ERS: Pursed-Lip Breathing, Laughter Therapy Aid COPD Outcomes

TUESDAY, Sept. 8, 2026 (HealthDay News) — Pursed-lip breathing exercises (PLBE) and laughter therapy (LT) significantly reduce dyspnea severity and improve health status in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), according to a study presented at the annual congress of the European Respiratory Society, held from Sept. 5 to 9 in Barcelona, Spain.

Goncagul Aldan, Ph.D., from Hacettepe University in Ankara, Turkey, and colleagues examined the effects of PLBE and LT on dyspnea severity, health status, and care dependency in patients with COPD. The analysis included 63 participants randomly assigned to PLBE (21 individuals), LT (21 individuals), or an attention-matched control group (21 individuals) receiving face-to-face education.

The researchers found that at week 8, dyspnea scores were significantly higher in the control group than in the PLBE and LT groups (δ = 0.474; δ = 0.512). These differences persisted at week 12 (δ = 0.415; δ = 0.390). The control group also had a higher COPD Assessment Test at week 8 (δ = 0.453; δ = 0.510). There were no significant between-group differences in care dependency at any time point.

“These findings offer hope that simple, low-cost techniques which patients can practice at home — without any equipment or specialist support — may reduce breathlessness and improve daily well-being,” Aldan said in a statement.

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