Breathing properly is one of the easiest ways to make your body work better. When you do not inhale deeply enough, your body does not get enough oxygen, causing stress, nervousness and poor organ function. Proper breathing, on the other hand,...
Although breathing is an involuntary function of the body, many people use controlled breathing to achieve specific purposes. According to the American Medical Student Association, you can use breathing techniques to consciously control bodily...
Breathing while running seems easy, but if you are just beginning to run, proper breathing technique can be difficult to master. The act of breathing is how your body receives and distributes oxygen throughout the circulatory system and into the...
More oxygen makes its way to the cells in the body with slow, deep breathing. Rapid, shallow breathing usually indicates levels of stress often resulting from emotional turmoil. The effects of stress from the shallow rapid breathing create...
Breathing is a normal physiological action that occurs naturally from the time of birth. However, certain actions and emotions can encourage rapid, shallow breathing that limits the amount of air entering and exiting your lungs. Incorrect...
During the first several months of life, many babies experience mild, transient changes in the pace and depth of breathing. According to Dr. William Sears, a renowned pediatrician, rapid breathing and panting are extremely common in newborns and...
Children naturally breathe at a faster rate than adults. According to the National Institutes of Health, adults generally breathe 8 to 16 times per minute, while normal newborns may breathe up to once per second. In children, rapid breathing can...
Due to concerns about sudden infant death syndrome, parents often watch their baby's breathing patterns carefully. Although it can be alarming for parents to observe, shallow, rapid breathing occurs commonly in newborns, and especially in...
Breathing is usually automatic and regular. Breathing frequency responds to activity level, with breath slow and deep during sleep and rapid during exercise. When the breathing pattern does not match the active state, that can indicate a problem.
At one time or another, every runner has gasped for air: it's a simple fact of running. If you find yourself gasping more often than you'd like, however, then you may not be breathing correctly. Breathing is an important component of...
Breathing rate, also known as respiration rate, is the number of breaths a person takes in a minute. While this rate can vary greatly from person to person, there is a range that's considered normal. However, this rate is often affected by a...
Varicella is commonly known as chicken pox, and varicella pneumonia is a rare, but serious complication of this infection. According to the "European Respiratory Journal," varicella pneumonia more commonly affects adults with chicken pox, rather...
Addison's disease is a condition marked by a lack of production of hormones--including cortisol--by the adrenal glands. Cortisol is a hormone which helps modulate the body's stress response. An acute adrenal crisis, also known as an Addisonian...
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) report that a normal term for a pregnancy is 40 weeks. Premature birth is when a baby is born at 37 weeks or earlier. There are significant risks that a premature infant may be affected...
Your breathing rate is directly related to your heart rate. As a result of this link, you can modulate your heart rate by controlling your breathing. On the other hand, in situations in which you lose control of your breathing rate, it can also...
Several classes of viruses, including influenza, RSV, corona and rhinoviruses, cause the common cold. It is more prevalent in the winter months, when close contact between people allows for person-to-person transmission. The usual mode of...
Swine influenza is the illness caused by the novel H1N1 2009 virus, or the swine flu virus. This virus affects mostly children and young adults. It spreads in the airborne droplets expelled by people when coughing or sneezing. People start...
Asthma is a condition of chronic inflammation in the lungs. The inflammation causes narrowing of the airways, which results in a characteristic high-pitched sound, called wheezing, as air tries to move out through the narrowed airways. Children...
Rapid breathing, often described as panting, is quite common in newborns. When no other symptoms are present--and rapid breathing comes and goes and the baby appears otherwise healthy and comfortable--there's usually no cause for concern. However,...
Also known as pseudoephedrine, Sudafed is a decongestant that treats nasal and sinus congestion by shrinking the blood vessels in the nose. It also helps drain fluid from your inner ears which may contribute to this congestion. While effective for...
A normal heartbeat consists of 60 to 100 beats per minute, according to Medline Plus. Irregular heartbeat, also called arrhythmia, has the heart racing, pounding or skipping beats. The effects often are felt in the chest, throat and neck. An...
Intussusception is the telescoping of one part of the intestine into another, causing a blockage. Intussusception commonly occurs in children between the ages of 5 and 9 months It is two to four times more common in boys than girls and affects 2...
L-glutamine, often simply called glutamine, the most abundant amino acid in the body, comes in two supplemental forms: an over-the-counter form often used by bodybuilders, and a prescription form used to treat gastrointestinal problems. Your body...
Anxiety is often a result of fear or stress about the future or control over one's life. There are many emotional and physical symptoms of anxiety. It may cause a patient to spend too much time involved in mentally rehashing problems and issues....
The flu or influenza is a common respiratory infection that affects children. It is a seasonal virus, causing infection between the late fall and late spring seasons. Droplets easily transmit the virus when children cough or sneeze, particularly...
Panic attacks are a type of anxiety disorder that causes the sufferer to endure periodic bouts of symptoms ranging from frightening thoughts, rapid heart beat, shortness of breath, extreme agitation and feelings of helplessness and a loss of...
Fever and vomiting are common symptoms of illness in children. Fevers are part of the body's immune system. They help fight off infections and stimulate microbe-fighting cells. Throwing up is also an indication of illness. Vomiting can lead to...
Mycoplasma pneumonia or "walking" pneumonia, is a mild atypical form of pneumonia caused by the mycoplasma pneumoniae microorganism. The National Library of Medicine (NLM) indicates that 15 to 50 percent of all pneumonia cases in adults are of...
Respiratory acidosis occurs when the central respiratory system becomes depressed and decreased breathing increases the body's acidity. To understand the role of potassium in respiratory acidosis, you must have an understanding of the metabolic...
Pneumonia is an inflammation of the lungs that's usually caused by infection with bacteria, viruses, fungi or other organisms. Pneumonia is a particular concern for older adults and people with chronic illnesses or impaired immune systems. Learn...
Medical shock is a serious circulatory condition not to be confused with emotional shock or surprise. Learn more about shock health in this health video.