Shallow breathing

Shallow breathing, thoracic breathing, costal breathing or chest breathing[1] is the drawing of minimal breath into the lungs, usually by drawing air into the chest area using the intercostal muscles rather than throughout the lungs via the diaphragm. Shallow breathing can result in or be symptomatic of rapid breathing and hypoventilation. Most people who breathe shallowly do it throughout the day and they are almost always unaware of the condition.

Animation of clavicular breathing.
Fig. 6: Shallow breathing using rib muscles

In upper lobar breathing, clavicular breathing, or clavicle breathing, air is drawn predominantly into the chest by the raising of the shoulders and collarbone (clavicles), and simultaneous contracting of the abdomen during inhalation.[2] A maximum amount of air can be drawn this way only for short periods of time, since it requires persistent effort.

Conditions

Several conditions are marked by, or are symptomatic of, shallow breathing. The more common of these conditions include: various anxiety disorders, asthma, hyperventilation, pneumonia, pulmonary edema, and shock. Anxiety, stress, and panic attacks often accompany shallow breathing.

Overly shallow breathing, also known medically as hypopnea, may result in hypoventilation, which is a serious condition if of ignored or not properly diagnosed. It is often treated as a "sleep disorder" without adequate diagnostic information. Serious symptoms arise most commonly during sleep, when the intercostal muscles do not perform the breathing action. During sleep, breathing originates from the diaphragm, which is often impaired in people with NMDs.

Polio survivors with breathing conditions and others with NMDs may be given a tracheostomy (a surgical opening for breathing made in the neck).

See also
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Shallow breathing.

References
  1. "39.3B: Types of Breathing". Biology LibreTexts. 2018-07-17. Retrieved 2022-03-21.
  2. Dudley Ralph Appelman (1967). Breathing for Singing. ISBN 9780253351104. {{cite book}}: |work= ignored (help)

Further reading
  • Bach, J.R. (1999). Guide to the evaluation and management of neuromuscular disease. Philadelphia, PA: Hanley & Belfus.
  • Gay, PC., & Edmonds, L.C. (1995). Severe hypercapnia after low-flow oxygen therapy in patients with neuromuscular disease and diaphragmatic dysfunction. Mayo Clinic Proceedings, 70(4), 327–330.
  • Hsu, A., & Staats, B. (1998). "Postpolio" sequelae and sleep-related disordered breathing. Mayo Clinic Proceedings, 73, 216–224.
  • Krachman, S., & Criner, G.J. (1998). Hypoventilation syndromes. Clinics in Chest Medicine, 19(l),139-155.
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