Which breathing techniques promote comfort?

• A. Rapid shallow breathing
• B. Pursed lip breathing and diaphragmatic breathing
• C. Holding breath during exhalation
• D. Cough suppression techniques

Answer: (B)

Promoting comfort in breathing comes from techniques that reduce the effort of breathing and improve ventilation. Pursed lip breathing adds a slight resistance to exhalation, which helps keep small airways open longer and slows the exhalation phase. This reduces air trapping, lowers the work of breathing, and often eases the sensation of breathlessness. Diaphragmatic breathing focuses on using the diaphragm instead of the chest muscles, producing deeper, slower breaths with a larger tidal volume and less reliance on accessory muscles. This approach lowers breathing rate, promotes more efficient gas exchange, and encourages relaxation, all of which contribute to greater comfort.

Rapid shallow breathing tends to increase work of breathing and worsen dyspnea; holding the breath during exhalation disrupts gas exchange and can raise carbon dioxide levels; coughing suppression techniques don’t directly promote comfort in normal breathing and are situational.