However, if a person has to use accessory muscles to breathe while they are resting, this is a sign that they are not getting the oxygen their body needs. They may need medication, extra oxygen given through a mask, or even emergency medical treatment to help them breathe normally. For example, people with asthma or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) often use an inhaler when they have trouble breathing. The inhaler puffs a medicine like albuterol down into the windpipe and into the lungs. This makes the air passages wider and helps the person breathe better than they could before.