Inhalation


Inhalation happens when air or other gases enter the lungs.

Inhalation of air

Inhalation of air, as part of the cycle of breathing, is a vital process for all human life. The process is autonomic and does not need conscious control or effort. However, breathing can be consciously controlled or interrupted.
Breathing allows oxygen to enter the lungs, from where it can be absorbed into the bloodstream.

Other substances – accidental

Examples of accidental inhalation includes inhalation of water, smoke, food, vomitus and less common foreign substances.

Other substances – deliberate

Recreational use

Legal – helium, nitrous oxide
Illegal – various gaseous, vaporised or aerosolized recreational drugs

Medical use

Diagnostic

Various specialized investigations use the inhalation of known substances for diagnostic purposes. Examples include pulmonary function testing and diagnostic radiology.

Therapeutic

Gases and other drugs used in anaesthesia include oxygen, nitrous oxide, helium, xenon, volatile anaesthetic agents. Medication for asthma, croup, cystic fibrosis and some other conditions.

Mechanism

Inhalation begins with the contraction of the muscles attached to the rib cage; this causes an expansion in the chest cavity. Then takes place the onset of contraction of the diaphragm, which results in expansion of the intrapleural space and an increase in negative pressure according to Boyle's law. This negative pressure generates airflow because of the pressure difference between the atmosphere and alveolus.
The inflow of air into the lungs occurs via the respiratory airways. In health, these airways begin with the nose. It is possible to begin with the mouth, which is the backup breathing system. However, chronic mouth breathing leads to, or is a sign of, illness. They end in the microscopic dead-end sacs called alveoli) are always open, though the diameters of the various sections can be changed by the sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous systems. The alveolar air pressure is therefore always close to atmospheric air pressure at rest, with the pressure gradients that cause air to move in and out of the lungs during breathing rarely exceeding 2–3 kPa.
Other muscles that can be involved in inhalation include:
Hyperinflation or hyperaeration is where the lung volume is abnormally increased, with increased filling of the alveoli. This results in an increased radiolucency on X-ray, a reduction in lung markings and depression of the diaphragm. It may occur in partial obstruction of a large airway, as in e.g. congenital lobar emphysema, bronchial atresia and mucous plugs in asthma.

Yoga

Yogis such as B. K. S. Iyengar advocate both inhaling and exhaling through the nose in the practice of yoga, rather than inhaling through the nose and exhaling through the mouth. They tell their students that the "nose is for breathing, the mouth is for eating."