Pursed-Lip Breathing
Pursed-Lip Breathing
Pursed-lip breathing can help you get more oxygen into your lungs when you are short of breath. When you start to feel short of breath, use pursed-lip breathing to control your breathing. Breathing in through the nose and exhaling through pursed or closed lips makes breathing easier. You can practice breathing this way anytime, anywhere. For example, if you are watching TV, practice during the commercials. Try to practice several times a day. Over time, pursed-lip breathing will feel natural.
Home care
Practice these steps every day so that you'll know how to do pursed-lip breathing when you have shortness of breath.
Sit in a comfortable chair.
Relax the muscles in your neck and shoulders.
Breathe in slowly through your nose while counting to 2.
Hold your lips together as if you are trying to whistle or blow out a candle.
Breathe out slowly and gently through your pursed lips while counting to 4.
Repeat the above steps as needed.
Use pursed-lip breathing to prevent shortness of breath when you do things such as exercising, climbing stairs, and bending or lifting. Breathe out during the difficult part of any activity, such as when you bend, lift, or reach. Always breathe out for longer than you breathe in. This allows your lungs to empty as much as possible. Never hold your breath when doing pursed-lip breathing.
Follow-up care
Make a follow-up appointment as directed by our staff.
When to call the healthcare provider
Call your healthcare provider right away if you have any of the following:
Shortness of breath, wheezing, or coughing
Increased mucus; yellow, green, or bloody mucus
Fever of 100.4°F (38°C) or higher, or as directed by your healthcare provider
Tightness in your chest that does not go away with rest or medicine
An irregular heartbeat
Swollen ankles
Updated:  
October 09, 2017
Sources:  
Holland, AE. Breathing Exercises for Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews. 2012;10:1-90.
Reviewed By:  
Berry, Judith, PhD, APRN,Blaivas, Allen J., DO,Pierce-Smith, Daphne, RN, MSN, CCRC