Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) is a progressive respiratory condition that causes airflow limitation, leading to symptoms such as dyspnea, chronic cough, and anxiety. COPD significantly affects patients' quality of life, with anxiety and breathlessness often exacerbating the disease's impact. Traditional treatments primarily focus on medication, but non-pharmacological interventions like controlled breathing techniques have gained attention for their potential benefits in symptom management.
The objective is to determine the effects of the Wim Hof Method and Box Breathing on anxiety, dyspnea, and pulmonary function (PEFR and FEV1) in patients with mild COPD, assessing which method offers greater benefits in managing these symptoms. It is a randomized clinical trial was conducted with 60 participants diagnosed with mild COPD. Participants were assigned to either the Wim Hof Method group or the Box Breathing group by simple randomization technique of computer-generated random number table. Over 8 weeks, both groups practiced their respective breathing techniques, and assessments of anxiety (State-Trait Anxiety Inventory), dyspnea (Borg Dyspnea Scale), and pulmonary function (PEFR and FEV1) were performed pre- and post-treatment. Statistical analysis included Mann-Whitney U tests and Wilcoxon signed-rank tests.
