Good evening all, hope everyone is well. Just a quick query.
So whilst I'm still in limbo land with my potential diagnosis, and not knowing much about asthma, I was just wondering if posture affects breathing with asthma?
I've noticed recently that if I slouch on the couch I get a little more breathless and find myself having to sit bolt upright. I've also noticed that sometimes when I lie in bed, flat on my back I get a similar feeling. But in bed, if I compose my self a little I'm ok again.
Is this a normal thing for asthma or other lung conditions?
Written by
Lee2k182
To view profiles and participate in discussions please or .
The short answer is yes. If I’m having a bit of a bad time I add more pillows so that I’m not lying flat. I also take a puff of my rescue inhaler to ward off any nasties
Different positions alter your chest wall/airways and thus can improve/compromise your ability to use your lungs. This is true of everyone however people with resp conditions are more likely to feel the difference.
The easiest position to breathe in is the tripod position (leading forwards with hands on knees)... what position do marathon runners go into once they’ve finished their run? Most tripod to recover. Asthmatics (and other resp cond) often tripod automatically during attacks cause it anatomically puts us in the best position to breathe.
Lying on your back is often a bad position to sleep for asthmatics/resp conds who are having issues for a whole host of reasons, which is why many sleep on a slope during these times
Just another question, can asthmatics have a degree of symptoms even when asthma is controlled? I'm on symbicort ATM and when I walk I get a breathing sensation similar to one you'd get in high humidity, when breathing in.
When truly controlled an asthmatic should be no different than any other person. No symptoms at all etc. However they can still get issues if they hit bad triggers. That’s the other fun job every asthmatic has. Job 1: work out correct meds, job 2: work out triggers and how to avoid them
I’m getting the ‘high humidity breathing’ sensation too - also waiting for the my diagnosis to be confirmed. My postural breathing patterns are similar to yours. My spiromtry has come back normal though (despite being very wheezing and SOB). I’m seeing the practice specialist on Monday. Your description of high humidity breathing is very helpful. I hadn’t mentioned it to the doctor before because I wasn’t sure if it was really’a thing’ or how to describe it. I’ll let you know if I find out anything useful.
Hi calmcat, yes it's something I've been getting over the past few weeks but only when I'm walking for short periods. If I'm at rest there's no issue and when I'm walking for more than 5 minutes or so, it goes.
Is yours constant?
Also it's good that your spirometry is normal, that's a good sign of nothing more sinister. Mine on the other hand is a little more conserning 😬
The doctor was very confused my spiromtry was normal given how ill I was - I even had to have a lie down in the surgery - but now I’m wondering if the diagnosis might be ALS (my dad died of it so might be a genetic link) - probably just a midnight panic! I’d much rather have asthma. I can get the humidity breathing at rest or on the move. It comes and goes a bit - I think I notice it most when I’m on the move or if I do too much . But I’ve got it right now lying in bed. Like you it’s only been a couple of weeks though - during this current flare up (the worst yet). What are the next steps for exploring your diagnosis now?
I don't know a great deal about ALS, but surely if it was that, with your current symptoms, then you'd exhibit more noticeable ALS symptoms?
It's common, from my understanding so far, for asthmatics to have normal spirometry because asthma is based on reversibility, whether on its own or with drugs. It's not nice to have any ailments, but given your alternative you think you have, take positives from the normal spirometry, that you have asthma and not ALS.
I'm still early days. Started 18 month ago after a bad chest infection I had for 3 month, I was left with a lingering wheeze when I forcefully breathed out. Several trips to the GP over a year (kept being told nothing wrong), I finally got a respiratory referral. Had 2 meetings, 1st a chat, then had PFT then 2nd meeting my results.
My spirometry was obstructive, with close to asthma results but not quite. Think you need a reversibility of fev1 12% plus 200ml. Mine was 9% with 400ml. She said I have "asthmatic tendencies", then gave me symbicort to try for 3 month and told my GP I have "probable asthma". She took my bloods for allergies and now I'm waiting for my 3rd visit on 18th, to see how I've been on meds.
The meds were great for 1st 2 weeks, but now the don't last more than 5/6 hours without me having to use ventolin. My symptoms have gotten worse, I get that humid breathing sensation and pressure in chest, but on the positive, no wheeze 😅 I've never had a cough either.
I did the silly thing and looked up my spirometry results and convinced myself I have COPD, so for a month I've been stressing, worried, anxious to say the least, maybe that's playing a part in my current new symptoms, I don't know, we will see in over a week.
Hi Lee - yes dr Google is a dangerous temptation😁. My FEV1 reversibility was 5% with 150ml so I convinced myself it must be restrictive rather than obstructive- hence the ALS panic. I don’t have any other muscle symptoms but I do have unexplained weight loss. (My dad complained of chest tightness for a couple of years before diagnosis- they took him into hospital and tested for angina - all negative. Then he got the weight loss thing, then a fall, then finally ALS diagnosis) - here I go again 😂! My inhalers (Fostair and ventolin) don’t seem to make much difference but I think the prednisone might. Gp suggested going down to 30mg on Friday- fine the first night- second night (last night) much worse so panicked and took some more to bring the dose back to 40mg. Seemed to help but like you I’ve been stressing, worried and anxious and it’s difficult to say how much this is playing a part in it. Taking blood for allergies sounds like a good idea- they haven’t done that to me yet. Maybe I should ask? maybe I should also ask about an ALS genetic screening- but they might not take me seriously 😐... but hopefully they’d be right. Next appointment tomorrow.
My diagnosis is still unconfirmed. Saw practice specialist today and she sent me up A&E. They threatened to keep me in overnight but eventually let me go. I’ve got to go back tomorrow though. My wheeze has nearly gone but now I’m very breathless on minor exertion or if I lie on my back. Peak flow down a bit but not reversed by nebs- X-ray and bloods all normal. So I’m still a mystery....
Oh lord! I hope you are ok, how come you had to go to A&E?
That last little bit currently sounds like me, I still have a minor wheeze on forced expiration though, but I've been complaining of a bit of breathlessness on minor exertion (humid feeling), and for the past week or 2 I've been a bit breathless on my back and even when reclined.
So far all my bloods, x-rays are normal. My peak flow never changes, it's always around 500-540.
It's starting to stress me out a little. I want them just to throw me into a CT scanner and rule out anything more nasty. It's all so frustrating isn't it?
As of yesterday I have stopped my symbicort (my choice) and just gonna rely on blue inhaler until 18th.
Posture has an effect on asthma. It is an unfortunate fact of life that many in the medical profession have very little understanding of muscle behaviour and how it effects things.
The legs and lungs have a relationship. Relaxed legs leads to easier breathing than tight legs. Observe yourself and see if this is true or not.
To run fast in a 100 metre sprint the chest must support the action of the leg muscles. This is why 100 metre sprinters do not breathe during the sprint.
"Born to Walk: Myofascial Efficiency and the Body in Movement" by James Earls is a useful book to read. It will make you aware of things that you may find useful in regard to posture.
Hey! My GP advised me to sleep more elevated, which (once I got used to the extra pillow) has made quite a difference to getting a comfortable sleep 👍🏽
Having the correct posture is very important for the body. You must have a perfect posture in order to get a perfect body shape. Bad posture will damage your bones and also make your personality poor. To correct your posture, you can do many things like exercise, yoga, meditation, running, games, and much more. These processes include the various stages of posture treatment and also take a lot of time. I found the best and easiest way to correct your posture here holdningskorrigerende.dk/. You can use the best posture clothing that both men and women can use.
Content on HealthUnlocked does not replace the relationship between you and doctors or other healthcare professionals nor the advice you receive from them.
Never delay seeking advice or dialling emergency services because of something that you have read on HealthUnlocked.
Asthma stigma..
Montelukast
Asthma Appointment 
What inhalers do you have for your asthma?
