Treatment of bronchitis should be comprehensive. Any pulmonologist will tell you this. Therefore, underestimating breathing exercises with bronchitis , recommended by a doctor, will be extremely undesirable and shortsighted. Special breathing exercises enhance the effect of drug treatment, contributes to the speedy recovery and recovery of the body. Moreover, doing regular exercises for the respiratory system can prevent the development of severe illnesses such as bronchial asthma and chronic bronchiectasis. 

Basic Rules

The first rule is not to make any independent decisions about treatment! Auxiliary therapy for bronchitis, in this case a respiratory gymnast, is allowed only on the recommendation of a doctor and it is necessary to start classes only after consulting a specialist.

Breathing exercises for bronchitis can be performed only if the general condition of the patient is satisfactory, there is no fever, life-threatening conditions are not observed. The attending physician prescribes the patient respiratory rehabilitation gymnastics according to an individual program after carrying out certain studies – spirography and spirometry. Sometimes it becomes necessary to make an additional analysis to study its gas composition. In chronic bronchitis, such a study must be performed. 

The timely appointment of respiratory gymnastics in chronic bronchitis normalizes the drainage function of the bronchi, helps to eliminate accumulated sputum, and stops the further progression of the disease. Special exercises for patients with bronchitis reduce the risk of developing atrophy of the mucosa and contribute to its speedy recovery.

If the disease is acute, classes should begin 2-3 days after the end of the main antibiotic therapy.

A complex of breathing exercises for bronchitis

Exercise 1. Exhale with resistance. Fill any container (jug, jar, plastic bottle) with water and place a cocktail tube in it. Take a very deep breath, over the entire volume of the lungs, and slowly exhale air through the tube. Perform this simple breathing exercise with bronchitis you need five times a day, for 15 minutes in one approach.  

Exercise 2. Training diaphragmatic breathing. Starting position – lying on your back. Get ready, exhale as slowly as possible. Pull in and tighten your stomach. Take a diaphragmatic breath, sticking out your stomach. When the abdominal muscles contract, cough.

Exercise 3. Another option for diaphragmatic breathing. Lie on your back. As far as possible, pull your knees to your chest. Grasp your lower legs with your hands. Take a full exhale with effort, then take a deep diaphragmatic breath and lower your knees. After completing the exercise, cough.

Exercise 4. Hug yourself. Stand up straight, put your feet shoulder width apart. “Hug” yourself at a fast pace, while trying to touch the shoulder blades with both hands. Take deep, strong breaths while doing the movements.

Exercise 5. “Cutting firewood.” Get on your toes, slightly bend your back. Cross your fingers and raise both hands up, slightly moving them back. At the expense of “times” we lower ourselves to the feet, bend sharply and make a loud exhale. At the expense of “two” we return to the previous position.

Exercise 6. “Mill.” Stand up straight. Spread your arms to the sides and stand on your toes. Then quickly lower yourself to your feet and lean forward, slightly rounding your back. At the same time, “hug” yourself with a sharp movement of your hands, clapping your hands on the shoulder blades. Exhale as much as possible. Spread your arms to the sides and cross them three more times in front of the chest, each time reaching the shoulder blades. Inhale the diaphragm and slowly return to its original position.

As you can see, there is nothing complicated in medical respiratory gymnastics. But the benefits of such activities are huge!