Asthma involves inflammation and narrowing of the airways, causing breathing difficulties and other symptoms. Nasal breathing can help lessen the severity and frequency of asthma symptoms, especially those triggered during exercise. To prove this, a study was conducted and aimed to see if improving nasal breathing by using a nasal dilator could reduce nighttime asthma symptoms (Peterson et al, 1996).
The Research
The researchers wanted to see if using a nasal dilator, a device that helps open the nose for easier breathing, could reduce nighttime asthma symptoms. They studied 15 patients with nocturnal asthma at the Asthma and Allergy Research Centre in Gothenburg. The patients slept with the nasal dilator on alternate nights for 10 nights and reported their asthma symptoms each morning.
Key Findings from the Study
- Reduced Nighttime Asthma: When using the nasal dilator, patients woke up with asthma on 17 out of 75 nights, compared to 32 out of 75 nights without the device. This significant reduction (p < 0.01) indicates that the nasal dilator helped improve nasal breathing and reduce asthma symptoms.
- Less Need for Medication: Seven patients reported needing less asthma medication at night when using the nasal dilator, which helped the breathe through their nose.
- Patient Feedback: Twelve patients observed reduced nocturnal asthma when using the nasal dilator, and none reported any side effects from the device.
What Does This Mean?
The nose is better equipped than the mouth for conditioning the air we breathe. When air is inhaled through the mouth, it can dry and cool the respiratory mucosa, potentially leading to bronchoconstriction (narrowing of the airways) in sensitive individuals with asthma.
Improving your nasal breathing can help reduce nighttime symptoms and decrease the need for medication if you have asthma. Thus, it is imperative to look for simple strategies that will help you reduce the need for mouth breathing, such as mouth taping. This can help manage nocturnal asthma symptoms and improve your quality of sleep.
MyoTape is an effective mouth taping solution invented by Dr. Patrick McKeown, who is an expert on respiratory health. Our mouth tapes are useful in helping you breathe through your mouth and alleviating your asthma symptoms.
Reference:
Peterson B, Theman K. Reduced nocturnal asthma by improved nasal breathing. Acta Otolaryngol. 1996 May;116(3):490-2. doi: 10.3109/00016489609137878. PMID: 8790753.
