ABSTRACT
This chapter reviews other treatments for relief of dyspnea beyond bronchodilators and inhaled corticosteroids, oxygen therapy, and pulmonary rehabilitation. It describes the rationale and supporting evidence for other treatments such that physicians and other health-care providers can consider whether any of the interventions are appropriate for the individual patient who is experiencing dyspnea despite optimal therapy of the underlying disease. Studies have shown that pursed-lips breathing is associated with a decrease in respiratory rate and an increase in tidal volume with associated improvements in oxygen saturation. Some patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease experience marked relief of breathing difficulty when leaning forward with hands or forearms positioned on the thighs or supported on a fixed object. Music has been used as a distractive auditory stimulus to reduce perceived exertion during exercise and the perception of dyspnea. The investigators posited that music has a relaxing effect on the central nervous system, which may thereby reduce anxiety, dyspnea, and sympathetic output.
