What is a diaphragm?

 frequently waking up at
The diaphragm is a muscle night
between the lungs and heart that  poorer exercise
moves air in and out when you performance
breathe.  abnormally fast breathing
When you inhale, your lungs (tachypnea)
expand and fill with air. Your You should see a doctor if you
diaphragm pushes downwards to experience any of these symptoms.
decrease pressure in the chest They can also be caused by other
cavity and allow the lungs to serious conditions.
expand. In paradoxical breathing,
the diaphragm moves upwards What causes this type of
when you inhale, and the lungs breathing?
can’t expand as much. This
prevents you from inhaling enough Paradoxical breathing is a result of

oxygen, which is important for a condition doctors call

many bodily functions. It also diaphragmatic dysfunction. This

makes it difficult to exhale carbon condition can be hard to diagnose.

dioxide, which is a waste product of Scientists aren’t entirely sure what

the respiratory system. causes paradoxical breathing or its

Depending on the severity of your underlying condition. However, the

condition, you may experience following conditions can make

health problems because you people more likely to develop

aren’t receiving enough oxygen or paradoxical breathing:

getting rid of enough carbon

Obstructive sleep apnea
dioxide each time you breathe.
What are the symptoms of
This condition disrupts the inflow of
paradoxical breathing?
oxygen and exhalation of carbon
Symptoms of paradoxical breathing
dioxide. Eventually, the chest wall
are caused by poor oxygen intake.
can turn inwards instead of
They include:
outwards, which can cause
 shortness of breath, or
paradoxical breathing.
dyspnea
 excessive sleepiness, also Trauma or injury to the chest wall
known as hypersomnia
 fatigue, or exhaustion not Injury or trauma can separate your

relieved by sleeping ribs from your chest wall. This

separated section will no longer
expand when you inhale. How is paradoxical breathing
Sometimes this section can start to diagnosed?
push in, causing paradoxical
breathing. First, your doctor will ask you about
the symptoms you’re experiencing
Disruption of nerves and your medical history. They will
often run a variety of tests to
Phrenic nerves control the assess the oxygen and carbon
movement of your diaphragm and dioxide levels in your blood. They
other key muscles in your torso. can measure oxygen by taking a
Nerve damage may disrupt the blood sample or by using an
normal movement of muscles in oximeter, a small device that
your torso and cause changes in attaches to the finger.
your breathing. This can be caused Your doctor may order other tests,
by a neurodegenerative disease, including:
such as multiple sclerosis, muscular
dystrophy, and Guillain-Barre  fluoroscopy, a special type
syndrome. It can also be caused by of X-ray
lung cancer and injuries to the  pulmonary function test
chest wall.  maximal static inspiratory
pressure (MIP)
Mineral deficiency
 sniff nasal inspiratory
pressure (“sniff test”)
Deficiencies in certain minerals,
including potassium, magnesium,
A radiologist and pulmonologist
and calcium, can impact breathing.
may also ask for a variety of
For example, a low amount of
imaging tests of the torso to get a
calcium may disrupt the nervous
better understanding of what’s
system and impair breathing.
going on.

Weak respiratory muscles

 ultrasound
 chest X-ray
In some cases, the muscles that
support that respiratory pathways  electromyography of the

become weak, which disrupts diaphragm

breathing patterns. This can  computer tomography (CT

happen in neuromuscular Scan)

conditions such as multiple  magnetic resonance

sclerosis and ALS. imaging (MRI)

Source
https://www.healthline.com/health/
paradoxical-breathing#diagnosis