Your Most Powerful Pain Relief Tool? It Might Just Be Your Breath
The Breath-Spine Connection: What the Latest Research Says About Breathing for Neck and Back Pain Relief
Evidence-Based Insights for Chiropractic Patients
OrthoIllinois Chiropractic is committed to sharing the latest research to help you get the best results from your care — and one of the most exciting recent findings involves something you do around 20,000 times a day: breathing.
When you think about dealing with neck or back pain, breathing might not be the first thing that comes to mind. The science, however, tells a different story — one where your breathing pattern plays an astonishingly significant role in pain levels, muscle tension, and spinal health.
THE NECK PAIN CONNECTION
Research published in Complementary Therapies in Medicine in 2025 showed that a dedicated breathing exercise program led to meaningful improvements in pain and physical function for neck pain sufferers. (1) Participants also demonstrated measurable improvements in their breathing patterns, suggesting a meaningful association between how we breathe and how our neck muscles function. Poor breathing mechanics — such as shallow chest breathing — can overwork the accessory muscles of the neck and upper shoulders, furthering chronic tension and pain. Learning to breathe with the diaphragm gives those overworked neck and shoulder muscles a chance to rest, allowing the body to rediscover more natural, pain-free movement. Your McHenry chiropractor knows it takes time and is here to go along that path with you.
BREATHING AND LOW BACK PAIN
The diaphragm has a dual purpose — yes, it drives every breath you take, but it is also one of the body's main muscles for supporting and stabilizing the spine. A 2025 systematic review and meta-analysis by Chen and colleagues in the Journal of Back and Musculoskeletal Rehabilitation confirmed that breathing exercises can successfully lower pain intensity and disability in people with chronic non-specific low back pain. (2) When the diaphragm contracts correctly, it increases intra-abdominal pressure, which helps stabilize the lumbar spine — much like a natural internal brace. Patients who practice diaphragmatic and controlled breathing exercises may experience less strain on the structures of the lower back during daily activities.
BROADER EVIDENCE FOR SPINAL PAIN RELIEF
Van Wesemael and colleagues cast a wide net in their 2025 Clinical Rehabilitation review, analyzing the impact of breathing interventions on spinal pain across a broad range of patient groups and conditions. (3) Rather than standing alone, breathing techniques demonstrated the most promise when used alongside established chiropractic treatments like spinal manipulation and soft tissue therapy. As part of a well-rounded chiropractic care plan, breathing exercises may help patients get more out of their treatment and maintain results longer. The goal of care at OrthoIllinois Chiropractic is to get the most out of your treatment plan!
WHAT THIS MEANS FOR YOU
Breathing exercises are safe, low-cost, and can be practiced anywhere. Whether you're dealing with a stiff neck from desk work or chronic low back pain, adding guided breathing to your daily routine may intensify the benefits of your chiropractic care. Ask your chiropractor at OrthoIllinois Chiropractic whether diaphragmatic breathing or other techniques are right for your individual condition.
CONTACT OrthoIllinois Chiropractic
Listen to this PODCAST with Dr. Kurt Olding on The Back Doctors Podcast with Dr. Michael Johnson as he describes the relevance of understanding the latest in spinal research as well as the benefits of The Cox® Technic System of Spinal Pain Management.
