Breathing Pattern Disorders

Breathing ineffectively can cause a range of symptoms from breathlessness and chest pain to palpitations, reflux and anxiety, a feeling of not getting enough air, dizziness, panic, pins and needles, jaw pain and back pain.

Because these symptoms are similar to other diagnoses, breathing dysfunction is often missed or left as the last option.  1 in 10 of the population has a breathing pattern disorder. The causes are varied and it can present differently for everyone.

The symptoms are due to changes in the balance of our carbon dioxide levels, adrenaline and cortisol, and muscle memory and joint changes.

The brains reaction is to make you breathe more BUT the opposite is true and you actually need to breathe less. The more you breathe to satisfy what your brain is telling you, the worse you feel.

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There are a lot of different breathing exercises and self proclaimed gurus out there.  It is important to remember that it is how you breathe at baseline that has the biggest impact on our health and wellbeing.  Breathing is meant to be adaptable, but if it changes (even for a specific 'exercise') and doesn't return to a normal state, problems will occur.