Effects of Pursed Lip Breathing Technique Versus Stacked Breathing Technique Among Chronic Bronchitis Patients

Chronic bronchitis is a non-allergic, inflammatory disease that is developed because of inflamed bronchial walls, and, is characterized by persistent cough with sputum for 3 months for 2 consecutive years at least. It affects males more than females at the age of 40 years, with increasing incidence as the age progresses. Chronic bronchitis is associated with multiple health-related issues like; dyspnea, reduced lung volumes and capacities, poor quality of life, and physical inactivity. Its clinical manifestations are coped with using the pharmaceutical approach, surgical maneuvers, and pulmonary rehabilitation. In the context of pulmonary rehabilitation, pursed lip breathing and stacked breathing are evident to deal with symptoms of chronic bronchitis and make the individuals lead a physically active and healthy life. In this research study, patients will be enrolled with strict adherence to eligibility criteria and then allocated into two groups by using the convenience sampling technique after having their written informed consent form. The participants will either receive pursed lip breathing technique or a stacked breathing technique, which will be followed by baseline treatment at every session. Both groups will be then subjected to receive intervention that will take a duration of 40 minutes every session, 30 minutes of baseline treatment, and 10 minutes of intervention, for the period of 2 weeks with the frequency of performing the intervention thrice per day. The outcomes will be evaluated by using a modified Borg scale for dyspnea, a peak expiratory flow meter for lung volumes, a pulse oximeter for oxygenation, and EuroQol; 5D-5L for quality of life. Data will be recorded at pre-treatment, on the 1st day, and post-treatment, on the 14th day. The recorded data will be then entered and analyzed using SPSS (Statistical Package of Social Sciences) version 23.


Eligibility Criteria:
Inclusion Criteria:

* Both genders will be included.
* Patients lie in the age ranges from 40 to 60 years.
* Patients diagnosed with chronic bronchitis. for more than one year.
* Patients presents with reduction in movements of chest wall, which reduces the area of entrance for air.
* Patients who have no history of usage of corticosteroids and anabolic steroid from previous three months.
* Patients do not experience severe obstruction of airflow i.e.: value of FEV1 is at 50% of the predicted value.
* Patients have no history or persistence of COVID-19

Exclusion Criteria:

* • Any recent thoracic surgeries and abdominal surgeries.

  * Patients lie at the Grade IV of modified medical research council dyspnea scale.
  * Patients who present with history of any respiratory disease from two preceding months.
  * Patients receiving any maneuvers of pulmonary rehabilitation from previous two months.
  * Patients who experience chronic respiratory failure demanding for supplemental oxygen.
  * Patients have persisting cardiac and pulmonary hypertension that interferes with compliance of intervention.
  * Patients who had other chronic respiratory diseases, new or current smoker, and had respiratory tract infection