The effect of breathing exercises in pulmonary emphysema.

One of the few forms of treatment available for those who suffer from pulmonary emphysema is breathing exercises taught by physiotherapists. Generally, these exercises aim at assisting active expiration, teaching general physical relaxation, and increasing the efficiency of respiratory work. They require much time and effort from both the patient and his teacher, yet until recently there had been no survey of their effects. Some physicians believed them to be of real value, but others, such as Donald (1953), considered them " a convenient placebo, an indirect form of psychotherapy." Becklake, McGregor, Goldman, and Braudo (1954) recently performed lung function tests before and after physiotherapy, found no improvement, and concluded that the subjective benefits claimed by patients arose from a subconscious desire to please those who were treating them. On the other. hand, Miller (1954) reported considerable improvement in lung function after a similar investigation. The same problem was examined in the present survey.