The Breather Reviews
The Breather is a respiratory training device developed by PN Medical out of Cocoa Beach, FL.
The company has been working for decades in the field of cardiopulmonary research, education, and product development. Their stated goal is to provide drug free therapies for those dealing with a variety of respiratory issues.
They also provide tools to help with the process of Respiratory Muscle Training (RMT) to help strengthen breathing.
With many people suffering from negative long term effects of Covid breathing devices are growing in popularity.
Below we take a look at some of the company’s claims to see if The Breather can really help with breathing difficulties or aid you in reaching your athletic pursuits.
How Does The Breather Work?
This plastic device lets users work on their breathing in a controlled and incremental approach. The training exercises use escalating levels of breath resistance to challenge the diaphragm and lungs.
The idea being that, just like working out any other muscles in your body, you'll develop a stronger breathing ability due to dealing with resistance.
Using the dial on the device users can independently regulate the resistance of the exhale and inhale breath allowing you to target your individual weaknesses. It has 6 inspiratory and 5 expiratory settings.
The company claims that after using their device and training program customers may experience:
- Clearer, fuller, and deeper breathing
- Better physical performance and stamina
- Improved focus & reduced stress
They go on to state that their customers benefit in two ways from following their training; an overall strengthening of the respiratory muscles along with an increased ability to clear airways.
According to the company, The Breather can be used for training by athletes & musicians/singers, or to aid with the following conditions:
- Recovery aid for Covid-19
- COPD, Stroke
- Asthma
- Congestive Heart Failure
- Parkinsons
- Muscular Dystrophy
- Ventilator/Trach Weaning
- Dysphagia
- Spinal Cord Injury
- Sleep Apena
- Hypertension
- Multiple Sclerosis
- Myasthenia Gravis
- Vocal Fold Pathalogies
The device operates solely on breathing power and requires no batteries or refills of any kind.
Does The Breather Really Work?
The advertising for The Breather states that the device is doctor & pulmonologist recommended, has an FDA registered and medical-grade design, and is 100% safe.
They also say that there are hundreds of studies supporting the use of respiratory muscle training for the aforementioned ailments.
Online research does uncover many promising studies regarding RMT, however there is a lot of data to weed through. Many studies contain small sample sizes or where done on people with specific ailments - which may not be applicable to everyone.
If you're suffering from any kind of breathing impairment it’s best to consult with your doctor before trying to self treat any conditions.
If your doctor recommends RMT treatment for you then you can discuss the potential of using a device like The Breather.
While there are studies that support some of the statements made by the company, some were slightly misleading.
For instance on their sales page there is a link titled “Gradually increasing your resistance with RMT can help you enjoy more restful sleep.” However, that study was done specifically on patients with sleep apnea, in which case it did provide improved sleep when compared to a placebo.
In general, research points to RMT having substantial potential to aid those suffering from respiratory issues brought on by disorders, as well as an athletic training tool.
It's important to note that these studies were not conducted with or tested the efficacy of The Breather specifically.
How To Use?
It’s important to follow the training outlines provided by the company to get the best results from your device. On the PN Medical website you can get access to their training protocol download, training journal, and the breather coach app.
The training videos will show how to properly use The Breather and how to follow a program that slowly builds respiratory capability.
Cost and Price Plans
1 Breather device costs 49.99
If you purchase in bulk you can save with their buy 2 get 1 free offer.
The company also sells The Breather Fit, which is spec'd towards improving athletic performance and sells for $59.99.
Customer Service
If you have any issues you can use the following contact options for reaching support:
[email protected]
Phone 877-414-4449
PN Medical, Inc
3571 S. Atlantic Ave.
Cocoa Beach, FL 32931
The company states that the product comes with a 30-day money back guarantee and has a one year warranty against manufacturer defects.
Online Customer Reviews & Complaints
The product has a many positive reviews on the company website where customer enumerate the benefits they experienced from using the product with conditions such as COPD, Asthma, and Covid recovery.
On Amazon The Breather has a 4.5/5 rating from 5,606 reviews. It’s a best seller and 'Amazon Choice' product.
However, there were some complaints on that platform regarding the quality of the device, with some customers saying the device is not very durable and eventually lost functionality.
It appears as those complaints are in the minority of experiences, with most users receiving some benefit.
Competitors and Alternatives
There are a wide range of RMT training tools available on the market, ranging from medical grade to lower cost options.
One of the cheaper options that we’ve seen is the AirPhysio. However, this unit does not have the backing of an actual medical company like that of PN Medical for The Breather.
The Bottom Line
If you are cleared by your physician for Respiratory Muscle Training, then we feel this could be a beneficial tool to help improve your breathing muscles.
The product has mostly positive reviews and there is substantial promising research to support RMT as a therapy.
Keep in mind this device is not intended to replace the use of dry powder inhalers, corticosteroid therapy, bronchodilators, or any other medical therapy or medication.
If you feel lightheaded when using it, reduce your training and do not over do it.
If you have any experience with The Breather device, please leave your reviews below.
