UK Doctor Shares Breathing Technique That Could Help Alleviate COVID-19 Symptoms In Early Stage

The novel coronavirus, as we all know, is an acute respiratory illness with symptoms like intense coughing episodes and troubled breathing. Over the past few weeks, we¡¯ve heard of several patients across the globe sharing their terrifying accounts, describing how the infection worsens with each progressing day.

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While all of these cases can be terrifying, one doctor from the UK has offered all of us a sense of relief with a breathing method. Dr Sarfaraz Munshi, who works at Queen's Hospital in Romford, said the practice is used on intensive care patients but can help anyone fight off infection.

In a viral YouTube video, he attributes the creation of the technique to his colleague Sue Elliot, a director of nursing uses the techniques regularly with patients in the intensive care unit.

Dr Sarfaraz Munshi, urgent care lead at Queen's Hospital, has shared a breathing technique which could help relieve the symptoms of COVID-19.

Serious complications and death due to COVID-19 are largely due to the virus impacting the respiratory system, including the functioning of the lungs, so for people facing early symptoms Dr Sarfaraz Munshi recommends the following breathing exercise:

1. The doctor explains that all you need to do is take five deep breaths in and hold each one for five seconds.

2. After the fifth exhale, take a deep breath and hold it again for five seconds after which you have to a big cough to push out the air from your lungs, whilst covering your mouth.

3. Repeat the drill a few more times and lay down flat on your belly with the pillow as a support in the front.

In the video, Dr Sarfaraz Munshi goes on to explain that complication and death due to COVID-19 are largely due to the virus impacting the respiratory system, including the functioning of the lungs.

He said: "Please remember, and this is the important part, lying in bed for prolonged periods on your back will close off the small airways. You've got to understand, the majority of your lung is on your back, not on your front, so, by lying on your back you're covering off more of the smaller airways."

In the video he explains, "this is not good during a period of infection and can lead to atelectasis. This can then lead to a secondary pneumonia that can make your condition deteriorate much further - bearing in mind the patients that are deteriorating are deteriorating because of respiratory problems."

It must be remembered that our lungs are at the back, lying down flat on our backs can obstruct breathing.

Please watch this doc from Queens Hospital explain how to relieve respiratory symptoms. For last 2 weeks I've had all symptoms of C19 (tho haven't been tested) & did this on doc husband's advice. I'm fully recovered & technique helped a lot.https://t.co/xo8AansUvc via @YouTube

¡ª J.K. Rowling (@jk_rowling) April 6, 2020

Praising the breathing technique, Rowling said it helped her recover from a suspected case of the coronavirus. "For last 2 weeks I've had all symptoms of C19 (tho haven't been tested)," Rowling said on her Twitter account. She also shared a video of a breathing technique that she said had helped her manage her worst symptoms and had been recommended by her husband, who is a doctor in the U.K.