Nijmegen Questionnaire
The Nijmegen Questionnaire (NQ) gives a broad view of symptoms associated with dysfunctional breathing patterns.
A score of over 23 out of 64 suggests a positive diagnosis of hyperventilation syndrome. If you score below 23 but have three or more in the Often and/or Very Often column, this can indicate a breathing pattern disorder rather than Chronic Hyperventilation.
Scoring:
- 0 = Never (Never)
- 1 = Rare (Monthly)
- 2 = Sometimes (Weekly)
- 3 = Often (Every other day)
- 4 = Very Often (Daily)
NB – the scoring and attached assessment sheet have been abbreviated with permission from the author by BradCliff - for ease of scoring and clarity around symptoms.
Symptom | Never | Rare – 1 | Sometimes – 2 | Often – 3 | Very Often – 4 |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Chest Pain | 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 |
Feeling Tense | 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 |
Blurred Vision | 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 |
Dizzy Spells | 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 |
Feeling Confused | 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 |
Faster/Deeper Breathing | 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 |
Short of Breath | 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 |
Tight Feelings in Chest | 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 |
Bloated Feeling in Stomach | 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 |
Tingling Fingers | 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 |
Unable to Breath Deeply | 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 |
Stiff Fingers or Arms | 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 |
Tight Feelings around Mouth | 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 |
Cold Hands or Feet | 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 |
Palpitations | 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 |
Feelings of Anxiety | 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 |
Breath holding and i-hunch postures affect your breathing.
It only takes 24 hours to change a pattern for it then to potentially become habitual.
- Emails, Twitter, Facebook, iPhones
- Average office worker 120+ emails a day. Screen apnoea is real.
- Disembodiment / withdrawal / 'eat stress'
- Eyesight deterioration / postural changes
For Better Breathing for Better Health
For well-researched physiotherapy-based treatment options, favouring skills, not pills – Find a CLINIC to locate your nearest certified BradCliff practitioner.