In short, the inspiratory rise time determines the rate at which the ventilator achieves a target pressure (in pressure control and pressure support modes) or flow rate (in volume control modes). It is set in percent of the breath cycle (from 0% to 20% of the breath cycle time) orRead More →

Chewing sugar-free gum can help stimulate saliva without coating the teeth with excess sugars. Another alternative is rinsing with mouthwash to kill bacteria, remove food particles and keep the mouth moist. Other simple remedies for dry mouth include limiting caffeine and drinking lots of water. Why does my breath stinkRead More →

With neuromuscular weakness, some or all of these muscles may become tired (fatigued), making it difficult for you to breathe in and out. This weakness may cause you to take shallow breaths. Can lack of energy cause breathing problems? Heart and lung-related causes of lack of energy Lack of energyRead More →

Paul Kalanithi’s memoir, “When Breath Becomes Air,” written as he faced a terminal cancer diagnosis, is inherently sad. But it’s an emotional investment well worth making: a moving and thoughtful memoir of family, medicine and literature. It is, despite its grim undertone, accidentally inspiring. Why is it called When BreathRead More →

Swallowing problems may arise when you eat too fast and/or don’t chew your food thoroughly. Swallowing may be difficult or impossible in severe cases and may be a sign of a serious health condition. Difficulty breathing, known as dyspnea, can occur during mild or vigorous exercise or be a symptomRead More →

Also called breath-holding attacks, these spells are somewhat common and can happen in healthy children. They can look like seizures, but they’re not. The spells don’t hurt the children, and many outgrow them by age 6 or 7. They are most common in 2-year-olds. Can breath holding cause brain damage?Read More →

Bronchial breath sounds are tubular, hollow sounds which are heard when auscultating over the large airways (e.g. second and third intercostal spaces). They will be louder and higher-pitched than vesicular breath sounds. What causes bronchial breath sounds in pneumonia? Crackles occur if the small air sacs in the lungs fillRead More →