we conclude that humming causes a dramatic increase in sinus ventilation and nasal NO release. Measurement of nasal NO during humming is an easy noninvasive test that can give valuable information about ostial function and NO production in the sinuses.
The authors thank Professor Johan Sundberg for valuable discussions during the preparation of this manuscript.
The work was supported by grants from the Swedish Research Board and the Swedish Heart and Lung Foundation.
The paranasal sinuses are major producers of nitric oxide (NO). We hypothesized that oscillating airflow produced by humming would enhance sinus ventilation and thereby increase nasal NO levels. ... The gas nitric oxide (NO) is released in the human respiratory tract.Feb 22, 2002
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Hi, I am reading about the research done in Sweden and America in the heart centres, about the production of nitric oxide, the body produces this, we eat it in certain foods as watermelon, it’s properties is to dilate blood vessels, ( think viagra) !! the trials on several hundreds of patients was to measure the production of NO in the nasal airways and sinuses, those areas are rich in this production so they got people to humm and measured the out come, the hummming vibrates the nasal airway and sinuses therefore yes it increased this NO and as the nasal areas are rich in blood supply, think of a nose bleed,,the NO was readily absorbed via the blood vessels, so yes there a great chance your blood pressure could decrease, and it was said there’s some people who’s AFib settled quicker. Again what works for one, don’t mean it works for everyone,
But I think as a cardiac nurse it’s worth a go, and humming isn’t a chore really,,,I used the family of nitrates in an intensive care setting, to dilate cororanary arteries, think,,GTN spray for angina, same properties. Hope I answered your doubts,
Thanks. I have had sinusitis for several years. I cannot seem to get rid of it, even after 3 weeks of regular walking in the mountains. Humming makes sense: it forces you to breathe through the nose, and the vibrations get to the side bits usually bypassed by breathing. I also know the power of resonance to loosen sticky substances. I am not interested in reducing blood pressure since this is usually a medical red-herring. To be cheeky, maybe someone should experiment with drum kits and bass guitar twangs -- known to create resonance in the head, lungs, and stomach -- to loosen the mucus, but, sigh, that risks troubling the heart. It seems that some people like the feelings, and others hate it, for the same sounds.
Interestingly enough there are a lot a mouth breathers, again no expert, but as an intensive care nurse, we often wanted patients to breath thru the nose then hold 3 secs, then release thru pursed lips, this increases the pressure in the bases of the lungs holding open the small sacks at the bottom of the lungs where non oxygenated gas meets oxygenated gas so the exchange can happen and improve oxygen saturation throughout, this improves breathing for patients with heart related breathing problems. I have my uncle do this and when you concentrate on your breathing you become more calm, as there’s nothing worse than feeling you can’t take a deep breath.
I probably developed mouth-only breathing as a small child with permanent mild asthma/bronchitis. In those days we were firmly taught to grin and bear it, and cough medicine was a revolting placebo that we took as a grueling sort of painful incentive. I am familiar with PEP -- positive exhaled pressure. I grew out of of lung problems but was left with mouth only habits, and the ability to subconsciously breath deeply and slowly without moving my chest, which more than once made my wife suspect I was dead . My oxygen levels are very high, despite lung clogging. I have come to hate operating room oxygen masks, since the inevitably cold air makes me gag. A few days after heart surgery I literally could not breathe because of the cold oxygen mask, and that was very frightening until I had torn it off and allowed warm room air to touch my throat. The alternative is also unpleasant -- when put up my nose it chills the nasal passages (which are unused to even cool air) to the point of pain for several weeks.
Question since you are a nurse. A few weeks ago, with a cataract operation, I warned the doctor not to use adrenaline. Then when I saw the operation report, I see I was given iv ephedrine and atropine, which I thought were adrenaline related?? At least, he understood about the oxygen, and simply placed the mask on my chest under the drapes, so the air was warm by the time it got to me.
With declining years lung infection has come back. I now refuse antibiotics. When I consulted a physio she taught me exactly those exercises. The healthy body clears infection without being harmed by the germs.
This is relevant to AF. The first time it set in, the obvious trigger was interim accommodation where I lived, and worked, in a permanent state of feeling cold.
Hi, the PEP you mentioned is actually PEEP positive end expiratory pressure, what I was saying about opening the little the sack deep inside the lungs, cold oxygen drys your airways and it becomes very uncomfortable if not frightening to try to breath, again on ICU we usually humidify the air to avoid that.
Funny enough I worked in Saudi Arabia for 6 yrs as a eye nurse firstly in the A&E ( with me being an intensive care nurse) and then in theatres, we always even in this country just blow oxygen or just fresh air from a device that’s sits around the chest area to give a pleasant feeling once all the drapes are instiu, now your eyes are very sensitive to stimuli meaning poking instruments in them can cause the Vagal nerve to drop your blood pressure, or firstly your heart rate, in that situation we always have ready a syringe to increase your heart rate that being atropine or ephedrine, to save you from becoming severely bradycardiac. Low heart rate, so your man looking after which is usually an anaesthetic doc did his job well and your here to tell the tale! There are many triggers of AF, as folks will tell you on here, I urge you to google a Yorkshire cardiologist works at the York hospital, I’ll let you know his name, when I see my emails ,,,,,who interacts with folks going thru AF he’s quite good, one trigger is food, the vagal nerve ( remember your eye) well that runs along side your oesophageal tube, for eating
and eating can trigger palpations and AF. Stimulates the vagal nerve, amazing our body’s.
Thanks. Very helpful. The doctor you refer to is Dr Sanjay Gupta, York Cardiology, and I have learned quite a bit from him.
I understand the fear of bradycardia. Before the eye op, my HR was at nervous level and I was glad to hear the comforting beeps which I recognised as normal for me. The eye doctor had specifically given the pre-op drops as non-adrenaline. All his patients were treated with topical anaesthesia -- no more eye injections. He knew I was taking flecainide and warfarin. At some point, as you say, the vagal nerve was stimulated into doing the opposite of what it usually does, there was bradycardia, and they were ready for that.
Unfortunately, I did not understand German -- the language of the operating room. The surgeon spoke good English. He told me to speak before coughing. I was able to keep still and obey orders -- to look down, to look up etc. Fascinating. At one point he told me the lens was very hard, and I was using salami tactics to slice it up. Fine by me -- he had already won my trust by his ability to explain things, telling me loads of relevant facts about my eyes, using technical language I understand. I always try to stimulate my fascination, since that calms me down. Frankly, what really motivated me to go through with it, "a long and difficult operation" was my family. In my family we always say that the most neutral, informed, calm person, has the final say.
Humidified air is not enough. When I choked, on the ward, it was humidified by bubbling through two jars of water. It was just too cold.
Where I am I can get isotonic saline cheaply, without prescription. I have tried that, and sometimes it helps. The trouble is, even though I know there are two nasal holes on each side, the water usually goes right through to the back of my throat and does not touch the congestion.
All these replies are very interesting, thank you. I had pneumonia when I was 3 and am also a poor nose breather, the sinuses are stuffed up and never clear. When I run I have to breathe through my mouth. My oxygen saturation is usually nowhere near 98%. I swallow my food without chewing sufficiently as it is uncomfortable to breathe just through the nose alone, causing some digestion issues. My sleeping during the night is broken by apnea (tested 9 time a minute) and of course my AF and I use a nasal strip. I mention all this as I suspect a lot is inter-related, I need to do some research. Thanks everyone again.
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. My oxygen levels are very high, despite lung clogging. I have come to hate operating room oxygen masks, since the inevitably cold air makes me gag. A few days after heart surgery I literally could not breathe because of the cold oxygen mask, and that was very frightening until I had torn it off and allowed warm room air to touch my throat. The alternative is also unpleasant -- when put up my nose it chills the nasal passages (which are unused to even cool air) to the point of pain for several weeks.
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