Breathing Techniques Associated With Improved Health Outcomes

Abstract

<p><strong>Purpose:</strong> To determine if there is evidence to support teaching purposeful breathing techniques to patients for the improvement of health outcomes. <strong>Method:</strong> A comprehensive search of literature between 2009 and the present provided 6410 articles of possible interest. A total of 26 met the criteria for inclusion in this review. Two tables were prepared to provide a condensed summary of the significant results. <strong>Findings</strong>: Evidence in the literature supports trained breathing techniques to improve health care outcomes for a variety of issues including anxiety, diabetes, autonomic nervous system disorders, gastro-esophageal reflux (GERD), hypertension, immune function, oxidative stress and pain. <strong>Conclusions:</strong> Teaching breathing techniques provides a simple solution for improving patient health outcomes in a cost effective way in primary care settings. <strong>Recommendations</strong>: Among the forms of breathing techniques studied, teaching diaphragmatic, deep abdominal breathing or specific nostril breathing techniques may be the easiest to teach effectively in a fast paced family practice setting. Other techniques could be provided by developing a simple pamphlet, through a variety of informatics, or formal classroom types of training sessions. <strong>Key words:</strong> breath, breath work, breathing exercises, "breath* technique*" and health*, diaphragmatic, yoga, pranayama, autonomic nervous system, GERD, hypertension, anxiety, diabetes, pain, immunity, oxidative stress.</p>