Is breathwork safe with cyclical chest or shoulder pain?

Cyclical chest or shoulder pain can be a clue that endometriosis may be affecting the diaphragm or nearby nerves, so it’s reasonable to be cautious with breathwork. In general, gentle, comfortable breathing practices are more appropriate than anything that creates strain or pressure in the chest or upper abdomen.

We recommend keeping breathwork pain-free and avoiding forceful deep inhalations, prolonged breath holds, or techniques that make symptoms spike. If breathwork reliably triggers or worsens your chest/shoulder pain—especially in a cyclical pattern—reach out to our team for an evaluation so we can look for underlying causes and guide next steps.