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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
5 min readSep 9, 2020

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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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Elemental
Elemental

Published in Elemental

Elemental is a former publication from Medium for science-backed health and wellness coverage. Currently inactive and not taking submissions.

Victoria Maizes MD
Victoria Maizes MD

Written by Victoria Maizes MD

Executive Director, Andrew Weil Center for Integrative Medicine at the University of Arizona

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