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Saturday, July 19, 2014

Types of breathing lexicon

The following are terms associated with types of breathing.
  • Unconscious breathing: Most of the time you don't think about breathing, yet you continue to do it. This is an important safety net for life, because if we had to think about breathing 24-7 we'd accomplish little and most life would cease to exist. Air goes into your lungs because a negative pressure is created that sucks air in, kind of like a vacuum. Normal exhalation is passive. Normal unconscious breathing is generally called quiet breathing.
  • Diaphragm: The main muscle of respiration is this large muscle that contracts during inspiration. When it contracts it moves downward making more room in the lungs and creates a negative pressure, causing air to be drawn in.
  • External Intercostal Muscles: These are positioned between the ribs and contract during normal breathing, pulling the ribcage outward. These assists the diaphragm in lifting the rib cage and creating negative pressure in the lungs. They also assist with expiration.
  • Scalene: This might assist the diaphram.
  • Exhalation: Normally passive. It occurs when the muscles of respiration relax. When this occurs the rib cage is drawn in, and the lungs are compressed. This increases the pressure in the lungs, and air is pushed out. This is also referred to as normal elastic recoil of the lungs.
  • Conscious breathing: When you take in a breath by thinking about it. When you do so you will be using your accessory muscles of respiration. 
  • Normal Muscles of Respiration: These are the muscles you use during most breaths. Generally, these include the diaphragm, external intercostals and scalene muscles.
  • Negative recoil of lungs: Natural relaxation of muscles of respiration causing air to be released from the lungs.
  • Forced exhalation: If the lungs lose their elasticity (if they become stiff and unable to recoil), your body will have to use all the above mentioned muscles to force air out of your lungs. This is generally called active forced breathing or forced exhalation. It is generally active or conscious, and is often referred to as labored breathing. Other examples of this are emphysema and pulmonary fibrosis .Muscles that assist with forced exhalation include: Abdominal Muscles, Internal Intercostals, and Innermost Intercostals
  • Diaphragmatic breathing: When you are breathing normally you are using your diaphragm. This allows you to get the most out of each breath. When this occurs, your stomach moves out, and your chest does not move.
  • Accessory Muscles of Respiration: Muscles you normally don't use to inhale, and when you do use them they will be sore the next day. Examples include: 
The main accessory muscles are:
The minor accessory muscles are:
  1. Serratus Anterior (minor role, side of chest)
  2. Pectoralis Major (minor role, chest)
  3. Pectoralis Minor (minor role, chest)
  4. Upper Trapezius (back, shoulder and neck)
  5. Latissimus Dorsi (side of chest and abdomen)
  6. Erector Spinae (deep back)
  7. Iliocostalis Lumborum (deep back)
  8. Serratus Posterior (mid back)
  9. Serratus Inferior (mid back)
  10. Serratus Superior (mid back)
  11. Levatores Costarum (chest)
  12. Tranversus Thoracis (chest)
  13. Subclavius (chest)
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