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To deep breathe correctly, you must use your abdominal muscles, as well as your chest muscles.
- Breathe in through your nose as deeply as possible.
- Hold your breath for five to 10 seconds.
- Let your breath out through your mouth, slowly and completely. As you breathe with pursed lips (like blowing out a candle), your stomach should be going in. Breathe out twice as long as you breathe in.
- Rest and then repeat these steps with 10 repetitions.
Before and after surgery, your nurse will teach you how to use an incentive spirometer. This is a hand-held breathing exercise device to help you inflate your lungs after surgery. This will help keep your lungs healthy after surgery.
Author: Sushanta Kumar Ghosh, Physiotherapy Specialist, DIU Medical Center.