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Mysterious shortness of breath: What has helped you?
Lung Health | Last Active: Oct 23 10:20am | Replies (3405)Comment receiving replies
Hi @holliehobbie, thanks for sharing your experience and test results. I've somewhat looked into the phrenic nerve possibility some time back. I think I found an exercise to stimulate the nerve if that was the issue, so something that might be worth checking out. I just searched "phrenic nerve" on Youtube and found an exercise. I didn't help me, so I figured it wasn't that, but doesn't hurt to try.
I think the maladaptive breathing pattern is something similar to something I ran across also a while back, just a different name- abnormal respiratory breathing or something like that.
I wonder if your accident caused some sort of damage that just never corrected itself. Have you thought about reinstating those exercises you were doing?
I too had an iron deficiency when this first started for me in 2012. Strangely taking iron supplements made the issue disappear completely (or so I think) but only for a couple of weeks or so. I assume you're on iron supplements? Has that had any effect at all?
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I had some nerve testing of the other nerves that run past the C4 as I also experience migraines. Typically I get them after raising my arm over my head for a period of time or lifting a heavy weight over my head. The trap and scalenes take over when it should be the lats working. The take over muscles are meant to do that and get tight and inflamed and I end up with a migraine same problem next day.
I learned to manage that one by stretching my shoulder joint, particularly hanging from a chin-up bar. And, by not lifting things or my arm over my head. Not ideal but could be much worse.
I’m wondering if the damage caused the C4 anterolisthesis, I don’t know if there’s a way to confirm. The nerve testing concluded that those nerves were functioning, but then the doc/tech said to me that there was a lot of nerve damage, but that it had healed. I looked like I “had the nerves of a 60 year old”. This wasn’t included on the report.
I work on loosening that shoulder as often as I can, but it just keeps getting tight again, sometimes I’m not always so great at staying on top of it, not to mention that some muscles can be stubborn to release. 1 stretch or 1 massage or 1 physio session may not relieve it.
I didn’t have (or maybe didn’t notice) the air hunger until the last month or so, I wish I could identify exactly which stretch or exercise I need to do to relieve it but so far I haven’t pinned it down.
I wonder if either the C4 is just irritating those nerves but not compressing them, hence the results, poor functioning and tightness and/or if it’s the scoliosis thats affecting the muscles involved with breathing.
I am on iron supplements now, it’s only been about 2.5 weeks. I haven’t noticed it help my breathing. I’m curious about muscle function, breathing function and nerve function in relation to iron (and iron deficiency).
I’ll update if I get more info!