What it means
A planned breathing technique that a client learns and repeats. Common ones are deep breathing and coughing after surgery, the incentive spirometerin-SEN-tiv spih-ROM-uh-terA hand-held device that helps a person take slow, deep breaths and shows how much air they breathe in.Full entry , pursed-lip breathing and belly (diaphragmatic) breathing for long-term lung disease, and slow breathing for relaxation, pain or anxiety. After surgery, deep breaths keep the small air sacs open and help prevent atelectasisat-uh-LEK-tuh-sisThe collapse of part or all of a lung, in which the tiny air sacs close and hold no air.atel- incomplete-ectasis expansionFull entry and pneumonia.
For the nurse
Teach and practice before surgery, then remind the client to take deep breaths about every hour while awake, holding a pillow over a chest or belly incision when coughing. For pursed-lip breathing: breathe in through the nose, then out slowly through lips shaped as if to whistle, taking about twice as long to breathe out.
At a glance
| Also written | breathing exercises |
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Related terms
incentive spirometer
A hand-held device that helps a person take slow, deep breaths and shows how much air they breathe in.
atelectasis
The collapse of part or all of a lung, in which the tiny air sacs close and hold no air.
pursed-lip breathing
A breathing technique of breathing in through the nose and breathing out slowly through lips pressed together as if to whistle.