Did You Ask About Abdominal Surgery or Injury? A Learned Disuse Risk Factor for Breathing Dysfunction


Author: Erik Peper, PhD,1 Christopher D. Gilbert, PhD,2 Richard Harvey, PhD,1 and I-Mei Lin, PhD3

Affiliation: 1 San Francisco State University, Institute for
Conference/Journal: Biofeedback
Date published: 2015 Winter
Other:
 Volume ID: 43   ,  Issue ID: 4   ,  Pages: 173-179   ,  Special Notes: DOI: 10.5298/1081-5937-43.4.06   ,  Word Count: 94  
    Abdominal surgery or injury may affect breathing and, if

the disturbed breathing pattern is maintained, illness may

result, as illustrated by two case examples. This report

describes the process of learned avoidance of pain through

which abdominal surgery may cause dysfunctional breathing.

This clinical note is a reminder to clinicians to ask

about abdominal surgery or injury during the intake. In

cases in which symptoms occurred months after the

abdominal surgery or injury, it may be possible to reduce

the symptoms through teaching effortless breathing.



Keywords: abdominal surgery, respiration, diaphragmatic breathing, hyperventilation, iatrogenic disease