Paradoxical Breathing
Paradoxical Breathing
The normal movement of the diaphragm (i.e., down in inspiration, causing outward abdominal wall movement) may be reversed (paradoxical) in conditions which cause diaphragm weakness (i.e., inward abdominal wall movement on inspiration), e.g., Guillain-Barré syndrome, acid-maltase deficiency, phrenic nerve injury, hence paradoxical abdominal movement, abdominal paradox, paradoxical breathing, or paradoxical diaphragm movement. This may be detectable clinically or by X-ray screening of the diaphragm. Vital capacity is lower when lying compared to standing. Paradoxical diaphragm movement is a potentially alarming sign since it may indicate incipient respiratory failure.
The term paradoxical breathing may also be used to describe thorax and abdomen moving in different directions when breathing, as with increased upper airway resistance.
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