Discharge Instructions: Controlled Breathing for COPD

Home care

Follow these steps to use controlled breathing:

• Sit in a comfortable chair. Or lie on your back with a pillow under your head with your knees bent.

• Relax the muscles in your neck and shoulders.

• Place one hand on your stomach. Place the other hand on your upper chest.

• Breathe in (inhale) slowly through your nose as deeply as you can for 2 seconds. As you inhale, your stomach should move out against your hand. Your chest should stay still.

• Breathe out (exhale) slowly with your lips together, like you are blowing out a candle (called pursed lips). You should exhale 2 to 4 times longer than your inhale. You should feel your stomach muscles move in.

• Repeat the above steps until you feel relaxed. Or until you no longer feel short of breath.

Follow-up care

Follow up with your healthcare provider as advised.

When to call the healthcare provider

Call your healthcare provider right away if you have any of the following:

• Shortness of breath that is not eased by controlled breathing exercises or by your medicine

• Wheezing or coughing

• More mucus

• Yellow, green, bloody, or smelly mucus

• Chills

• Fever of 100.4°F (38°C) or higher, or as directed by your healthcare provider

• Tightness in your chest that does not go away with your normal medicines

• Irregular heartbeat

• Swollen ankles

• Trouble doing your normal activities