Did You Ask About Abdominal Surgery or Injury? A Learned Disuse Risk Factor for Breathing Dysfunction

Abdominal surgery or injury may affect breathing and, if
the disturbed breathing pattern is maintained, illness may
result, as illustrated by two case examples. This report
describes the process of learned avoidance of pain through
which abdominal surgery may cause dysfunctional breathing.
This clinical note is a reminder to clinicians to ask
about abdominal surgery or injury during the intake. In
cases in which symptoms occurred months after the
abdominal surgery or injury, it may be possible to reduce
the symptoms through teaching effortless breathing.

Keywords: abdominal surgery, respiration, diaphragmatic breathing, hyperventilation, iatrogenic disease