I'm in good shape. Yes I could climb three flights of stairs without breaking a sweat. Up until the last two weeks I exercise at least 5 days a week, of which 30min of a 1 hour cardio workout is on the stair machine. I monitor my heart rate during exercise to stay in the zone I want to be in. I also use the treadmill, bike, and weights. I'm accustomed to controlled breathing. So, I'm thinking perhaps it's working some chest muscles a little differently than I'm used to, particularly on the exhale. Those first 4 or 5 breaths, the uncomfortable part is more on the exhale side. It feels like its forcing me to inhale before I'm ready (before I've exhaled completely). After that, I feel the pressure gets easier. By 5 min, I don't even feel it. If I'm watching tv I forget its there at all. I assume here the body/brain just adjust to the pressure so that the lungs and ancillary organs operate efficiently given the pressure at hand. I know I'm on a low pressure, but, its very comfortable (after a few min). Wont it kick in higher on an as needed basis? My biggest problem is just getting started, putting it on and getting through those first few min. Wouldn't higher starting pressure make that more difficult? That being said, I think it's probably less to do with muscle fatigue and more due to with anxiety I'm placing on myself.Susie Kay wrote:Tdub210 wrote:My settings are 6-18. The highest it's gotten to is 8Those are very low pressures.Tdub210 wrote:at the 6 pressure, after about 5 min I don't feel a thing.
I don't see how pressures that low could cause sore breathing muscles.Pugsy wrote:you are working chest muscles that haven't been worked very much because you are exhaling against pressure.
Tdub, What kind of physical shape are you in? Could you climb the stairs in a three-story building?
Worried about extreme tightness in chest during day
Re: Worried about extreme tightness in chest during day
Re: Worried about extreme tightness in chest during day
I need to clarify a few things. Right now I'm "practicing." I put the mask on and started it up. The first 5-10 breaths are the tough ones. I'm thinking my system is calibrating itself to the new pressure. Definitely the strain is on exhaling. Inhale is comfortable. At about 1 min the breaths smooth out and the mask is hardly moving. Just a very slight throb with each exhale. At 4 min mask barely moves if at all and I'm breathing very comfortably and in a normal breathing rhythm. I'm even breathing through my nose and I'm a mouth breather. So, I'm fairly convinced it's all mental anxiety.
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ChicagoGranny
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Re: Worried about extreme tightness in chest during day
Given this,
The machine is not "calibrating itself" during this time. You are trying to "calibrate" your breathing, and that is causing the problem. Forget it and let your involuntary breathing functions take over. How many days have all of us gone without thinking once about our breathing? We can breathe without thinking about it. Let that happen, and you won't have problems.
(Now when you are lifting weights, make sure to breathe out when lifting and breathe in when lowering. But I am sure you already knew that.)
I will say you are right, it is not the muscles used in breathing and instead is,Tdub210 wrote:Yes I could climb three flights of stairs without breaking a sweat. Up until the last two weeks I exercise at least 5 days a week, of which 30min of a 1 hour cardio workout is on the stair machine. I monitor my heart rate during exercise to stay in the zone I want to be in. I also use the treadmill, bike, and weights. I'm accustomed to controlled breathing.
Tdub210 wrote:I think it's probably less to do with muscle fatigue and more due to with anxiety I'm placing on myself.
Those first breaths are where you are anxious and you are concentrating on breathing. At minute 4, you have relaxed and forgot about breathing.Tdub210 wrote: The first 5-10 breaths are the tough ones. ... At 4 min ... and I'm breathing very comfortably and in a normal breathing rhythm.
The machine is not "calibrating itself" during this time. You are trying to "calibrate" your breathing, and that is causing the problem. Forget it and let your involuntary breathing functions take over. How many days have all of us gone without thinking once about our breathing? We can breathe without thinking about it. Let that happen, and you won't have problems.
(Now when you are lifting weights, make sure to breathe out when lifting and breathe in when lowering. But I am sure you already knew that.)
"It's not the number of breaths we take, it's the number of moments that take our breath away."
Cuando cuentes cuentos, cuenta cuántas cuentos cuentas.
Cuando cuentes cuentos, cuenta cuántas cuentos cuentas.
Re: Worried about extreme tightness in chest during day
ChicagoGranny wrote:Given this,I will say you are right, it is not the muscles used in breathing and instead is,Tdub210 wrote:Yes I could climb three flights of stairs without breaking a sweat. Up until the last two weeks I exercise at least 5 days a week, of which 30min of a 1 hour cardio workout is on the stair machine. I monitor my heart rate during exercise to stay in the zone I want to be in. I also use the treadmill, bike, and weights. I'm accustomed to controlled breathing.Tdub210 wrote:I think it's probably less to do with muscle fatigue and more due to with anxiety I'm placing on myself.Those first breaths are where you are anxious and you are concentrating on breathing. At minute 4, you have relaxed and forgot about breathing.Tdub210 wrote: The first 5-10 breaths are the tough ones. ... At 4 min ... and I'm breathing very comfortably and in a normal breathing rhythm.
The machine is not "calibrating itself" during this time. You are trying to "calibrate" your breathing, and that is causing the problem. Forget it and let your involuntary breathing functions take over. How many days have all of us gone without thinking once about our breathing? We can breathe without thinking about it. Let that happen, and you won't have problems.
Sorry I must have wrote that wrong. I didn't mean to say the machine was calibrating, I was. And yes, I believe you're correct. Before I put it on this time I forced myself to think positively and that those first few weren't as big a deal as I made them. You're absolutely right I believe, I was anxious. So, I figure tonight should be a good night.
(Now when you are lifting weights, make sure to breathe out when lifting and breathe in when lowering. But I am sure you already knew that.)
Re: Worried about extreme tightness in chest during day
ChicagoGranny, you were 100% correct. Last night I thought about what you said as I was putting my mask on and I was almost immediately breathing normally. Thank you!! I also have no chest tightness whatsoever today.ChicagoGranny wrote:Given this,I will say you are right, it is not the muscles used in breathing and instead is,Tdub210 wrote:Yes I could climb three flights of stairs without breaking a sweat. Up until the last two weeks I exercise at least 5 days a week, of which 30min of a 1 hour cardio workout is on the stair machine. I monitor my heart rate during exercise to stay in the zone I want to be in. I also use the treadmill, bike, and weights. I'm accustomed to controlled breathing.Tdub210 wrote:I think it's probably less to do with muscle fatigue and more due to with anxiety I'm placing on myself.Those first breaths are where you are anxious and you are concentrating on breathing. At minute 4, you have relaxed and forgot about breathing.Tdub210 wrote: The first 5-10 breaths are the tough ones. ... At 4 min ... and I'm breathing very comfortably and in a normal breathing rhythm.
The machine is not "calibrating itself" during this time. You are trying to "calibrate" your breathing, and that is causing the problem. Forget it and let your involuntary breathing functions take over. How many days have all of us gone without thinking once about our breathing? We can breathe without thinking about it. Let that happen, and you won't have problems.
(Now when you are lifting weights, make sure to breathe out when lifting and breathe in when lowering. But I am sure you already knew that.)
I tried to just quote sections of your post, sorry for reposting the whole thing if it comes out that way.
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ChicagoGranny
- Posts: 15272
- Joined: Sun Jan 29, 2012 1:43 pm
- Location: USA
Re: Worried about extreme tightness in chest during day
Tdub210 wrote:I was almost immediately breathing normally. ... I also have no chest tightness whatsoever today.
