I am now aware that the official title for this condition is idiopathic diaphragm flutter. It results from what is called carbon dioxide rebreathing. Anything which results in disruption of normal respiration can result in the buildup of excess carbon dioxide in the lungs. My own relate, as I detailed before, to chemical coating of my upper respiratory tract and the prevention of the chemoreceptors sensing of both carbon dioxide and oxygen levels. My own pattern of the involuntary breaths is unpredictable as it is due to long term acute respiratory failure, which was originally misdiagnosed by.physicians and left untreated for seven years.
My own sudden, fluttering, intakes of breath were extremely difficult to understand given the general failure of my normal respiration due to work exposure to a chemical and resulting alkalosis. The interesting pieces of the puzzle seem to be CO2 receptors, which detects carbon dioxide in the blood and airways, as well as the ventrolateral medulla, which triggers normal respiration. Inadequate carbon dioxide presence reduces autonomic (normal) breathing. Excessive sensing of carbon dioxide, by the receptors and/or medulla, triggers sudden intakes of breath or hyperventilation. The reason that the strange intakes of breath are often mistaken for crying is that emotion also triggers this effect due to emotional response.
I also have the same problem. for a few years now and it seems to be getting more frequent. it can happen at any time with no warning whatsoever. It always attracts attention when I am in company and distresses me because it is antisocial and embarrassing. if I am lucky it is just a sharp intake of breath, but that still can attract attention as it can be mistaken as a reaction to someone's discussion.At worse it is a loud snort which sounds horrible. My father used to suffer the same infliction. I am a 43 year old male. I can best describe it as an involuntarily sharp intake of breath, which doesn't feel anything like a hiccup. More a hiccup without the immediate halt of inhalation.
I too have this annoying gasp air intake. It happens about 8 to15 times a day. I don't know what to do. It started a year ago, after a sereve heartburn attack. I kept thinking it had to do with GERDS but cant find anything to back it up. I can bearly discribe the sound. But Each time I am taking in air and a sound of E comes out. Very embarrassing. I do know when I am conflected with stress it comes on more. Plus if I bend over to pick something up I sometimes vomit. I am so tired of this and Im only 39.
December 9th, 2009 Hope you have started to feel the benefit of voluntary breathing.You may want to do the other pranayam techniques, so I have described them here, and will help you stay healthy.Come back to report your progress, so others may benefit.
You need to help your body to build up your immune system.The breathing exercises - pranayam is a holistic approach creating extra oxygen supply in the body and will slowly help with the health problem.Do the pranayam to see the benefits.If you feel tired or dizzy stop, and resume after one minute.Build up your timing slowly and after two weeks at the suggested duration you will start to notice benefits.
Bhastrika - Take a long deep breath into the lungs(chest not tummy) via the nose and then completely breathe out through the nose.Duration upto 5 minutes.
Kapalbhati -(Do it before eating) Push air forcefully out through the nose about once per second. Stomach will itself go in(contract in). The breathing in(through the nose) will happen automatically. Establish a rhythm and do for 15 to 30 minutes twice a day. Not for pregnant women. Seriously ill people do it gently.
Anulom Vilom - Close your right nostril with thumb and deep breath-in through left nostril
then – close left nostril with two fingers and breath-out through right nostril
then -keeping the left nostril closed deep breath-in through right nostril
then - close your right nostril with thumb and breath-out through left nostril.
This is one cycle of anulom vilom.
Repeat this cycle for 15 to 30 minutes twice a day.
You can do this before breakfast/lunch/dinner or before bedtime or in bed.Remember to take deep long breaths into the lungs.You can do this while sitting on floor or chair or lying in bed.
Bhramri Pranayam -Close eyes. Close ears with thumb, index finger on forehead, and rest three fingers on base of nose touching eyes. Breathe in through nose. And now breathe out through nose while humming like a bee.
Duration : 5 to 20 times
Only by doing you will benefit and will feel good that you can do something to help the body.Copy and print this to master the technique.This is simplified pranayam for everyone and you do not have to go to classes to learn. This is for life unlike short term classes where you do it in the class then stop when classes are over.
I, too, have had a year of battling with a harsh cough that started last Christmas 2008. I was treated for pneumonia in September but the cough persisted. Went for ex-rays which didn't show anything. Finally, I was treated for bronchitis and given Pulmicort. I have found some relief although it has not cleared completely. I was and am going through a great deal of stress. I began these involuntary gasps of breath during the summer and they are exactly how you describe. My doctor suggested that my lungs weren't getting enough oxygen and it was the brain's way of telling them to get more. I believe this to be the case as I don't always feel like I'm getting a full breath and when the bronchitis was severe, I definitely was not able to get the feeling of a deep breath to the bottom of my lungs. I am going to start practicing deep breathing, as suggested, in the morning and hope this will rid me of the problem. It is scary for me and my family.
The brain and body need oxygen all the time.If you do deep breathing for 5 minutes every morning, this involuntary breathing will stop. Also do pranayam regularly to stay healthy.The brain forces you to take a deep breath to get the oxygen it needs.When under stress, a person does not breath enough.
I too have this problem of taking an involuntary deep breath every 7-8 minutes or so, has anyone come up with an answer as it is concerning me and my doctor has no idea what is causing it?
I, too, would like to know if anyone has figured out what this is.I am not satisfied that it is "like yawning"....