Why Breathe Into a Paper Bag?

Who would have thought that when Francis Wolle invented the paper bag back in 1817, it would become so much more than just a sack to carry groceries? Since its inception, the paper bag has been manufactured in so many different shapes, colors and sizes, that it is difficult to imagine life without it. In fact, the little, brown paper bag that has become synonymous with lunch in school cafeterias around the world may also help to control carbon dioxide levels in your bloodstream.

Relieve Hiccups

• Hiccups are actually involuntary contractions of your diaphragm. Also, although hiccups are often associated with overeating and drinking too many carbonated beverages, underlying causes such as stroke and traumatic brain injury can also be responsible. Breathing into a paper bag is a tried and true home remedy that has stood the test of time. When the paper bag is placed over your nose and mouth, the carbon dioxide that you breathe out gets trapped in the bag. Therefore, when you breathe in, you are actually taking in the carbon dioxide that you just exhaled. Merck explains that hiccups are a result of decreased carbon dioxide in the blood stream. Breathing in the carbon dioxide in the bag helps to replenish your levels.

Stop Hyperventilating

• Hyperventilating is sometimes described as a dramatic form of breathing or "over breathing" that can be brought on by anxiety or a sense of panic. Sometimes, you may hyperventilate in response to excessive exercise or physical strain. The University of Colorado Health Pharmacy explains that the use of a paper bag can be an effective way to control your hyperventilating and stabilize your breathing. The technique is described as "re-breathing" which simply means that the air you are breathing into the paper bag is actually recycled and transported back into your body. The re-breathing raises your carbon dioxide levels, and restores your normal breathing pattern.

Asthma

• Asthma is the result of an inflammation that occurs in your bronchial tubes. The bronchial tubes carry air into your lungs and when they become constricted, breathing becomes a challenge. Asthma Care reports that an increase in carbon dioxide can reduce the hyperventilation that accompanies asthma, and increase airflow to the bronchi. Breathing into a paper bag can help to increase the flow of carbon dioxide into your lungs via the re-breathing process. However, patients who have been prescribed a long term asthma medication, or a corticosteroid inhaler, should not substitute a paper bag for the relief that asthma medications can provide.

Retinal Artery Occlusion

• Retinal artery occlusion is caused by a blockage within the central artery of the retina or the smaller arteries that branch off. This blockage can result in a decrease of oxygen flow to the eye that can eventually lead to blindness. According to Harvard Medical School, breathing into a paper bag can increase carbon dioxide levels in the blood which actually dilates the retinal arteries; allowing precious oxygen to enter the eye.

A Word of Caution

• There are times when breathing into a paper bag is not advisable. If you find that your breathing rate has increased, and suspect that you may be having a heart attack, do not reach for a paper bag to help pace your breathing. Instead, call 911 immediately. The lack of oxygen that your body will receive if you breathe into a paper bag can actually work against you; depriving your heart of oxygen that it desperately needs. The Cleveland Clinic explains that a stroke can rob your cells of precious oxygen. So, if your breathing becomes rapid due to an impending stroke, using a paper bag to control it can further deplete oxygen levels in your body.