I was taught many years ago (prior to the COPD tag) to lay on the back, Put a finger just below the sternum, and endeavour to push the finger up with breath alone. Try for about 5 Minutes. (have a sputum bowl handy) Most people only breathe with the top of their lungs, which is why the shoulders rise up and down. The fluids either come out or sink to the lower lungs, the latter making the condition worse. With sternum breathing the lower lungs are used pushing excess fluid out ( and allowing better breathing because the blood gets a better dose of oxygen)

Well actually I think exacerbation is the wrong word as they usually will last awhile, but as far extreme SOB and panic breathing I do the pursed lip breathing and I find that a fan blowing cool air right into my face helps as well not from a distance but pretty close up blowing :)

You purse your lips as if you were giving a kiss or blowing out a candel and blow out your air in a forceful manner slowly but with force and then repeat. What this type of breathing does is creates a back pressure too you lungs. I do it pretty much all the time while reading a book or just walking.

Just for general information. I want you all to get some himalayan pink salt very course. Use it to gargle with (very warm water in the throats after you use your inhalers and nebul.izers)...secondly get a syringe and use the water in a dropper tilt the head over and rinse out the nostrils....Now for the biggy....Go on Amazon and buy yourself some Himalayan Rock Salt flats. get someone to drill a hole in them and place them all over your house, bedroom. your sitting room they will pull down all the bacteria, dust, molds and kill them in your own home, they will not harm you in anyway. If you sleep in a dark room...go for the dark grey. Make sure you put a eat activated light bulb inside so that they work correctly and you get a little but not a lot of ambient light. The darker slabs are for the sleeping rooms and you will breath so much easier...God speed. It's Monday morning and I'm still kicking. God is good and I am holding on......I'm getting ready to get back to bed. The moon is still out and I know sleep is a healing process. God bless each of you....S'andra LaRue

RELAX....concentrate on not panicking and continue with the purse lip breathing. Push all the air out of your lungs.