Deep Breathing Could Help You Recover From Covid-19

Two integrative medicine physicians explain the benefits of breathing practices and qigong

Victoria Maizes MD
Elemental

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A chest x-ray shows a patient with pulmonary fibrosis. Photo: BSIP/Getty Images

Co-authored by Ann Marie Chiasson.

When examining a patient for Covid-19, we always ask about the breath. “Is it short?” “Does your chest feel tight?” “Let’s measure your oxygen saturation.” What if a secret to recovery from the virus was in the breath as well?

At the University of Arizona Andrew Weil Center for Integrative Medicine, we have been researching which evidence-based modalities may support recovery from Covid-19. As Covid-19 research is still in the early stages, we have also examined what modalities have demonstrated improvement in lung function in lung diseases with similar pathologies.

While long-term consequences of Covid-19 are still being elucidated, the concern about development of pulmonary fibrosis in patients recovering from Covid-19 is rising. This concern stems from the development of lung fibrosis seen in patients after the SARS coronavirus outbreak in 2003.

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