Increasing FEV1 Capacity

[bircch00]

Is there any exercises to increase FEV1 capacity?

[bircch00]

I was interested in increasing FEV1 capacitly. The answer I received was explaing issues about heart conditions.  Thanks

[National Jewish Health]

The negative/normal cardiac testing you have had strongly suggests that you have a normal, well-functioning heart.  Extra beats are a nuisance and, of themselves, can be a source of anxiety, at times at an unconscious level.  With the exception of your having it, “...hard to physically breath in”, there is also little to suggest that your lungs are at the root of your problem.

Difficulty breathing-in is usually a symptom of upper airway obstruction in the windpipe or above, rather than in the lungs.  One of the more common causes of this is a condition called vocal cord dysfunction (VCD) a functional condition in which anatomically normal vocal cords close partially, at a time when they should be opening.  This diagnosis can be made by direct observation through an instrument called a fiberoptic laryngoscope; it can be strongly suggested by a pulmonary function measurement called an inspiratory flow-volume loop, a measurement that may or may not have been included in your pulmonary function tests (PFTs).  A rarer cause of difficulty breathing “all the way in” is the development of weakness of the inspiratory muscles of respiration.  And yet another, not uncommon cause is one that could result from anxiety about your skipped heartbeats and that is anxiety, with or without a condition called panic disorder.

Panic disorder, also called panic attacks, are characterized by apprehension, fear, or a sense of impending doom and the following symptoms:  
• Shortness of breath (dyspnea) or smothering sensations
• Dizziness, unsteady feelings, or faintness
• Palpitations or accelerated heart rate (tachycardia)
• Trembling
• Sweating
• Choking
• Nausea or abdominal distress
• Depersonalization or derealization
• Numbness or tingling sensations (paresthesia)
• Flashes (hot flashes) or chills
• Chest pain or discomfort
• Fear of dying
• Fear of “going crazy” or of doing something uncontrolled

While largely on an emotional basis, the symptoms of these attacks can be every bit as intense as those associated with physical heart disease.  Some individuals are reluctant to accept a behavioral disorder as a cause of their symptoms but it is wise to keep an open mind about this, especially when all testing is normal.

Good luck.