"What is Pursed Lip Breathing (PLB)?

PLB is the first line of defense used by most COPD-ers when trying to recover from shortness of breath. It involves breathing in through the nose and exhaling with the lips pursed as if you were going to whistle. How hard do you blow out? I find that blowing out with the same force that you would use to cool hot soup on a spoon to be the perfect force. Blow hard enough to cool it, but not hard enough to blow it off the spoon."

How does PLB help?

When we PLB properly we create a ‘back pressure' on the inside walls of the airways...and this back pressure actually holds the airways open.

"When we huff and puff, we tend to breathe out too hard and this collapses the airways and makes it harder to breathe. Also when we huff and puff we don't expel enough air and we build up CO2 in our lungs as well as trapping air. This CO2 build-up triggers our body to breathe harder to expel it."

Disclaimer: The information is not to be substituted for medical advice. Always consult with your doctor before starting any new exercise or technique. These breathing techniques should be demonstrated and taught by a pulmonary health care professional, and when beginning, should be practiced for a just a few minutes at a time, a few times a day. This is for your information only. Feel free to bring this information to your doctor and ask him or her if working with these breathing retraining techniques would be appropriate for you.

Here is a start on learning Pursed Lips Breathing

Relax Your Shoulders

Begin by relaxing your shoulders, and while still sitting up straight, letting them fall as low as you can. For people with chronic lung disease, it is very common to have a lot of upper body tension. You will not be able to do this breathing retraining effectively if your shoulders are up high and tense.

Pursed-lips Breathing

1. Inhale slowly through your nose.

2. Purse your lips, or pucker them gently, as if you were going to whistle.

3. Breathe out slowly while keeping your lips pursed.

4. Take twice as long to breathe out as you do to breathe in. For example, if you breathe in for a count of two seconds, breathe out for four seconds.

5. Never force your air out. Just let it flow out through your pursed lips.

Pursed-lips breathing will help you:

• Slow down your breathing
• Get rid of more of the stale, trapped air, and carbon dioxide (CO2).
• Be in control of your breathing, instead of your breathing controlling you!

And here are some last reminders for today -

• Don't ever, ever hold your breath unless you are performing a lung function test and the technician is instructing you to do so.
• Keep your shoulders down and as relaxed as possible.
• When you exhale, think about all the bad stale air leaving your lungs to make room for good fresh air filled with oxygen.
• Practice this when you are sitting still and relaxed, and then be sure to use this technique whenever you exert. If you practice it, it will come naturally after a while.

If done properly, using the right breathing techniques really will make a positive difference in helping you control your breathing and move more air without working so hard. Happy Breathing, my friends, and don't forget to "pucker up!"