How to reduce the progression of mouth breathing?

Question

Hello doctor,

For the last one week, I am breathing through my mouth. I was told ARND six to seven years before in echo that my aorta valve is biscupid and it mildly leaks. So every one or one and half years I was doing echo and it was mild. Now yesterday, I again had an echo and the doctor said it has increased a little and now it is moderate but you can continue your cycling, etc. However, I had to breathe using my mouth and what should I do to slow down its progression further? I do not smoke and only do cycling. And I do not have a cough or fever. Kindly advise.

Answer 1

Hi,

Welcome to icliniq.cm.

Bicuspid aortic valve is the most common congenital cardiac anomaly. It usually does not cause any symptoms or complications but occasionally, it may lead to aortic dilatation and aortic regurgitation. Nothing to worry right now. Only if you have hypertension it should be controlled with medicines. Serial echocardiography is done to see the progression of AR (aortic regurgitation), AS (aortic stenosis), left ventricular size, ejection fraction, and aortic diameter. Your echo report picture was cropped so I could not completely see it but as much as I saw it was fine, nothing to do at this time (attachment removed to protect patient identity). Regarding breathing from mouth, tell me why you breathe from mouth? Either due to shortness of breath or nasal obstruction. Please follow up with the replies to the above.

Answer 2

Hello,

Welcome back to icliniq.com.

I saw your echocardiography report (attachment removed to protect patient identity). All parameters are normal which are usually sought in case of bicuspid aortic valve and AR. Your symptoms are very non specific, these also occur in AR but by looking your echocardiography, it does not seem so. One thing that you can do is visit nearest cardiologist, he will examine you, check your pulse and its character. Check your blood pressure, other signs of AR, auscultate your heart and chest to diagnose or exclude cardiac cause of symptoms. Your echo parameters are not favoring your symptoms. Mouth breathing can also be due to anxiety, which is the most common cause.