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
Dr. Hoang's Chiropractic Clinic believes that an informed patient is an empowered one, which is why we regularly review the latest science to guide your treatment. Most recently, 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. But a growing body of research suggests that how you breathe can have a real, measurable impact on pain levels, muscle tension, and overall spinal health.
THE NECK PAIN CONNECTION
A 2025 clinical trial published in Complementary Therapies in Medicine reported that patients with neck pain who followed a structured breathing program experienced significant reductions in both pain and disability. (1) Participants also showed 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, contributing to 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 Montreal chiropractor knows it takes time and is here to move along that path with you.
BREATHING AND LOW BACK PAIN
Far more than just a breathing muscle, the diaphragm is a critical player in the stability and support of your whole 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 effectively lower pain intensity and disability in people with chronic non-specific low back pain. (2) When the diaphragm contracts properly, 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 feel less strain on the structures of the lower back during daily activities.
BROADER EVIDENCE FOR SPINAL PAIN RELIEF
A wide-ranging 2025 review published in Clinical Rehabilitation gathered evidence from multiple studies to examine how breathing interventions perform across different types of spinal pain. (3) Their findings position breathing exercises as a powerful complement to the kind of hands-on care — such as spinal manipulation and soft tissue work — that sits at the heart of the chiropractic treatment at Dr. Hoang's Chiropractic Clinic. 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 Dr. Hoang's Chiropractic Clinic 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 amplify the benefits of your chiropractic care. Ask your chiropractor at Dr. Hoang's Chiropractic Clinic whether diaphragmatic breathing or other techniques are right for your own condition.
CONTACT Dr. Hoang's Chiropractic Clinic
Listen to this PODCAST with Dr. Kurt Olding on The Back Doctors Podcast with Dr. Michael Johnson as he details the relevance of understanding the latest in spinal research as well as the benefits of The Cox® Technic System of Spinal Pain Management.
