Breathing difficulty?

[RLastInstallment]

Hello again! I've been thinking a lot about the problems I have concerning breathing in general. I often feel short of breath, and as I understand it, that's a fairly common thing. But, I was wondering if any of you ever just stop breathing completely? I often find myself holding my breath without purposefully/consciously doing it. When I become aware of this, it's fairly easy to begin breathing regularly again (usually much more slowly or shallowly, but easily - it's not as though I'm having difficulty drawing breath, per se... I just *don't* breathe normally).

Has anyone else experienced this?

I haven't spoken to my neurologist about this yet, it has actually managed to slip my mind every time we meet - I'll write it down for next time. I went to a chiropractor and had x-rays done, and she tried to explain to me about how subluxations in the Thoracic area can cause difficulty breathing. Has anyone ever had a change by being (carefully) adjusted? She was trying to convince me to use an applicator on my neck. I wasn't too thrilled that she was ignoring my wishes to not have my neck worked on, period. Apparently, my atlas is way out of whack (like, 20 degrees rotated). Is that normal in chiari patients? Sorry, totally off topic from my original question.

[RLastInstallment]

Thank you for your responses! Sorry I didn't get back to you right away, I was away at a horse show this past weekend. It's really amazing how differently chiari affects a person.

selmaS, I am not familiar with EDS. From what I've researched I certainly don't have any of the more extreme symptoms. I'll speak with my doctor about it and see what he says.

[desertstorm2009]

Hi, I just wanted to say I have shortness of breath along with feeling as if there is a concrete block sitting on my chest. I have had that for 12 years now and had every cardiac and other test known to man. At one point, I counted. 32 meds which I threw in the trash! They never helped me and no one ever found the cause. In Jan. of this year after having severe headaches Zit was discovered I have Chiari. My daughter had the surgery nine years ago.... You're not alone :-) Lisa

[selmaS]

  Hi and welcome to the Chiari forum,

I agree with u breathing issues are deff affected by Chiari....I have been a mouth breather and had asked if neone else had this issue along with Chiari when I first became a member here....not too many replies to say they had, but I do know I can breath thru my nose and not feel like I am suffocating like I did prior to surgery so it has helped my breathing, I still do breath from my mouth on occasion but it is more habit now then need.

[Karla1335]

I have held my breath, exactly as you described, since I was a child (I can trace my chiari symptoms back to childhood). I also think I have breathing problems related to my brain stem descending out of the skull along with my cerebellum. There are breathing functions that occur in the brain stem that determine how you draw in air.

[selmaS]

  Hi....breathing issues can be difficult as u said for those with Chiari....as for the exact issue u have I do not recall neone describing it the way u have....and I have not had that, but something similar with swallowing, I found when I went to take another sip of water I still had water in my mouth and I was sure I swallowed....very odd, and I found I did that often b4 surgery but not after.

As far as ur atlas being out, it is possible that u have EDS and ne joint can shift out of place....

U were good to stand ur ground and not allow the chiro to adjust ur neck at this time...wait for a Dr well experienced with Chiari and EDS to advise u on this first.