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
Connected 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. Yet evolving research is making it increasingly clear that your breathing pattern has a direct and measurable effect on pain, muscle tension, and the health of your spine.
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 link between how we breathe and how our neck muscles function. Poor breathing mechanics — such as shallow chest breathing — can overload the accessory muscles of the neck and upper shoulders, furthering chronic tension and pain. Diaphragmatic breathing effectively removes the strain off the muscles that have been compensating, helping to reset more balanced and healthy movement patterns over time. Your Elgin chiropractor knows it takes time and is here to go along that path with you.
BREATHING AND LOW BACK PAIN
The diaphragm is not just a breathing muscle — it plays a key role in spinal stability. 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 properly, it increases intra-abdominal pressure, which helps steady 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 support breathing techniques as a meaningful adjunct therapy, complementing hands-on care 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 Connected Chiropractic is to get the most out of your treatment plan!
WHAT THIS MEANS FOR YOU
One of the great advantages of breathing exercises is that they require no equipment, no gym membership, and no special setting — just a few minutes and a willingness to practice. Whether you're suffering 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 Connected Chiropractic whether diaphragmatic breathing or other techniques are appropriate for your own condition.
CONTACT Connected Chiropractic
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.
