Breathing through the mouth instead of the nose can worsen asthma symptoms. This is because mouth breathing exposes the lungs to unfiltered, unconditioned air, which can trigger asthma attacks.
The Study
In a study conducted in 2008 by Hallani et al., researchers wanted to understand why people with asthma switch from nasal to mouth breathing more easily than healthy people. They studied 15 mild asthmatic patients and 20 healthy individuals to see how they responded to increased nasal resistance (nasal loading). Nasal resistance, or nasal loading, refers to the difficulty of breathing through the nose due to blockages or congestion.
Key Findings from the Study on Mouth Breathing and Asthma
- Nasal Loading and Mouth Breathing: Asthmatic patients switched to mouth breathing at a lower level of nasal resistance compared to healthy individuals. This means that even a small blockage in the nose made people with asthma start breathing through their mouth.
- Perception of Breathing Difficulty: Both asthmatic and healthy subjects felt the same level of difficulty when breathing through their nose, even though asthmatics switched to mouth breathing sooner.
- Nasal Decongestant Effect: Using a nasal decongestant lowered nasal resistance but did not change the point at which subjects switched to mouth breathing. This was true for both asthmatic and healthy subjects.
What Does This Mean?
If you have asthma, you might start breathing through your mouth sooner when your nose feels blocked. This can expose your lungs to unfiltered air, which can worsen asthma symptoms. Knowing this should help you to take steps to manage your nasal congestion better and reduce the need to breathe through your mouth.
Both asthmatic and healthy people feel the same level of difficulty when their nose is blocked. However, people with asthma switch to mouth breathing sooner. This suggests that asthmatics are more sensitive to nasal blockages and may need to be more proactive in managing nasal congestion.
Using nasal decongestants can help lower nasal resistance, but it might not stop you from switching to mouth breathing. Therefore, it is important to keep your nasal passages clear and to always breathe through your nose.
Our MyoTape mouth tapes are highly recommended products which make a difference. This safe mouth taping solution opens up your nasal passages, promotes better airflow, and reduces your asthma symptoms from worsening. We have mouth tapes for adults, for sensitive skin, for beards, for sports, and for kids.
Furthermore, world-renowned breathing expert, Dr. Patrick McKeown has compiled a comprehensive Breathing for Asthma & Respiratory Health course, which offers practical, easy-to-follow exercises to help you manage your asthma symptoms naturally and boost your respiratory health.
References:
Hallani M, Wheatley JR, Amis TC. Initiating oral breathing in response to nasal loading: asthmatics versus healthy subjects. Eur Respir J. 2008 Apr;31(4):800-6.
