Breathing Pattern Disorders
 

Better Breathing For Better Health


Joanne Eames is a physiotherapist and a certified Bradcliff practitioner working at Focus Health's Havelock North clinic for the Hawkes Bay region.

The Bradcliff Method is a Physiotherapy-based programme developed to treat Breathing Pattern Disorders and Hyperventilation Syndrome.The techniques taught are in association with "Breathing Works" Clinic in Auckland.

One in ten people, worldwide, experience some form of breathing pattern disorder or chronic over-breathing at some time in their lives. The Bradcliff method is a drug-free option to help with this condition.

  • Have you ever experienced any of these breathing difficulties?
  • Frequent sighing and yawning
  • Feelings of "Air hunger"
  • Disturbed sleep
  • Achy muscles and joints
  • Feeling anxious and uptight
  • Pins and needles
  • Upset gut/nausea
  • Irritability 
  • Shattered confidence
  • Breathing discomfort* 
  • Dizzy spells* or feeling “spaced out”
  • Chest Pains*
  • Erratic heartbeats*
(*) see your doctor if you experience these symptoms

Worry over these symptoms may lead to further over-breathing and a vicious cycle is established.

There are many triggers to breathing disorders:

  • Anxiety or low-grade chronic depression
  • Insomnia or broken sleep
  • Asthma, COPD, chest infections ,Brochiectasis
    		•
  •  Hormonal changes
    		•
  • Anaemia
  •  Post-operative or injury problems
    		•
  • Chronic pain-physical or Emotional
  • Stress and or fatigue
  • Postural stress
  • Post viral infection
  • Mouth breathing/nasal and sinus problems
  • Tight clothing
    		•

     

    Check if your symptoms might be breathing related - take this quick test.

    Treatment involves

    • Breathing retraining,
    • Nasal hygiene,
    • Relaxation and stress management techniques,
    • Postural correction and muscle stretches,
    • Speech/breath advise,
    • Moucous clearance techniques, Asthma, COPD and Bronchiectasis management.,
    • Enhanced sport performance.

    For well researched physiotherapy based treatment option, favouring skills not pills, request an appointment with Jo Eames.

    First consultation is 1 hour followed by ½ hour session a week later and up to four other sessions over the next three months.

    Learn more:

    Read Focus Health article: Do You Breathe Correctly?

    Latest News:

    Chronic hyperventilation/ over-breathing is a subtle disorder. It affects people of all ages and stages causing a puzzling array of symptoms. It also causes a lot of anxiety and physical distress if it fails to be diagnosed. Read what Grant Amos, Fear of Flying course guru, says about New Zealanders and their breathing in a recent Sunday Times article by course participant Steve Kilgallon.
    http://www.stuff.co.nz/sunday-star-times/features/5292727/Terror-at-35-000-feet

    "Yes, Amos assures me, 100% of bad fliers are bad breathers. Yep, bad at breathing. He believes New Zealanders are the world's worst breathers. We are lazy, shallow breathers – which is fine, until pressure and stress causes hyperventilation. He tests us all. None of us breathe correctly."

    Learning all about breathing is a fascinating process. And it's not as simple as you think. Learning how (and why) to breathe properly, using the right muscles and physiologically balanced patterns can literally be a life-changing experience. Many people have said so.

     

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    Focus Health Physiotherapy - 3 Clinics in Hawkes Bay
    Napier - Hastings - Havelock North