Benefits of Respiratory Muscle Training and Inspiratory Muscle Training to People Who Suffer from Asthma
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), asthma is one of the most common respiratory diseases — and the most common chronic disease affecting children — worldwide. Currently, there are more than 339 million people living with asthma, and more than 25 million of those people live in the U.S.
While asthma can be a dangerous condition for anyone, 80 percent of asthma-related deaths occur in low and lower-middle income countries. Additionally, socioeconomic factors in the U.S. have resulted in African-Americans being three times as likely to be hospitalized with asthma than white Americans — with a comparably higher rate of death resulting from the illness. Such a massive disparity between nations and peoples can be traced back to several factors, but access to healthcare is frequently considered to be one of the biggest factors.
The percentage of the population suffering from asthma continues to increase each year, so it is highly important to develop easier methods for managing asthma’s symptoms. While the forces of inequality are unlikely to be reversed in the coming years, techniques such as respiratory muscle training (RMT) and inspiratory muscle training (IMT) can provide an affordable supplementary treatment.
What is Asthma?
Asthma is a pathological condition comprising a variety of symptoms which affect the ability to function in daily life. Specifically a chronic respiratory disease, the symptoms of asthma include coughing, wheezing and shortness of breath, with its severity and frequency varying between individuals. Due to the high prevalence of asthma and its associated healthcare costs, it is important to identify low-cost alternatives to traditional pharmacotherapy.
That being said, there is no known cure for asthma, but a wide variety of treatments and medications are available — and they range in effectiveness. Popularly, many asthmatic patients will carry around an inhaler, which helps immediately reduce the swelling of the throat that can restrict the airway, allowing the individual to breathe normally again.
Who Does Asthma Affect?
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), one in 13 people have asthma. As mentioned above, more than 25 million Americans, 7.7 percent of adults and 8.4 percent of children suffer from the disease. Interestingly, it is also the primary reason for missed school days in children across the nation. However, the sudden attacks of breathlessness and restriction of airways are extremely dangerous — asthma accounts for 10 deaths in the U.S. daily. But with proper treatment and medication, those deaths are preventable.
Though asthma is characterized as a swelling of tubes to limit passage of air to and from the lungs, the most common cause of the disease is genetic — it often is found in conjunction with environmental triggers such as allergies, pet fur, dust mites, tobacco smoke, pollution, and chemical irritants. However, there are also ancillary triggers such as extreme emotional duress, exercise, and in some cases, a type of medicine.
Given the nature of the illness and the different ways it can manifest, asthmatic patients often search for other ways to help them maintain and control the disease, or at least reduce its impact on their day to day lives. To achieve this, the methods of IMT or RMT have become increasingly popular breathing exercises and supplemental methods of managing asthma.
What is Respiratory and Inspiratory Muscle Training?
Respiratory/inspiratory muscle training is a technique whereby a trainer introduces a device to a patient that increases the difficulty of breathing, forcing the respiratory muscles to work harder and, gradually, strengthen themselves over a period of repeated exercise.
This process of controlled strengthening may help a patient by limiting dyspnoea and generally improving the quality of life. While this technique is not a replacement for an inhaler or other medical treatments when an asthma attack occurs, it can have the effect of reducing the frequency of attacks and limiting their severity. What’s more, new technologies and breathing systems that cater to these RMT and IMT exercises are also being developed to stem the effects of asthma and further strengthen the lungs.
Lastly, it is important to note that these RMT and IMT practices should only be done in a controlled environment for asthmatic patients, as a means of minimizing the chance of asthma symptoms worsening and causing greater harm.
What are the Benefits of RMT and IMT?
Respiratory/inspiratory muscle training can have a positive impact on the daily life of those living with asthma. Used as a consistent routine, they can increase cardiovascular endurance, thereby reducing the fatigue that can result from even minor tasks or chores around the house.
Increased oxygen levels can also assist with overall mental clarity and increase mental acuity. If a patient responds particularly well to treatment, the health benefits can expand into other areas of wellbeing. Increased oxygen and energy can improve physical exercise and enthusiasm, paving the way for a more active lifestyle. This can also lead to a reduction of stress if a patient is more able to act independently and reduce their fear of an asthma attack.
Still, it is important to state that respiratory/inspiratory muscle training is a supplemental technique and should be pursued alongside prescribed medical treatment. While it is immensely beneficial for building respiratory muscles, the bottom line is that it is still a treatment and not a cure.
In summation, RMT and IMT techniques are noninvasive options for asthma patients looking to manage their symptoms. In addition to improving quality of life through increased oxygen intake, the technique can have the added effect of encouraging a more active lifestyle, reducing fatigue, and increasing mental acuity.
While RMT and IMT should not be viewed as a cure of asthma, or as a replacement for more traditional medical treatments like the inhaler, it can be a great option for those looking to actively manage their symptoms and reduce asthma’s impact on their daily lives.
1 “AAFA.” Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America, www.aafa.org/asthma-facts/.
3 Ibidˆ.
4 Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America.
5 Paris; Wilhite; Chapman; Mickleborough; “The Role of Inspiratory Muscle Training in the Management of Asthma and Exercise-Induced Bronchoconstriction.” The Physician and Sportsmedicine, U.S. National Library of Medicine.
6 Ibid.
7 Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America.
8 Ibid.
9 World Health Organization.