Masks don’t hinder breathing, anxiety does, doctor says
Doctor recommends trying different mask designs, breathing techniques
Lung conditions don’t prevent someone from safely wearing a mask, but anxiety does, says an Edmonton respirologist.
With in-person classes resuming next week, Dr. Christopher Ewing says many parents are asking whether respiratory issues such as asthma are impacted by mask use. Students in grades 4 to 12 are required to wear masks in Alberta schools to limit the spread of COVID-19 when they are unable to physically distance.
Ewing says he has assured parents that masks won’t affect their children’s breathing.
“For the vast majority of people with lung conditions like asthma, cystic fibrosis or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, masks do not impair the function of the lung,” he says. “Masks can dry out the air when you start to wear them but that’s a pretty short-lived thing.”
However, he says anxiety over wearing a mask is a legitimate medical reason to not wear one.
“Wearing a mask can be uncomfortable so people change breathing patterns unconsciously to try to make it more comfortable,” he said. “Those breathing patterns can actually give us shortness of breath. (Anxiety) is not just in people’s heads. Anxiety is a legitimate physical condition in terms of how the brain works and how the body responds to different sensations.”
Other conditions such as autism, sensory processing disorder or a history of trauma can all be considered legitimate reasons for not wearing a mask, he said.
Rashes or severe irritation caused by the mask could also be reasons not to wear one.
Mask use has become common place following mandates from the provincial and municipal governments in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Edmonton city council mandated mask use in all indoor public spaces starting Aug. 1. The city offered exemption cards with the intention of helping residents who couldn’t wear masks, however, the program ended four days after it started following widespread abuse.
Alberta’s chief medical officer of health Dr. Deena Hinshaw has strongly recommended washing hands as well as wearing masks when following physical distancing guidelines isn’t possible.
Ewing says different types of masks can have an effect on people as well.
“Some people might actually prefer cloth masks with filters or without,” he said. “I have seen some that have a little plastic structure underneath that helps keep it away from the face. Some people might actually do (better) with the medical-grade or medical-style masks like the disposable ones. Not all masks are created equal. Some people might need to try more than one before they find one that makes them comfortable.”
For those having trouble breathing in a mask, Ewing says to try what is known as box breathing, which is similar to breathing in yoga. The practise is to breathe in for two seconds, hold that breath in for two seconds, and then exhale for two seconds. He also suggests belly breathing by focusing on the diaphragm.