Pectus Excavatum and Asthma [2023]: Risk, Inhalation & More

Pectus excavatum can also cause development in the presence of illnesses involving upper airway obstruction, which can affect our sleeping in different ways. Plenty of people with pectus excavatum are affected by asthma.

Asthma is a condition in which your airways narrow down and swell, producing extra mucus. It can make breathing difficult, further worsening the consequences of the already lowered lung capacity.

It can also cause uncomfortable coughing, a whistling sound when breathing out, and chest tightness. The combination of asthma and pectus excavatum doesn't always go well.

In this blog post, I will write everything you need to know about dealing with asthma if you suffer from a sunken chest deformity.

IMPORTANCE OF BREATHING EXERCISES FOR ASTHMA & PECTUS EXCAVATUM

Breathing exercises benefit your overall well-being if you have pectus excavatum and asthma. Combining breathing exercises and physical therapy is essential for you preventing and treating asthma.

You can practice breathing with experts who will help you or do it at home. Practicing yoga and Pilates and doing mindfulness meditations will help you too.

In all phases of the disease, breathing exercises are the first recommendation. Diaphragmatic, chest or mixed breathing is best with a 1:2 inhaling and exhaling ratio. For example, if you inhale for 3 seconds, try to exhale for 6.

The air should be inhaled through the nose and exhaled through a half-open mouth. If you suffer from pectus excavatum, conscious breathing can make you dizzy.

I constantly experience this when meditation while sitting with a straight back. I feel the tension in my chest cavity and jaw.

EXERCISING WITH ASTHMA

The main question is, does asthma stop you from having a healthy life and exercising? No!

A healthy lifestyle is a top priority. Proper physical activity can help you with asthma by improving your lung health. The key to this is to do it correctly and with the right amount of exercise.

You can choose the right way to work out with your doctor. Show your doctor the workout routine you plan to improve your pectus excavatum deformity and body appearance.

Gentle, low-intensity activities are the best exercises for asthmatic people with pectus excavatum. These exercises don't exhaust your lungs, so they're less prone to cause asthma symptoms.

Everyone is different, though. Be sure to learn what the best for your body.

5 RECOMMENDED ACTIVITIES FOR ASTHMA & PECTUS EXCAVATUM

Some of the things that I would suggest you try are:

• Swimming
• Hiking
• Walking
• Yoga
• Pilates

If you feel that you can probably do more, you can do more, but first, you have to talk with your doctor. Over time, working out can help you build up a tolerance to exercise. Daily working out will make it easier for your lungs to perform activities you usually couldn't do.

The more you work out, your lungs get used to consuming oxygen. Finally, when your muscles are strong, the body functions more efficiently during everyday actions.

Also, exercising helps you with the heart's overall conditioning, improving blood flow, and delivering oxygen, which is very important for someone with pectus excavatum deformity.

TIPS FOR BETTER WORKOUT WITH ASTHMA

• Use an inhaler right before your training. That will make your breathing much more comfortable while working out.
• Do a proper warm-up and cool-down session. With that, you will prevent abruptly attacking your lungs and body.
• If you work out outside, always make sure you wear a scarf or a mask. It will prevent you from coughing by dryness.
• Take enough breaks, and get a good breath.

INSIGNIFICANT FOR SOME

For some people, asthma is a minor problem. It can be a significant issue that interferes with daily activities for others. It may lead to a life-threatening asthma attack. An asthma attack is a feeling of suffocation, shortness of breath, and difficulty breathing in a much simpler definition.

An asthma problem can be complex, but patients can sometimes control the symptoms. Asthma is regarded as a chronic problem based on an inflammatory process. It manifests through repeated episodes of wheezing, choking, and coughing.

These episodes happen mainly during the morning or night but can also occur intensely at random times throughout the day. Smelling respiratory allergens also risk asthma, such as house dust, mites, grass pollen, weeds, trees, mold, animal hair, or nicotine.

SYMPTOMS

A severe cough occurs at night or early in the morning, causing difficulty sleeping. Sleeping is essential for energy. A terrible night's sleep will make you less productive and dynamic the next day.

Whistling sounds while breathing can be a symptom of asthma. This uncomfortable feeling in your body can also embarrass you in front of some people.

• Chest compression
• Shortness of breath can also indicate asthma
• Loud or fast breathing.

These symptoms are also typical for pectus excavatum sufferers. Depending on our deformity severity, we might experience some of them in our day-to-day lives.

Some symptoms can occur very intensely and frequently. In contrast, others can happen occasionally and be very weak, almost unnoticeable.

SEVERE SYMPTOMS

In extreme cases, symptoms can be life-endangering to asthmatics. Asthma symptoms can occur at varying frequencies. Some people experience them only once every few months, others once a week, and some almost every day.

INHERITANCE

A predisposition to asthma is inherited. Suppose one of the parents is allergic to the so-called inhalation allergens. In that case, there is a probability of 30 – 50% that a child will develop bronchial asthma. If both parents are allergic, children develop bronchial asthma with a chance of 80%.

KIDS WITH ASTHMA AND SUNKEN CHEST

The mechanisms of the development of asthma in kids are almost identical to the processes of an adult. Still, the course of the disease itself and the child's sensitivity to medicines differ.

Suppose a child under five often suffers from respiratory diseases, coughs, or complains about chest pain. In that case, sufferers should study their family history carefully. The symptoms of asthma in children are about the same as in adults.

But parents must monitor the kids more closely because they cannot assess their condition right. This is especially important for kids that have a pectus excavatum deformity.

DIAGNOSIS

Do you have harsh and problematic coughing, shortness of breath, chest tightness, or wheezing? Do you have allergic diseases?

An asthma diagnosis can be a highly complex process. The first step is the doctor's data collection in a patient's and clinical examinations. Your doctor needs to know everything about your pectus excavatum situation.

When examined, your doctor may listen to your breathing and detect other allergies or asthma signs. After that, a lung scan is taken. A spirometer is used to define the degree of narrowing of the airways. In the case of a more mild form of the condition, it is possible to do allergological tests.

In severe cases with severe suffocation, patients do all the necessary analyzes and tests to assess whether hospital treatment is needed.

The symptoms of bronchial asthma are always strictly individual and vary depending on their severity and stage. In any case, asthma is a disease that you must detect early to prevent possible complications in the future.

Treating asthma earlier may prevent long-term lung damage, preventing the condition from worsening over time. If you are diagnosed with asthma, do not forget to control your asthma frequently. Please work with your doctor to keep it under control. Controls on time can improve your life by getting the proper treatment.

If you recognize any changes in your condition, don't hesitate to contact your doctor. Overusing medication or doing something independently without consulting a professional can cause side effects and worsen your asthma.

Do not position yourself in a situation to risk your life. Any emergency problem like worsened breathing, zero improvements even after using a quick-relief inhaler, and shortness of breath even when doing a little physical activity requires you to call your doctor!

FIRST AID WHEN YOU HAVE AN ASTHMA ATTACK

If an asthma attack occurs, inhalation therapy is where you start. If that doesn't help, it is necessary to immediately call a doctor because it is impossible to predict further progression problems.

Don't forget to take the prescription for dilating the respiratory organs properly.

CALMING DEEP BREATHING

Deep breathing is to calm down and overcome panic attacks and fear. By conscious breathing, control the breathing rhythm and increase diaphragmatic breathing. Breathe with the abdomen with the body slightly bent forward and placed in the position that suits you best.

Usually, breathing in sitting positions is the best. First, relax the neck, shoulders, and facial muscles. Then, exhale forcefully by squeezing the abdominal muscles; then, as you inhale, relax your stomach. Continue like this until the trouble stops.

PREVENTION

INFLUENCE OF COLD WEATHER ON THE RESPIRATORY SYSTEM

There are significant climate changes in the environment in which we live. Unexpecting temperature differences, cold weather, and high humidity have terrible effects on sensitive respiratory organs.

Frequently, we feel that inhaling cold air, temperature changes, and moisture suddenly worsens asthmatics. Cold is one of the respiratory system's irritations. It is a significant trigger for worsening and stimulating the disease.

REDUCE ASTHMA ATTACKS

During cold and wet days, asthma attacks are more frequent, and the possibility of getting a cold increases. If you must go out on cold days, always wear a scarf or a mask on your mouth and nose.

It would help if you remembered that asthma is an open-ended condition that needs regular control and treatment. Taking control of your treatment can make you feel more in control of your life.

One of the preventative ways is getting the vaccine for influenza and pneumonia. Vaccinations can prevent flu and pneumonia from triggering asthma and asthma attacks.

AVOID ASTHMA TRIGGERS

Many allergens and irritants, from pollen and mold to cold air and air pollution, can trigger asthma attacks. Learn what causes or worsens your asthma, and avoid the triggers.

Also, if you exercise to improve the appearance of your sunken chest, the risk of getting exercise-triggering asthma increases.

With time, you may learn to recognize an upcoming attack's warning signs, such as slight coughing, wheezing, or shortness of breath.

But because your lung function may decrease before you notice any signs or symptoms, regularly measure and document your airflow with a home peak flow meter.

PEAK FLOW METER

A peak flow meter measures how hard you can breathe out. When your peak flow measurements decrease and alert you to an attack, take your medication as directed. Also, stop any activity that may have triggered the attack.

USE QUICK-RELIEF INHALERS

They are your first help. Always have one near you. However, your asthma isn't under control if you find yourself relying on your quick-relief inhaler, such as albuterol. See your doctor about adjusting your treatment.

8 QUICK TIPS

Try to improve your lung capacity by improving your pectus excavatum deformity with vacuum bell therapy or the Dynamic Remodeling method.

• Patients with asthma need to take the prescribed therapy regularly
• It would be best if you take vaccines regularly against the flu
• You should pay attention to a healthy diet
• Get enough hours of sleep
• Regular physical activity
• Avoid smoky places
• Avoiding groups where there are a lot of people indoors
• Proper application of medication and therapy is also important

THE BOTTOM LINE

Because asthma often changes, you must work with your doctor to track your signs and symptoms and adjust your treatment as needed. Taking care of your pectus excavatum deformity is equally important if it causes lung-capacity problems.

Many asthmatics will reduce asthma attacks and breathe more easily with adequate therapy. One of the best remedies is to build a healthy body and mind! It is cheap and, at the same time, priceless!

Please do it for yourself!