If you or a loved one have been diagnosed with pneumonia, the first priority is to recover from the infection and monitor your symptoms. It can take two weeks or more to recover, and you may experience fatigue, a lingering cough and difficulty breathing. There are breathing exercises for pneumonia that could help ease your symptoms and improve your breathing.
When the lungs become inflamed or filled with fluid it can be hard to breathe. Regular breathing exercises can help you combat complications associated with pneumonia and other conditions and can improve lung function while recovering.
“Increasing the strength of the diaphragm will decrease the amount of work the less-efficient muscles at the top of the lungs have to do,” said Erika Endsley, an occupational therapist at The Rehabilitation Institute of Ohio, a joint venture of Premier Health and Encompass Health. “It also improves activity tolerance to be able to do more throughout the day without losing breath control or being overly fatigued.”
What is Pneumonia?
Pneumonia is an infection of the lungs caused by bacteria, viruses or fungi. It can develop from an untreated respiratory virus or illness (sinusitis or bronchitis) that spreads to the lower respiratory tract causing the lungs to become inflamed.
The infection can vary from mild to severe depending on your risk factors. Older adults are at a higher risk of contracting serious cases of the condition. According to the CDC, pneumonia is the leading cause of death and hospitalizations in adults 65 and older.
Common Symptoms of Pneumonia
Pneumonia can come with a variety of symptoms, which include:
- Congestion and chest pain
- Difficulty breathing
- Fever associated with chills and night sweats
- Severe or mild cough
- Confusion
- Fatigue
- Loss of appetite
“It is always important to self-monitor your symptoms. If deep breathing becomes more difficult and/or cough becomes worse, make an appointment with your healthcare provider,” Endsley said.
Types of Pneumonia
Each type of infection requires a different treatment. Your physician will determine the severity of the infection by performing a physical exam, X-ray and listening for abnormal breathing. The CDC classifies pneumonia into three types:
- Hospital-acquired pneumonia. This is when an individual develops pneumonia during or after an unrelated hospital stay.
- Community-acquired pneumonia. This is acquired outside the hospital setting during a person’s typical routine. It could be bacterial, viral or walking pneumonia that can be transferred through air-borne pathogens.
- Ventilator-associated pneumonia. Many develop pneumonia after being on a ventilator.
Breathing Exercises for Pneumonia
Once you receive treatment from your physician, it is important to take medication as prescribed to decrease chances of hospitalization. After your condition stabilizes, breathing exercises could help improve lung strength and reduce the stress and anxiety that often comes when you experience difficulty breathing. Some examples include:
Pursed-lip breathing
Inhale through the nose; exhale through slightly open lips. Endsley advises thinking about it as “smelling the roses” as you inhale and “blow out the candles” as you exhale.
Education on diaphragmatic breathing
Imagine that you are filling up and then emptying a glass of water: the water goes down to the bottom of the cup first, and then fills to the top. Endsley advises that you make sure to fill the bottom of your lungs with air first on the inhale. For the exhale, the air at the top of the lungs comes out first and then the air lower in the lungs.
Belly breath
Place your hand on the belly and inhale; watch your hands rise and lungs fill, and empty on the exhale.
Basic counting
Count as you inhale and exhale. For examples, as you inhale, count to three, and as you exhale, count to three again. You can also add a pause between breaths, counting out the same number between each inhale and exhale.
Simple imagery
As you inhale, imagine waves crashing ashore; on the exhale, imagine them receding back out to sea.
Mantra breath
Choose a mantra (word, phrase, intention) that resonates with you, and repeat it with each breath. Some sample mantras include:
- I am peace
- I am strength
- I am free
You can also choose a positive mantra for the inhale, and negative one for the exhale.
Color breathing
Different colors have different meanings and can impact us all in different ways. On the inhale, envision a big stream of air flowing into your lungs in the color(s) that have a positive impact and meaning to you. On the exhalation, blow out all the colors that impact you or have negative meanings to you.
Endsley recommends practicing these breathing exercise for five to 10 minutes per day. You can increase the number of breathing exercises as you start to feel better.
The content of this site is for informational purposes only and should not be taken as professional medical advice. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified healthcare provider with any questions you may have regarding any medical conditions or treatments.
