Diaphragmatic paralysis is uncommon. In patients where one side of the diaphragm is paralyzed, people usually have no symptoms unless they have another reason for shortness of breath (asthma, emphysema, etc.). Because a paralyzed diaphragm is higher than usual, it compresses the lung and prevents the patient from taking a normal breath. Also, when a patient breaths, the diaphragm usually moves down to pull air in to the lung. Paradoxically, a paralyzed diaphragm moves up and further compresses the lung<\/p>\n","layer_is_content_auto_columns":false,"sidebar_position":"right","widgets":[{"acf_fc_layout":"statistic","statistic":{"widget_id_base":"statistic","number":"69963d7103e7b","widget_id":"statistic-69963d7103e7b","instance":{"title":"","stat_text":"15 - 30%","stat_description":"Each diaphragm provides 15 to 30% of the lung function."},"the_widget":"Em_Widget_Statistic"}}],"layer_icon":"","layer_icon_position":"left","layer_background_color":"","layer_id":""},{"acf_fc_layout":"layer_sticky_nav_group","layer_sticky_nav_group":[{"acf_fc_layout":"layer_content_sidebar","layer_label":"Symptoms","layer_headline":"Symptoms of Diaphragmatic Paralysis","layer_intro":"","layer_content":"
Diaphragm paralysis <\/span>sometimes occurs because of damage to your phrenic nerve. <\/span>There are many situations where the phrenic nerve does not work because it was invaded, compressed, cut, including:<\/p>\n Treatment begins with an evaluation of the overall health of the patient, how much the shortness of breath impacts the patient\u2019s life, and any underlying cause for the paralysis. This is an elective operation so the symptoms need to be bad enough to justify the operation.<\/p>\n","layer_is_content_auto_columns":false,"sidebar_position":"right","widgets":[{"acf_fc_layout":"cta_button","cta_button":{"field_5a8f20316c030":{"field_5a8f212e418ee_field_5a69ec51d95e0":"","field_5a8f212e418ee_field_5a8eed2d1fd46":{"title":"Click Here for Treatment Options","url":"https:\/\/www.saintjohnscancer.org\/thoracic\/treatments\/treatment-for-paralyzed-diaphragm-diaphragmatic-paralysis\/","target":""},"field_5a8f212e418ee_field_5a8eed441fd47":"primary"},"widget_id_base":"cta_btn","number":"69963d7112ada","widget_id":"cta_btn-69963d7112ada","instance":{"title":"","display_title":"Treatment Options for Diaphragmatic Weakness"},"the_widget":"Em_Widget_CTA_Button"}}],"layer_icon":"","layer_icon_position":"left","layer_background_color":"","layer_id":""}]},{"acf_fc_layout":"layer_content_sidebar","layer_label":"","layer_headline":"Prognosis for Diaphragmatic Paralysis","layer_intro":"","layer_content":" The prognosis for unilateral paralysis is quite good, providing there is no underlying pulmonary disease. Sometimes, patients recover without any medical intervention. Patient Resources<\/a> Testimonials<\/a> The diaphragm is a crucial muscle that plays a pivotal role in breathing. It’s located below the lungs and heart and separates the chest cavity from the abdomen. When you inhale, the diaphragm contracts and flattens, creating a vacuum that pulls air into the lungs. When you exhale, it relaxes and moves upward, helping to expel air from the lungs.<\/span><\/p>\n When there is diaphragm paralysis, the muscle ceases to function effectively. This paralysis can result from several causes such as nerve damage, surgical complications, or diseases affecting the nerves or muscles. The paralysis of the diaphragm can lead to its weakness or even complete inability to contract.<\/span><\/p>\n This weakness or paralysis impairs your lung function. Since the diaphragm cannot move down normally, the volume of air that can be inhaled decreases, leading to reduced lung capacity. This can make it difficult to breathe deeply, and you may find yourself becoming easily short of breath, especially during physical activity. Additionally, because the diaphragm also aids in coughing and clearing the lungs, its paralysis can increase the risk of respiratory infections due to ineffective clearing of secretions.<\/span><\/p>\n Management of diaphragm paralysis depends on its cause and severity but may include respiratory therapies, mechanical aids like ventilators in severe cases, or surgical interventions such as diaphragm pacing or repair, depending on the specific circumstances and overall health condition.<\/span><\/p>\n The reversibility of diaphragm paralysis depends on the cause. If the paralysis is due to reversible nerve damage, such as bruising or compression of the phrenic nerve, there’s potential for recovery as the nerve heals. However, severe damage like nerve severance may require surgical interventions like diaphragm plication, which tightens the diaphragm, or diaphragm pacing, which uses electrical impulses to stimulate the nerve. Recovery is less likely if paralysis results from chronic diseases like ALS, where treatment focuses on symptom management and maintaining respiratory function. Regular medical follow-up is crucial for managing this condition effectively.<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n","layer_content":"","layer_is_content_auto_columns":false,"sidebar_position":"right","widgets":false,"layer_icon":"","layer_icon_position":"left","layer_background_color":"","layer_id":""},{"acf_fc_layout":"layer_featured_blog_items","layer_label":"","layer_headline":"Thoracic News and Health Information From Our Blog","layer_intro":"","layer_featuredblog_col_width":"quarters","layer_featuredblog_pullbycat":"blog","layer_featuredblog_selectblogcat":["thoracic"],"layer_featuredblog_selectblogauth":[],"layer_featuredblog_more_link":{"title":"Read More Thoracic Articles","url":"https:\/\/www.saintjohnscancer.org\/blog\/category\/thoracic\/","target":""},"layer_background_color":"","layer_id":""}],"int_alt_page_title":"","int_page_description":"","int_masthead_image":false,"int_page_icon":"","int_secondary_cta_override":false,"int_secondary_cta_is_hidden":false,"header_scripts":""},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.saintjohnscancer.org\/thoracic\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/544","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.saintjohnscancer.org\/thoracic\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.saintjohnscancer.org\/thoracic\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.saintjohnscancer.org\/thoracic\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.saintjohnscancer.org\/thoracic\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=544"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.saintjohnscancer.org\/thoracic\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/544\/revisions"}],"up":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.saintjohnscancer.org\/thoracic\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/524"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.saintjohnscancer.org\/thoracic\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=544"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}\n
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\nThe prognosis for bilateral paralysis also depends on the overall health of the patient but surgery may be the best option for patients who continue to have a poor quality of life.<\/p>\n","layer_is_content_auto_columns":false,"sidebar_position":"right","widgets":false,"layer_icon":"","layer_icon_position":"left","layer_background_color":"bg-gray-l","layer_id":""},{"acf_fc_layout":"layer_people","layer_label":"","layer_headline":"Doctors Who Treat Paralyzed Diaphragm","layer_intro":"","people":{"6678":{"id":6678,"title":"Richard Gillespie, MD"},"853":{"id":853,"title":"Leland J. Foshag, M.D."},"852":{"id":852,"title":"Trevan Fischer, MD"}},"layer_people_more_link":{"title":"Meet Our Thoracic Experts","url":"https:\/\/www.saintjohnscancer.org\/thoracic\/meet-our-team\/","target":""},"layer_background_color":"","layer_id":""},{"acf_fc_layout":"layer_two_column","layer_label":"","layer_headline":"Additional Resources","layer_intro":"","layer_content_left":"
\nPreparing for Your Appointment<\/a><\/p>\n","layer_content_right":"
\nEducational Webinars<\/a><\/p>\n","layer_icon":"","layer_icon_position":"left","layer_background_color":"bg-secondary","layer_id":""},{"acf_fc_layout":"layer_content_sidebar","layer_label":"","layer_headline":"Paralyzed Diaphragm FAQs","layer_intro":"What happens if the diaphragm is paralyzed?<\/span><\/h3>\n
Can a paralyzed diaphragm be reversed?<\/span><\/h3>\n