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How do you properly breathe?  Can my lungs affect my posture? How can breathing exercises help to alleviate back and shoulder pain? Can my chiropractor teach me the breathing exercises and adjustments that will help with my back and shoulder pain?  These are the questions that will be addressed in Chiropractor West Palm Beach: How does proper breathing help your posture and back and shoulder pain?

 

Chiropractor West Palm Beach: Paradoxical Breathing

Chronic overload of the anterior (front) and lateral (side) neck muscles (e.g. scalenes) can occur with paradoxical breathing. Paradoxical breathing occurs when the chest wall or the abdominal wall moves in when taking a breath and moves out when exhaling. This is the opposite of normal breathing movement.

Paradoxical respiration is a common source of abuse and overload of the neck muscles.  For instance, this is often seen following abdominal surgery or by people protruding the abdomen for cosmetic purposes.  Furthermore, if you are practicing paradoxical breathing you will be “always out of breath,” or feel like you are “running out of breath” when talking.

 

Chiropractor West Palm Beach:Proper Breathing/ Respiration

Proper breathing should be practiced by those used to paradoxical breathing. In normal contraction of the diaphragm muscle ( located below the lungs, is the major muscle of respiration), it pushes the abdominal contents down toward the pelvis. Next, this will cause protusion of your abdomen.  Therefore, this will increase the volume of your lungs during inhalation.  This is especially true in the lower chest.  Additionally, normal resting inhalation should cause the contraction of the diaphragm with expansion of the lower thorax.  And the elevation of the rib cage.  In the end, this results in increased of lung air volume.

In contrast, in paradoxical respiration, the chest and abdominal functions oppose each other.  So paradoxical respiration effort produces less than necessary air in your lungs.  And the muscles of the neck and upper chest (e.g scalenes, sternocleidomastoid, intercostal muscles of ribs) overwork to get sufficient air.

 

Chiropractor West Palm Beach: Learning to Breath Normally

Firstly, if you breathe paradoxically, you must learn to synchronize diaphragmatic (abdominal) and chest breathing. Poor inhalation results in the abdomen moving in while the chest moves out.

Secondly, you can learn to identify the poor pattern by placing one hand on the abdomen and one hand on the chest while taking a deep breath. So to practice normal diaphragmatic breathing, exhale fully with one hand on the chest and the other on the abdomen. When respiration is coordinated, the chest and abdomen move in and out together.

Thirdly, you should note the proximity of the hands during exhalation and during inhalation. The hands should move up and down together. You should practice this throughout the day.  Similarly, taking a count of 3 in and 3 out, then a pause and repeat may help.

Fourthly, you can practice this while sitting and/or supine (lying down face up).

 

Dr. Natalie Meiri adjusts a patient
Dr. Natalie Meiri adjusts a patient
Chiropractor West Palm Beach: How Does Proper Breathing Help Your Posture and Back and Shoulder Pain?

Movement of the chest wall during breathing is a process that requires coordination of the muscles, spine, sternum and ribs.  The objective of chiropractic spinal manipulative therapy to enhance breathing is to increase the motion of the thoracic cage (mid back), mobilize the ribs, and to affect nervous system activity.  Researchers have found certain breathing techniques have been proven to enhance the functioning of the heart and lungs, improve mental wellness, decrease stress, increase energy and concentration, and promote better sleep.  Not breathing properly, particularly paradoxical and/or shallow breathing, can significantly affect posture by creating tension in your upper body.

Incorrect neck posture causes elevated, rounded shoulders.  And not being able to move your shoulders smoothly will eventually cause pain and dysfunction in your shoulders as well. Finally, all of this leads to the posture in your thoracic spine (mid back) becoming a hyperkyphosis (hunchback). 

Meiri Chiropractic offers spinal manipulation to the lower cervical spine (neck), upper thoracic spine (mid back), and costovertebral joints (ribs) for posture/breathing problems. Furthermore, trigger-point therapy and post-isometric relaxation techniques (soft tissue technique) utilized for the hypertonic/spasmed musculature have been beneficial for our patients. We also offer constitutional homeopathic treatment in conjunction with chiropractic.

Meiri Chiropractic, a Chiropractor in West Palm Beach can help posture/breathing problems for you and your family. Contact Meiri Chiropractic at 561-253-8984 for the best care in West Palm Beach, Jupiter, Palm Beach Gardens, and North Palm Beach and surrounding areas today.