| Many of the most serious illnesses brought to the | | | | Breathing exercises have even wider medical |
| attention of healthcare professionals involve the | | | | applications than those mentioned above. Even |
| respiratory system. One of these is emphysema, | | | | people who have had most kinds of serious surgery |
| which is all the more grave because the damage is | | | | or will be lying in bed for a long time for some reason |
| irreversible. Furthermore, the disease is progressive. | | | | will be needing some kind of breathing exercises. |
| The best thing to do is to use a combination of | | | | Lungs have a hard time expanding when you lie |
| methods, including breathing exercises, in order to | | | | down for a long time. True, oxygen deprivation might |
| slow down the gradual degradation of lung functions. | | | | not be so bad, as you are not in an overly enclosed |
| Breathing exercises may not be effective on their | | | | space or somehow being asphyxiated. However, a |
| own, but they may lessen the need for more | | | | little oxygen deprivation (and carbon dioxide build-up) |
| aggressive methods, thus enabling the patient to live | | | | over a long period of time can have very bad results, |
| a more normal lifestyle. | | | | especially if the person in question is already weak or |
| Then again, not all respiratory ailments will benefit | | | | sick. |
| from breathing exercise. One of these is tuberculosis. | | | | One can also blur the line between respiratory |
| During certain phases of the disease, complete rest is | | | | therapy and breathing exercises whose benefits are |
| by far the better course. Still, if the patient is well | | | | more emotional and psychological than physical. The |
| enough and recovering, breathing exercises might aid | | | | aforementioned breathing exercises after a stroke |
| the lungs and body in recovering their full functionality | | | | calm a person down (emotional effect) but there is |
| and endurance. | | | | also an indirect physical effect, which is reduced |
| Respiratory therapy is not just for people with | | | | stress and therefore lower blood pressure. In |
| disorders of the lungs and airways. It is also for | | | | addition, deep breathing can keep a patient more |
| people who have had strokes, especially ones | | | | focused during the critical stages of physical therapy, |
| affecting areas of the brain that control breathing. | | | | or distract from pain, especially in situations where |
| Breathing exercises can also improve circulation and | | | | painkillers will have detrimental side effects. |
| reduce stress, thus lessening the likelihood of a later, | | | | Given the versatility of breathing exercises, it makes |
| most likely more severe, stroke. They can also aid in | | | | sense for medical professionals to all have at least |
| speech therapy, as talking is often impaired after a | | | | some basic knowledge of how they can be used. Of |
| stroke. Speech disorders brought on by strokes can | | | | course, it makes sense to have some staff who |
| range from a slight indistinctness to the very severe | | | | specialize in breathing exercises, but the basics have |
| and very uncommon ailment known as dysprosody. | | | | a place in the core knowledge shared by nurses, |
| In dysprosody, many aspects of a person's speaking | | | | doctors, paramedics and other health care |
| are affected, such as intensity, timing and duration of | | | | professionals. |
| syllables. | | | | |