The Christie Charity
Breathing control
- Breathing control is breathing gently allowing your tummy to rise and fall.
- Breathe in gently through your nose and out through your mouth.
- Gradually try to make the breaths slower and relax your shoulders (if you find this difficult, turn your palms to the ceiling).
Deep Breathing Exercises
- Take a long, slow, deep breath in, through your nose if you can. Try to keep your chest and shoulders relaxed.
- Breathe out gently and relaxed, like a sigh.
- Repeat for 3-5 deep breaths.
- Try holding your breath for about 2-3 seconds at the end of the breath in and adding a small sniff to increase lung expansion.
Huffing
- A huff is exhaling through an open mouth and throat instead of coughing. It helps move sputum up your airways so that you can clear it in a controlled way.
- To ‘huff’, squeeze air quickly from your lungs, out through your open mouth and throat, as if you were trying to mist up a mirror or your glasses.
Supported cough
- It important after surgery that you are able to cough effectively.
- Huffing may clear your sputum, however if you need to cough it is important to support your tummy while doing it.
- You will be given a cough cushion to help support your muscles and the physios will teach you the best way to use this.