and creates conditions for infection of the respiratory tract.

Tobacco smoke has a very significant negative effect on alveolar macrophages. It inhibits their movement, capture and digestion of bacteria (i.e. inhibits phagocytosis). The toxicity of tobacco smoke is also expressed in direct damage to the structure of macrophages, changes in the properties of their secretion, which not only ceases to protect the lung tissue from harmful effects, but also itself begins to contribute to the development of pathological processes in the lungs. This explains the occurrence of emphysema and pneumosclerosis in long-term smokers. Intensive smoking significantly aggravates the course of acute respiratory diseases and contributes to their transition to chronic inflammatory processes.

In addition, tobacco smoke contains substances that promote the development of malignant tumors (carcinogens). Therefore, smokers develop cancerous tumors in the respiratory tract much more often than non-smokers.

Psychogenic respiratory disorders

The vast majority of questions from readers of our resource addressed to our specialists contain complaints of a feeling of shortness of breath, a lump in the throat, a feeling of lack of air, a feeling of stopping breathing, pain in the heart or chest, a feeling of tightness in the chest and associated feelings of fear and anxiety

In most cases, these symptoms are not associated with either lung disease or heart disease and are a manifestation of hyperventilation syndrome, a very common autonomic disorder that affects 10 to 15% of the adult population. Hyperventilation syndrome is one of the most common forms of vegetative dystonia (VSD).

Symptoms of hyperventilation syndrome are often interpreted as symptoms of asthma, bronchitis, respiratory infections, angina pectoris, goiter, etc., but in most cases (more than 95%) they are in no way associated with diseases of the lungs, heart, thyroid gland, etc.

Hyperventilation syndrome is closely related to Panic attacks and Anxiety disorders. In this article, we will try to explain what is the essence of hyperventilation syndrome, what are its causes, what are its symptoms and signs, and how is it diagnosed and treated.

How is respiration regulated and what is the importance of respiration in the human body?

The somatic system includes bones and muscles and ensures the movement of a person in space. The vegetative system is a life support system, it includes all the internal organs necessary to maintain human life (lungs, heart, stomach, intestines, liver, pancreas, kidneys, etc.).

Like the whole body nervous system A person can also be conditionally divided into two parts: vegetative and somatic. The somatic part of the nervous system is responsible for what we feel and what we can control: it provides coordination of movements, sensitivity and is the carrier of most of the human psyche. The vegetative part of the nervous system regulates hidden processes that are not subject to our consciousness (for example, it controls metabolism or the work of internal organs).

As a rule, a person can easily control the work of the somatic nervous system: we (can easily make the body move) and practically cannot control the functions of the autonomic nervous system (for example, most people cannot control the work of the heart, intestines, kidneys and other internal organs).

Breathing is the only vegetative function (life support function) subject to the will of man. Anyone can hold their breath for a while or, on the contrary, make it more frequent. The ability to control breathing comes from the fact that the respiratory function is under the simultaneous control of both the autonomic and somatic nervous systems. This feature of the respiratory system makes it extremely sensitive to the influence of the somatic nervous system and the psyche, as well as various factors (stress, fear, overwork) that affect the psyche.

The regulation of the breathing process is carried out at two levels: conscious and unconscious (automatic). The conscious breath control mechanism is activated during speech, or various kinds activities that require a special mode of breathing (for example, while playing wind instruments or blowing flowed). The unconscious (automatic) breathing control system works when a person's attention is not focused on breathing and is busy with something else, as well as during sleep. The presence of an automatic breathing control system gives a person the opportunity to switch to other activities at any time without the risk of suffocation.

As you know, during breathing, a person releases carbon dioxide from the body and absorbs oxygen. In the blood, carbon dioxide is in the form of carbonic acid, which makes the blood acidic. The acidity of the blood of a healthy person is maintained within very narrow limits due to automatic operation respiratory system (if there is a lot of carbon dioxide in the blood, a person breathes more often, if there is little, then less often). An incorrect breathing pattern (too fast, or vice versa, too shallow breathing), characteristic of hyperventilation syndrome, leads to a change in blood acidity. A change in the acidity of the blood against the background of improper breathing gives rise to a number of metabolic changes throughout the body, and it is these metabolic changes that underlie the appearance of some of the symptoms of hyperventilation syndrome, which will be discussed below.

Thus, breathing is the only possibility for a person to consciously influence the metabolism in the body. Due to the fact that the vast majority of people do not know what the effect of breathing on metabolism is and how to “breathe properly” in order for this effect to be favorable, various changes in breathing (including those with hyperventilation syndrome) only disrupt metabolism and harm body.

What is hyperventilation syndrome?

Hyperventilation syndrome (HVS) is a condition in which, under the influence of mental factors, the normal breathing control program is disrupted.

For the first time, respiratory disorders characteristic of hyperventilation syndrome were described in the middle of the 19th century in soldiers who participated in hostilities (at that time, HVS was called the "soldier's heart"). At the very beginning, a strong connection was noted between the appearance of hyperventilation syndrome with high level stress.

At the beginning of the 20th century, DHW was studied in more detail and this moment is considered one of the most common forms of vegetovascular dystonia (VSD, neurocirculatory dystonia). In patients with VVD, in addition to the symptoms of HVS, other symptoms characteristic of a disorder in the work of the autonomic nervous system can be observed.

What are the main reasons for the development of respiratory disorders in hyperventilation syndrome?

At the end of the twentieth century, it was proved that the main cause of all the symptoms of HVS (shortness of breath, a feeling of a coma in the throat, sore throat, annoying coughing, a feeling of inability to breathe, a feeling of chest tightness, pain in the chest and in the heart area, etc.) are psychological stress, anxiety, excitement and depression. As mentioned above, the function of breathing is under the influence of the somatic nervous system and the psyche and therefore reacts to any changes that occur in these systems (mainly stress and anxiety).

Another reason for the occurrence of HVS is the tendency of some people to imitate the symptoms of certain diseases (for example, cough, sore throat) and to unconsciously fix these symptoms in their behavior.

The development of HVS in adulthood can be facilitated by monitoring patients with dyspnea in childhood. This fact may seem unlikely to many, but numerous observations have proven the ability of a person’s memory (especially in the case of impressionable people or people with artistic inclinations) to firmly fix certain events (for example, perceptions of sick relatives or their own illness) and subsequently try to reproduce them in real life. life after many years.

In case of hyperventilation syndrome, disruption of the normal breathing program (change in the frequency and depth of breathing) leads to a change in blood acidity and the concentration of various minerals in the blood (calcium, magnesium), which in turn causes such symptoms of HVA as trembling, goosebumps, convulsions, pain in the heart area, a feeling of muscle stiffness, dizziness, etc.

Symptoms and signs of hyperventilation syndrome.

Different Types of Breathing Disorder

Panic attacks and respiratory symptoms

• strong heart beats
• sweating
• chills
• shortness of breath, choking (feeling short of breath)
• pain and discomfort in the left side of the chest
• nausea
• dizziness
• a feeling of unreality of the surrounding world or one's own self
• fear of going crazy
• fear of dying
• tingling or numbness in the legs or arms
• flushes of heat and cold.

Anxiety disorders and respiratory symptoms

Anxiety disorder is a condition, the main symptom of which is a feeling of intense internal anxiety. The feeling of anxiety in an anxiety disorder is usually unjustified and not associated with the presence of a real external threat. Severe internal restlessness in an anxiety disorder often accompanies shortness of breath and a feeling of shortness of breath.

• constant or intermittent feeling of shortness of breath
• a feeling of not being able to take a deep breath or that "air is not getting into the lungs"
• feeling of difficulty breathing or tightness in the chest
• annoying dry cough, frequent sighs, sniffling, yawning.

Emotional disorders in GVS:

• internal feeling of fear and tension
• a sense of imminent disaster
• fear of death
• fear of open or closed spaces, fear of large crowds of people
• depression

Muscular disorders in HVS:

• feeling of numbness or tingling in the fingers or feet
• spasms or cramps in the muscles of the legs and arms
• feeling of tightness in the arms or muscles around the mouth
• pain in the heart or chest

Principles of development of symptoms of HVS

Very often, this may be a hidden or not fully realized concern about the patient's state of health, a past illness (or illness of relatives or friends), conflict situations in the family or at work, which patients tend to hide or unconsciously reduce their significance.

Under the influence of a mental stress factor, the work of the respiratory center changes: breathing becomes more frequent, more superficial, more restless. A long-term change in the rhythm and quality of breathing leads to a change in the internal environment of the body and to the development of muscle symptoms of HVS. The appearance of muscle symptoms of HVS, as a rule, increases the stress and anxiety of patients and thus closes the vicious circle of the development of this disease.

Respiratory disorders with GVS

• Pain in the heart or chest, short-term increase in blood pressure
• Intermittent nausea, vomiting, intolerance to certain foods, episodes of constipation or diarrhea, abdominal pain, irritable bowel syndrome
• Feeling of unreality of the surrounding world, dizziness, feeling close to fainting
• Prolonged fever up to 5 C without other signs of infection.

Hyperventilation syndrome and lung diseases: asthma, chronic bronchitis

According to modern statistics, about 80% of patients with bronchial asthma also suffer from HVA. In this case, the starting point in the development of HVS is exactly asthma and the patient's fear of the symptoms of this disease. The appearance of HVA against the background of asthma is characterized by an increase in dyspnea attacks, a significant increase in the patient's need for medications, the appearance of atypical attacks (dyspnea attacks develop without contact with the allergen, at an unusual time), and a decrease in the effectiveness of treatment.

All patients with asthma should carefully monitor their external respiration during and in between attacks in order to be able to distinguish between an asthma attack and an HVA attack.

Modern methods of diagnostics and treatment of respiratory disorders in HVS

The minimum examination plan for suspected HVS includes:

The state of affairs in the diagnosis of HVS is often complicated by the patients themselves. Many of them, paradoxically, by no means want to accept that the symptoms they experience are not a sign of a serious illness (asthma, cancer, goiter, angina pectoris) and come from the stress of a breakdown in the breathing control program. In the assumption of experienced doctors that they are sick with HVS, such patients see a hint that they are "faking the disease." As a rule, such patients find some benefit in their morbid condition (liberation from certain duties, attention and care from relatives) and therefore it is so difficult to part with the idea of ​​a “serious illness”. Meanwhile, the attachment of the patient himself to the idea of ​​\u200b\u200ba "serious illness" is the most significant obstacle to effective treatment DHW.

Express DHW diagnostics

To confirm the diagnosis of HVS and treatment, you should contact a neurologist.

Treatment of hyperventilation syndrome

Changing the patient's attitude towards his disease

Respiratory gymnastics in the treatment of respiratory disorders in HVS

During severe attacks of shortness of breath or the appearance of a feeling of lack of air, breathing into a paper or plastic bag is recommended: the edges of the bag are tightly pressed against the nose, cheeks and chin, the patient inhales and exhales air into the bag for several minutes. Breathing into a bag increases the concentration of carbon dioxide in the blood and very quickly eliminates the symptoms of an attack of GVS.

For the prevention of HVS or in situations that can provoke symptoms of HVS, “belly breathing” is recommended - the patient tries to breathe, raising and lowering the stomach due to diaphragm movements, while exhalation should be at least 2 times longer than inhalation.

Breathing should be rare, no more than 8-10 breaths per minute. Breathing exercises should be carried out in a calm, peaceful atmosphere, against the backdrop of positive thoughts and emotions. The duration of the exercises gradually increase the dominut.

Psychotherapeutic treatment is extremely effective for GVS. During psychotherapy sessions, a psychotherapist helps patients to realize the inner cause of their illness and get rid of it.

In the treatment of HVS, drugs from the group of antidepressants (Amitriptyline, Paroxetine) and anxiolytics (Alprazolam, Clonazepam) are highly effective. Drug treatment of HVS is carried out under the supervision of a neurologist. The duration of treatment is from 2-3 months to a year.

Usually medicinal treatment GVS is highly effective and, in combination with breathing exercises and psychotherapy, guarantees the cure of patients with GVS in the vast majority of cases.

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Respiratory disorders

General information

Breathing is a set of physiological processes that provide oxygen to human tissues and organs. Also, in the process of breathing, oxygen is oxidized and excreted from the body in the process of metabolism of carbon dioxide and partially water. The respiratory system includes: nasal cavity, larynx, bronchi, lungs. Breathing consists of their stages:

• external respiration (provides gas exchange between the lungs and the external environment);
• gas exchange between alveolar air and venous blood;
• transport of gases through the blood;
• gas exchange between arterial blood and tissues;
• tissue respiration.

Violations in these processes can occur due to the disease. Serious breathing disorders can be caused by such diseases:

External signs of respiratory failure make it possible to roughly assess the severity of the patient's condition, determine the prognosis of the disease, as well as the localization of damage.

Causes and symptoms of respiratory failure

Breathing problems can be caused by a variety of factors. The first thing you should pay attention to is the frequency of breathing. Excessively rapid or slow breathing indicates problems in the system. Also important is the rhythm of breathing. Rhythm disturbances lead to the fact that the time intervals between inhalations and exhalations are different. Also, sometimes breathing can stop for a few seconds or minutes, and then it appears again. Lack of consciousness can also be associated with problems in the airways. Doctors are guided by the following indicators:

• Noisy breathing;
• apnea (stop breathing);
• violation of the rhythm / depth;
• Biot's breath;
• Cheyne-Stokes breathing;
• Kussmaul breathing;
• tychipnea.

Consider the above factors of respiratory failure in more detail. Noisy breathing is a disorder in which breath sounds can be heard from a distance. There are violations due to a decrease in airway patency. It can be caused by diseases, external factors, rhythm and depth disturbances. Noisy breathing occurs in the following cases:

• Damage to the upper respiratory tract (inspiratory dyspnea);
• swelling or inflammation in the upper airways (stiff breathing);
• bronchial asthma (wheezing, expiratory dyspnea).

When breathing stops, disturbances are caused by hyperventilation of the lungs during deep breathing. Sleep apnea causes a decrease in the level of carbon dioxide in the blood, upsetting the balance of carbon dioxide and oxygen. As a result, the airways narrow, the movement of air becomes difficult. AT severe cases observed:

• tachycardia;
• lowering blood pressure;
• loss of consciousness;
• fibrillation.

In critical cases, cardiac arrest is possible, since respiratory arrest is always fatal to the body. Doctors also pay attention when examining the depth and rhythm of breathing. These disorders can be caused by:

• metabolic products (slags, toxins);
• oxygen starvation;
• craniocerebral injuries;
• bleeding in the brain (stroke);
• viral infections.

Damage to the central nervous system causes Biot's respiration. Damage to the nervous system is associated with stress, poisoning, impaired cerebral circulation. May be caused by encephalomyelitis of viral origin (tuberculous meningitis). Biot's breathing is characterized by the alternation of long pauses in breathing and normal uniform respiratory movements without rhythm disturbance.

An excess of carbon dioxide in the blood and a decrease in the work of the respiratory center causes Cheyne-Stokes respiration. With this form of breathing, the respiratory movements gradually increase in frequency and deepen to a maximum, and then pass to more superficial breathing with a pause at the end of the "wave". Such "wave" breathing is repeated in cycles and can be caused by the following disorders:

• vasospasm;
• strokes;
• hemorrhage in the brain;
• diabetic coma;
• intoxication of the body;
• atherosclerosis;
• exacerbation of bronchial asthma (attacks of suffocation).

In children of primary school age, such disorders are more common and usually disappear with age. Also among the causes may be traumatic brain injury and heart failure.

The pathological form of breathing with rare rhythmic inhalations and exhalations is called Kussmaul breathing. Doctors diagnose this type of breathing in patients with impaired consciousness. Also, a similar symptom causes dehydration.

The type of shortness of breath tachypnea causes insufficient ventilation of the lungs and is characterized by an accelerated rhythm. It is observed in people with strong nervous tension and after hard physical work. Usually passes quickly, but may be one of the symptoms of the disease.

Treatment

Depending on the nature of the disorder, it makes sense to contact the appropriate specialist. Since breathing problems can be associated with many diseases, if you suspect asthma, contact an allergist. With intoxication of the body, a toxicologist will help.

A neurologist will help restore a normal breathing rhythm after shock conditions and severe stress. With past infections, it makes sense to contact an infectious disease specialist. For a general consultation with mild breathing problems, a traumatologist, endocrinologist, okncologist, and somnologist can help. In case of severe respiratory disorders, it is necessary to call an ambulance without delay.

Not enough air: causes of breathing difficulties - cardiogenic, pulmonary, psychogenic, others

Breathing is a natural physiological act that occurs constantly and which most of us do not pay attention to, because the body itself regulates the depth and frequency of respiratory movements depending on the situation. The feeling that there is not enough air, perhaps, is familiar to everyone. It can appear after a quick jog, climbing stairs to a high floor, with strong excitement, but a healthy body quickly copes with such shortness of breath, bringing breathing back to normal.

If short-term shortness of breath after exercise does not cause serious concern, quickly disappearing during rest, then a prolonged or sudden onset of a sharp difficulty in breathing can signal a serious pathology, often requiring immediate treatment. An acute lack of air when the airways are closed by a foreign body, pulmonary edema, an asthmatic attack can cost a life, so any respiratory disorder requires clarification of its cause and timely treatment.

In the process of breathing and providing tissues with oxygen, not only the respiratory system is involved, although its role, of course, is paramount. It is impossible to imagine breathing without the proper functioning of the muscular frame of the chest and diaphragm, the heart and blood vessels, and the brain. Breathing is influenced by the composition of the blood, hormonal status, activity of the nerve centers of the brain and many external causes - sports training, rich food, emotions.

The body successfully adjusts to fluctuations in the concentration of gases in the blood and tissues, increasing, if necessary, the frequency of respiratory movements. With a lack of oxygen or increased needs in it, breathing quickens. Acidosis, which accompanies a number of infectious diseases, fever, tumors, provokes an increase in breathing to remove excess carbon dioxide from the blood and normalize its composition. These mechanisms turn on themselves, without our will and efforts, but in some cases they become pathological.

Any respiratory disorder, even if its cause seems obvious and harmless, requires examination and a differentiated approach to treatment, therefore, if you feel that there is not enough air, it is better to immediately go to a general practitioner, cardiologist, neurologist, psychotherapist.

Causes and types of respiratory failure

When it is difficult for a person to breathe and there is not enough air, they speak of shortness of breath. This sign is considered an adaptive act in response to an existing pathology or reflects the natural physiological process of adaptation to changing external conditions. In some cases, it becomes difficult to breathe, but an unpleasant feeling of lack of air does not occur, since hypoxia is eliminated by an increased frequency of respiratory movements - in case of carbon monoxide poisoning, work in breathing apparatus, a sharp rise to a height.

Shortness of breath is inspiratory and expiratory. In the first case, there is not enough air when inhaling, in the second - when exhaling, but a mixed type is also possible, when it is difficult to both inhale and exhale.

Shortness of breath does not always accompany the disease, it is physiological, and this is quite natural state. The causes of physiological shortness of breath are:

• Physical exercise;
• Excitement, strong emotional experiences;
• Being in a stuffy, poorly ventilated room, in the highlands.

Physiological increase in breathing occurs reflexively and passes after a short time. People with poor physical condition who have a sedentary "office" job experience shortness of breath in response to physical effort more often than those who regularly visit the gym, pool or just do daily hiking. As general physical development improves, shortness of breath occurs less frequently.

Pathological shortness of breath can develop acutely or disturb constantly, even at rest, significantly aggravated by the slightest physical effort. A person suffocates when the airways are quickly closed by a foreign body, swelling of the tissues of the larynx, lungs and other serious conditions. When breathing in this case, the body does not receive the necessary even minimal amount of oxygen, and other severe disorders are added to shortness of breath.

Main pathological causes on which it is difficult to breathe are:

• Diseases of the respiratory system - pulmonary dyspnea;
• Pathology of the heart and blood vessels - cardiac dyspnea;
• Violations of the nervous regulation of the act of breathing - shortness of breath of the central type;
• Violation of the gas composition of the blood - hematogenous shortness of breath.

cardiac causes

Heart disease is one of the most common reasons why it becomes difficult to breathe. The patient complains that he does not have enough air and presses in the chest, notes the appearance of edema on the legs, cyanosis of the skin, fatigue, etc. Usually, patients whose breathing is disturbed against the background of changes in the heart have already been examined and are even taking appropriate drugs, but shortness of breath can not only persist, but in some cases is aggravated.

With a pathology of the heart, there is not enough air when inhaling, that is, inspiratory dyspnea. It accompanies heart failure, can persist even at rest in its severe stages, is aggravated at night when the patient lies.

The most common causes of cardiac dyspnea are:

1. Cardiac ischemia;
2. arrhythmias;
3. Cardiomyopathy and myocardial dystrophy;
4. Defects - congenital lead to shortness of breath in childhood and even the neonatal period;
5. Inflammatory processes in the myocardium, pericarditis;
6. Heart failure.

The occurrence of breathing difficulties in cardiac pathology is most often associated with the progression of heart failure, in which either there is no adequate cardiac output and tissues suffer from hypoxia, or congestion occurs in the lungs due to failure of the left ventricular myocardium (cardiac asthma).

In addition to shortness of breath, often combined with a dry painful cough, people with cardiac pathology have other characteristic complaints that somewhat facilitate diagnosis - pain in the heart area, “evening” edema, cyanosis of the skin, interruptions in the heart. It becomes more difficult to breathe in the supine position, so most patients even sleep half-sitting, thus reducing the flow of venous blood from the legs to the heart and the manifestations of shortness of breath.

symptoms of heart failure

With an attack of cardiac asthma, which can quickly turn into alveolar pulmonary edema, the patient literally suffocates - the respiratory rate exceeds 20 per minute, the face turns blue, the cervical veins swell, the sputum becomes foamy. Pulmonary edema requires emergency care.

Treatment of cardiac dyspnea depends on the underlying cause that caused it. An adult patient with heart failure is prescribed diuretics (furosemide, veroshpiron, diacarb), ACE inhibitors (lisinopril, enalapril, etc.), beta-blockers and antiarrhythmics, cardiac glycosides, oxygen therapy.

Children are shown diuretics (diacarb), and drugs of other groups are strictly dosed due to possible side effects and contraindications in childhood. Congenital malformations, in which the child begins to suffocate from the very first months of life, may require urgent surgical correction and even heart transplantation.

Pulmonary causes

Lung pathology is the second reason leading to difficulty in breathing, while both inhalation and exhalation are possible. Pulmonary pathology with respiratory failure is:

• Chronic obstructive diseases - asthma, bronchitis, pneumosclerosis, pneumoconiosis, pulmonary emphysema;
• Pneumo- and hydrothorax;
• tumors;
• Foreign bodies of the respiratory tract;
• Thromboembolism in the branches of the pulmonary arteries.

Chronic inflammatory and sclerotic changes in the lung parenchyma greatly contribute to respiratory failure. They are aggravated by smoking, poor environmental conditions, recurrent infections of the respiratory system. Shortness of breath is disturbing at first physical activity, gradually acquiring the character of a constant, as the disease passes into a more severe and irreversible stage of the course.

With pathology of the lungs, the gas composition of the blood is disturbed, there is a lack of oxygen, which, first of all, is not enough for the head and brain. Severe hypoxia provokes metabolic disorders in the nervous tissue and the development of encephalopathy.

Patients with bronchial asthma are well aware of how breathing is disturbed during an attack: it becomes very difficult to exhale, discomfort and even pain in the chest appear, arrhythmia is possible, sputum is difficult to cough up and is extremely scarce, the cervical veins swell. Patients with this shortness of breath sit with their hands on their knees - this position reduces venous return and stress on the heart, alleviating the condition. Most often it is difficult to breathe and there is not enough air for such patients at night or in the early morning hours.

In a severe asthma attack, the patient suffocates, the skin becomes bluish, panic and some disorientation are possible, and status asthmaticus may be accompanied by convulsions and loss of consciousness.

With respiratory disorders due to chronic pulmonary pathology, the appearance of the patient changes: the chest becomes barrel-shaped, the spaces between the ribs increase, the cervical veins are large and dilated, as well as the peripheral veins of the extremities. Expansion of the right half of the heart against the background of sclerotic processes in the lungs leads to its insufficiency, and shortness of breath becomes mixed and more severe, that is, not only the lungs cannot cope with breathing, but the heart cannot provide adequate blood flow, overfilling the venous part of the systemic circulation with blood.

There is not enough air also in case of pneumonia, pneumothorax, hemothorax. With inflammation of the lung parenchyma, it becomes not only difficult to breathe, the temperature also rises, on the face clear signs intoxication, and cough is accompanied by sputum production.

An extremely serious cause of sudden respiratory failure is the entry of a foreign body into the respiratory tract. It can be a piece of food or a small part of a toy that the baby accidentally inhales while playing. The victim with a foreign body begins to suffocate, turns blue, quickly loses consciousness, cardiac arrest is possible if help does not arrive in time.

Thromboembolism of the pulmonary vessels can also lead to sudden and rapidly increasing shortness of breath, cough. It occurs more often than a person suffering from pathology of the vessels of the legs, heart, destructive processes in the pancreas. With thromboembolism, the condition can be extremely severe with an increase in asphyxia, blue skin, rapid cessation of breathing and heartbeat.

In some cases, severe shortness of breath is caused by allergies and Quincke's edema, which are also accompanied by stenosis of the lumen of the larynx. The cause may be a food allergen, wasp sting, inhalation of plant pollen, medicinal product. In these cases, both the child and the adult require emergency medical care to stop the allergic reaction, and in case of asphyxia, a tracheostomy and mechanical ventilation may be required.

Treatment of pulmonary dyspnea should be differentiated. If the cause of everything is a foreign body, then it must be removed as soon as possible, with allergic edema, the child and adult are shown the introduction of antihistamines, glucocorticoid hormones, adrenaline. In case of asphyxia, a tracheo- or conicotomy is performed.

In bronchial asthma, treatment is multistage, including beta-agonists (salbutamol) in sprays, anticholinergics (ipratropium bromide), methylxanthines (eufillin), glucocorticosteroids (triamcinolone, prednisolone).

Acute and chronic inflammatory processes require antibacterial and detoxification therapy, and compression of the lungs with pneumo- or hydrothorax, impaired airway patency by a tumor is an indication for surgery (puncture of the pleural cavity, thoracotomy, removal of part of the lung, etc.).

Cerebral causes

In some cases, breathing difficulties are associated with brain damage, because the most important nerve centers that regulate the activity of the lungs, blood vessels, and heart are located there. Shortness of breath of this type is characteristic of structural damage to the brain tissue - trauma, neoplasm, stroke, edema, encephalitis, etc.

Respiratory function disorders in brain pathology are very diverse: it is possible both to slow down breathing and to increase it, the appearance of different types of pathological breathing. Many patients with severe brain pathology are on artificial lung ventilation, as they simply cannot breathe on their own.

The toxic effect of the waste products of microbes, fever leads to an increase in hypoxia and acidification of the internal environment of the body, which causes shortness of breath - the patient breathes often and noisily. Thus, the body seeks to quickly get rid of excess carbon dioxide and provide tissues with oxygen.

A relatively harmless cause of cerebral dyspnea can be considered functional disorders in the activity of the brain and peripheral nervous system - autonomic dysfunction, neurosis, hysteria. In these cases, shortness of breath is of a “nervous” nature, and in some cases this is noticeable to the naked eye, even to a non-specialist.

With vegetative dystonia, neurotic disorders and banal hysteria, the patient seems to lack air, he makes frequent respiratory movements, while he can scream, cry and behave extremely defiantly. A person during a crisis may even complain that he is suffocating, but there are no physical signs of asphyxia - he does not turn blue, and the internal organs continue to work correctly.

Respiratory disorders in neurosis and other disorders of the psyche and emotional sphere are safely removed sedatives, but often doctors encounter patients in whom such nervous shortness of breath becomes permanent, the patient concentrates on this symptom, often sighs and breathes rapidly during stress or emotional outburst.

Treatment of cerebral dyspnea is carried out by resuscitators, therapists, psychiatrists. In severe brain damage with the impossibility of independent breathing, the patient is being artificially ventilated. In the case of a tumor, it must be removed, and neuroses and hysterical forms of difficulty in breathing must be stopped with sedatives, tranquilizers and neuroleptics in severe cases.

Hematogenous causes

Hematogenous shortness of breath occurs when the chemical composition of the blood is disturbed, when the concentration of carbon dioxide increases in it and acidosis develops due to the circulation of acidic metabolic products. Such a respiratory disorder manifests itself in anemia of various origins, malignant tumors, severe renal failure, diabetic coma, and severe intoxication.

With hematogenous shortness of breath, the patient complains that he often lacks air, but the process of inhalation and exhalation is not disturbed, the lungs and heart do not have obvious organic changes. A detailed examination shows that the cause of frequent breathing, in which the feeling that there is not enough air, is shifts in the electrolyte and gas composition of the blood.

Treatment of anemia involves the appointment of iron preparations, vitamins, rational nutrition, blood transfusion, depending on the cause. In case of renal, hepatic insufficiency, detoxification therapy, hemodialysis, infusion therapy are carried out.

Other causes of difficulty breathing

Many are familiar with the feeling when, for no apparent reason, one cannot breathe without a sharp pain in the chest or back. Most are immediately frightened, thinking about a heart attack and clutching at validol, but the reason may be different - osteochondrosis, herniated disc, intercostal neuralgia.

With intercostal neuralgia, the patient feels severe pain in half of the chest, aggravated by movement and inhalation, especially impressionable patients can panic, breathe quickly and shallowly. With osteochondrosis, it is difficult to inhale, and constant pain in the spine can provoke chronic shortness of breath, which can be difficult to distinguish from shortness of breath in pulmonary or cardiac pathologies.

Treatment of breathing difficulties in diseases of the musculoskeletal system includes exercise therapy, physiotherapy, massage, drug support in the form of anti-inflammatory drugs, analgesics.

Many expectant mothers complain that as the pregnancy progresses, it becomes more difficult for them to breathe. This symptom may well fit into the norm, because the growing uterus and fetus raise the diaphragm and reduce the expansion of the lungs, hormonal changes and the formation of the placenta contribute to an increase in the number of respiratory movements to provide the tissues of both organisms with oxygen.

However, during pregnancy, breathing should be carefully assessed so as not to miss a serious pathology behind its seemingly natural increase, which can be anemia, thromboembolic syndrome, progression of heart failure with a defect in a woman, etc.

One of the most dangerous reasons why a woman can begin to choke during pregnancy is pulmonary embolism. This condition is a threat to life, accompanied by a sharp increase in breathing, which becomes noisy and ineffective. Possible asphyxia and death without emergency care.

Thus, having considered only the most common causes of shortness of breath, it becomes clear that this symptom can indicate dysfunction of almost all organs or systems of the body, and in some cases it is difficult to isolate the main pathogenic factor. Patients who find it difficult to breathe need a thorough examination, and if the patient is suffocating, urgent qualified help is needed.

Any case of shortness of breath requires a trip to the doctor to find out its cause, self-medication in this case is unacceptable and can lead to very serious consequences. This is especially true of respiratory disorders in children, pregnant women and sudden attacks of shortness of breath in people of any age.

If you are asked the question: how to breathe correctly? - you will almost certainly answer - deeply. And you will be fundamentally wrong, says Konstantin Pavlovich Buteyko.

It is deep breathing that is the cause of a large number of diseases and early death among people. The healer proved this with the assistance of the Siberian Branch of the USSR Academy of Sciences.

What is deep breathing? It turns out that the most common breathing is when we can see the movement of the chest or abdomen.

"Can't be! you exclaim. “Are all people on Earth breathing wrong?” As proof, Konstantin Pavlovich proposes to conduct the following experiment: take thirty deep breaths in thirty seconds - and you will feel weakness, sudden drowsiness, slight dizziness.

It turns out that the destructive effect of deep breathing was discovered back in 1871 by the Dutch scientist De Costa, the disease was called "hyperventilation syndrome".

In 1909, the physiologist D. Henderson, conducting experiments on animals, proved that deep breathing is disastrous for all organisms. The cause of death of experimental animals was a lack of carbon dioxide, in which excess oxygen becomes poisonous.

K. P. Buteyko believes that by mastering his technique, one can defeat the 150 most common diseases of the nervous system, lungs, blood vessels, gastrointestinal tract, and metabolism, which, in his opinion, are directly caused by deep breathing.

"We have established common law: the deeper the breath, the more severely the person is ill and the faster death occurs. The shallower the breath, the more healthy, hardy and durable a person is. This is where carbon dioxide matters. She does everything. The more it is in the body, the healthier the person is.

The evidence for this theory is the following:

During intrauterine development of a child, his blood contains 3-4 times less oxygen than after birth;

Cells of the brain, heart, kidneys need an average of 7% carbon dioxide and 2% oxygen, while the air contains 230 times less carbon dioxide and 10 times more oxygen;

When newborn children were placed in an oxygen chamber, they began to go blind;

Experiments carried out on rats have shown that if placed in an oxygen chamber, they go blind from sclerosis of the fiber;

Mice placed in an oxygen chamber die after 10–12 days;

A large number of centenarians in the mountains is explained by a lower percentage of oxygen in the air; thanks to rarefied air, the climate in the mountains is considered curative.

Given the above, K. P. Buteyko believes that deep breathing is especially harmful for newborns, so the traditional tight swaddling of children is the key to their health. Perhaps a sharp decrease in immunity and a sharp increase in the incidence of young children are due to the fact that modern medicine recommends immediately providing the child with maximum freedom of movement, which means ensuring destructive deep breathing.

Deep and frequent breathing leads to a decrease in the amount of carbon dioxide in the lungs, and hence in the body, which causes alkalization of the internal environment. As a result, metabolism is disturbed, which leads to many diseases:

Allergic reactions;

colds;

salt deposits;

The development of tumors;

Nervous diseases (epilepsy, insomnia, migraines, a sharp decrease in mental and physical capacity for work, memory impairment);

Expansion of veins;

Obesity, metabolic disorders;

Violations in the sexual sphere;

Complications during childbirth;

Inflammatory processes;

Viral diseases.

Symptoms of deep breathing according to K. P. Buteyko are “dizziness, weakness, headache, tinnitus, nervous trembling, fainting. This shows that deep breathing is a terrible poison.” In his lectures, the healer demonstrated how attacks of certain diseases can be caused and eliminated through breathing. The main provisions of the theory of K. P. Buteyko are as follows:

1. The human body is protected from deep breathing. The first protective reaction is spasms of smooth muscles (bronchuses, blood vessels, intestines, urinary tract), they manifest themselves in asthmatic attacks, hypertension, constipation. As a result of asthma treatment, for example, there is an expansion of the bronchi and a decrease in the level of carbon dioxide in the blood, which leads to shock, collapse, death. The next protective reaction is the sclerosis of blood vessels and bronchi, that is, the sealing of the walls of blood vessels in order to avoid the loss of carbon dioxide. Cholesterol, covering the membranes of cells, blood vessels, nerves, protects the body from the loss of carbon dioxide during deep breathing. Sputum secreted from mucous membranes is also defensive reaction to the loss of carbon dioxide.

2. The body is able to build proteins from simple elements by attaching its own carbon dioxide and absorbing it. At the same time, a person has an aversion to proteins and natural vegetarianism appears.

3. Spasms and sclerosis of blood vessels and bronchi lead to the fact that less oxygen enters the body. This means that with deep breathing, oxygen starvation and a lack of carbon dioxide are observed.

4. It is the increased content of carbon dioxide in the blood that can cure most of the most common diseases. And this can be achieved through proper shallow breathing.

Adequate for an adult, the respiratory rate, provided that it is determined at rest, is from 8 to 16 breaths per minute. It is normal for an infant to take up to 44 breaths per minute.

The reasons

Frequent shallow breathing occurs due to the following reasons:

Symptoms of respiratory disorders

Forms of respiratory disorders that are manifested by shallow breathing

• Cheyne-Stokes breathing.
• Hyperventilation is neurogenic.
• Tachypnea.
• Biota breath.

Central hyperventilation

Represents breathing deep (superficial) and frequent (BH reaches 25-60 movements per minute). Often accompanies damage to the midbrain (located between the hemispheres of the brain and its trunk).

Cheyne-Stokes breathing

A pathological form of breathing, characterized by a deepening and increased frequency of respiratory movements, and then their transition to more superficial and rare ones, and at the end, the appearance of a pause, after which the cycle repeats again.

Such changes in breathing occur due to an excess of carbon dioxide in the blood, which disrupts the work of the respiratory center. In young children, such a change in breathing is observed quite often and disappears with age.

In adult patients, Cheyne-Stokes shallow breathing develops due to:

Tachypnea

Refers to one of the types of shortness of breath. Breathing in this case is superficial, but its rhythm is not changed. Due to the superficiality of respiratory movements, insufficient ventilation of the lungs develops, sometimes dragging on for several days. Most often, such shallow breathing occurs in healthy patients during heavy physical exertion or nervous strain. It disappears without a trace when the above factors are eliminated and is converted into a normal rhythm. Occasionally develops against the background of some pathologies.

Biota breath

Synonym: atactic breathing. This disorder is characterized by irregular respiratory movements. At the same time, deep breaths turn into shallow breathing, interspersed with a complete absence of respiratory movements. Atactic breathing accompanies damage to the posterior part of the brainstem.

Diagnostics

If the patient has any changes in the frequency / depth of breathing, you will need to urgently consult a doctor, especially if such changes are combined with:

• hyperthermia (high temperature);
• pulling or other pains in the chest when inhaling / exhaling;
• difficult breathing;
• first-time tachypnea;
• grayish or bluish tint of the skin, lips, nails, periorbital area, gums.

To diagnose pathologies that cause shallow breathing, the doctor conducts a series of studies:

1. Collection of anamnesis and complaints:

• the duration and features of the onset of the symptom (for example, weak shallow breathing);
• preceding the occurrence of violations of any significant event: poisoning, injury;
• the rate of manifestation of respiratory disorders in case of loss of consciousness.

2. Inspection:

3. Blood test (general and biochemistry), in particular, determination of the level of creatinine and urea, as well as oxygen saturation.

11. Scanning the lungs for changes in ventilation and perfusion of the organ.

Treatment

The primary task of treating shallow breathing is to eliminate the main cause that caused the appearance of this condition:

Complications

Shallow breathing in itself does not cause any serious complications, but it can lead to hypoxia (oxygen starvation) due to changes in the respiratory rhythm. That is, superficial respiratory movements are unproductive, since they do not provide the proper supply of oxygen to the body.

Shallow breathing in a child

The normal breathing rate is different for children of different ages. So, newborns take up to 50 breaths per minute, children up to a year - 25-40, up to 3 years - 25 (up to 30), 4-6 years - up to 25 breaths under normal conditions.

If a child of 1-3 years old performs more than 35 respiratory movements, and 4-6 years old - more than 30 per minute, then such breathing can be regarded as superficial and frequent. At the same time, an insufficient amount of air penetrates into the lungs and its bulk is retained in the bronchi and trachea, which do not take part in gas exchange. For normal ventilation, such respiratory movements are clearly not enough.

As a result of this condition, children often suffer from acute respiratory viral infections and acute respiratory infections. In addition, shallow frequent breathing leads to the development of bronchial asthma or asthmatic bronchitis. Therefore, parents should definitely contact the doctor to find out the reason for the change in the frequency / depth of breathing in the baby.

In addition to diseases, such changes in breathing can be the result of hypodynamia, overweight, stooping habits, increased gas formation, posture disorders, lack of walking, hardening and sports.

In addition, shallow rapid breathing in children can develop due to prematurity (lack of surfactant), hyperthermia ( high temperature) or stressful situations.

Rapid shallow breathing most often develops in children with the following pathologies:

• bronchial asthma;
• pneumonia;
• allergies;
• pleurisy;
• rhinitis;
• laryngitis;
• tuberculosis;
• chronic bronchitis;
• pathologies of the heart.

Therapy for shallow breathing, as in adult patients, is aimed at eliminating the causes that caused it. In any case, the baby must be shown to the doctor in order to make the correct diagnosis and prescribe adequate treatment.

You may need to consult the following experts:

• pediatrician;
• pulmonologist;
• psychiatrist;
• allergist;
• pediatric cardiologist.

Awakening the energy of life. Releasing Trapped Qi by Francis Bruce

shallow breathing

shallow breathing

Doctors report that up to ninety percent of Americans do not fully use their diaphragm when breathing. They breathe shallowly and use only part of their lungs, even when they think they are breathing deeply. Not using the rest of the lungs is like depriving the body of one of its most important rejuvenating mechanisms. Holding your breath is especially common when people are angry or afraid, tense, or highly focused; often this leads to the fact that the nervous system reacts to pressure with stress, which has a psychological basis. When you contract, your qi cannot move freely and gets stuck somewhere in the body, often in the shoulders, stomach, or jaws. Moreover, as people take shallower and shallower breaths or hold their breath, their bodies become more and more inert. It becomes difficult to get rid of stress, and tension settles in the body and cells. Over time, more and more energy is required to maintain the same level of concentration or physical activity. Imagine what happens to your body as you age.

At one of my seminars on stress reduction, I asked employees to type lecture notes on laptops, simultaneously continue to breathe consciously. After a few minutes, most of the participants' breathing became more shallow. Many stopped breathing from time to time for a few seconds. A lucky few could breathe continuously for ten seconds. Employees, many of whom are highly productive and extremely intelligent people, were surprised to find that it was so difficult for them to maintain a steady flow of breath when working at a computer.

Breathing exercises. Simple full breath. Alternate breathing. Gymnastic exercises. Logically, it seems more consistent to start physical training with exercises that work with blood circulation, because, as we have noted before, it

THE BREATH The Great Breath that occultism speaks of is the Breath of God. As this Breath spread, it brought chaos into order and form. In other words, it laid the foundation of the manifested Universe. The Great Breath also created the seven hierarchical planes with their