Respiratory System Disorders and Therapy From a New - Louis Bolk ...

Abrogated Inhalation
A patient with pneumonia sometimes complains of pain, especially at the end of
inhalation. This pain generally originates in the pleura, especially when the pneumonia
has reached the periphery of the lung. The pain causes a reflex abrogation of inhalation so
that a shorter inhalation quickly becomes expiration. Inhalation is the active consolidating
phase of breathing and is accompanied by an increase in muscle tension and awareness.
Expiration leads to relaxation and a decrease in awareness. (See 3.1.2.).
The halting of inhalation indicates that the consolidating, formative tendency in the
lung is abrogated (fig.2.4.).
Table 3.6. The characteristics of breathing in pneumonia
Breathing Metabolic
changes
Reaction to
Decreased
Decreased
stimuli
reaction
to cough
stimulus
appetite
Consolidating
Abrogated
The typical
tendency
inhalation
lung shape
disappears
with exudate
Dissolving
Tachypnea
Infection and
tendency
and
tachycardia
fever
3.2.3. Muscle Tone
Hypotonic Musculature
The pneumonia patient ‘lies limp in bed’ and during physical examination, the patient
has difficulty sitting up straight. Often, the thorax is presented for auscultation with the
support of both arms and the patient wants to lie down again quickly.
The musculature is generally hypotonic. Muscle tension remains too low for vigorous