What is Nitric Oxide?

Nitric Oxide is Produced in the Nasal Cavity and the Paranasal Sinuses when we breathe through the nose. Nitric Oxide is carried through the nose into our lungs. Inside the lungs the Nitric Oxide acts as a bronchodilator which in effect opens the airways.

Some of the amazing benefits of Nitric Oxide include sterilizing the incoming air, redistributing the blood through the lungs, and acting as a vasodilator for the blood vessels in the lungs.

To harness the great benefits of Nitric Oxide in the body we just must breathe through our nose. It sounds simple, right? However, if a person has developed a lifetime of mouth breathing, it isn't as simple as it sounds. It will take time, dedication, and myofunctional therapy to make this important life changing transition.

The nose is anatomically designed for breathing. It is within our paranasal sinuses during nasal breathing that nitric oxide is produced. Nitric Oxide allows for better oxygen utilization in the body and plays several important roles including decreasing blood pressure and inflammation in arteries, acting as a bronchodilator to open the airways, immune defense, memory and learning, and much more. Nitric Oxide also sterilizes the incoming air and redistributes the blood through the lungs.

As discussed earlier, mouth breathing can contribute to poor absorption of nutrients during the digestion process. Those who breathe through their mouths tend to have a stimulated sympathetic nervous system ("fight or flight" response) which encourages shallow breathing. Nasal breathing, on the other hand, stimulates the parasympathetic system ("rest and digest") and allows for deeper, more efficient breathing.

To reap the amazing benefits of Nitric Oxide in the body we just must breathe through our nose. It sounds simple, however, if a person has developed a lifetime of mouth breathing, it isn't as simple as it sounds. It will take time, dedication, and myofunctional therapy to make this life-changing transition.

For an evaluation contact a myofunctional therapist to determine if further evaluation of airway is needed, and to then help correcting poor breathing patterns if needed.