Keeping someone alive and breathing during surgery or as a result of some other severe trauma or condition is a masterful accomplishment. From what I have gleaned from personal observation and many hours of conversations with professionals in the breathing arena, many of the other ways the medical world looks at breathing could use some fresh approaches. See "Asthma"

Pulmonary care unit members, respiratory therapists, physical therapists, and even speech pathologists are in a position to make even more significant differences in the health and welfare of their patients and clients. The ones I have spoken with are either unaware or do not have to time ti implement many safe and gentle methods of increasing patient/client breathe-ability. Many wish for new freedoms to do what they deem most beneficial. Many seem ignorant of critical life enhancing techniques and along with the curtailment of insurance company health care funding this becomes a very sad state of affairs.

Also, I understand that there is a push to amplify the potentially physically harmful steroid dosage perspective that seems to pervade the entire respiratory care industry. From my viewpoint steroids are often necessary but most beneficial when used in conjunction with a rational program of increased breathing volume strength, ease and coordination. Until these programs exist within hospitals and aftercare facilities, steroids and drugs, along with their side effects and dependencies, will be more heavily leaned upon to support breathing facilitation. In a time where the rest of the conscious world is going back to nature this seems an ominous and self defeating trend. Someone is out of touch. 

Prolonged courses of oral steroids may reduce skeletal muscles strength, including the diaphragm.

Become more aware of how YOUR breathing looks, feels and acts like. Walk your talk and breathe your breath. Let’s begin a meaningful dialogue based on internal awareness and measurable abilities. 
Mike White Breathing.com  See "Asthma"