How To Strengthen Your Breathing Muscles With Copd

When living with COPD, exercising may not be the foremost thought on your mind.  However studies prove that specific exercises can strengthen your breathing muscles resulting in more powerful lung power.

According to the Journal of Applied Physiology, “strength-training maneuvers may have other associated benefits. They may not only strength train the diaphragm but also strengthen the muscles of the rib cage, abdominal wall, and upper extremities. The increase in PEmax is consistent with a strength training effect on the expiratory muscles of the rib cage and abdomen. The small increase in biceps muscle circumference is consistent with strengthening of the upper extremity muscles. Because the muscles of the rib cage, upper extremity, and abdominal wall are often recruited during breathing in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), training with these maneuvers may provide more benefit than training maneuvers that target the inspiratory muscles alone (18).”

Pulmonary rehabilitation therapy often finds the most successful outcome is by teaching patients correct breathing techniques combined with strengthening the muscles that enable you to breathe. Exercise is essential because the less active you are, the weaker your muscles get.  Weak muscles need MORE oxygen and this causes a chain reaction of being short of breath.  By practicing a sound exercise program, a good nutrition plan and a doctor’s plan of care, some patients who were on continuous oxygen therapy are able to discontinue the use of their concentrator and experience the freedom of life without being tied to a tube.

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Learn the correct way to expand your lung power in doctor recommended Functional Fitness COPD/Asthma DVD as featured on About.com.  Suzanne Andrews, a licensed Occupational therapy practitioner and host of Functional Fitness on PBS TV guides you with medically correct breathing and exercise techniques used in therapy practice to increase your lung capacity with just minutes a day. FREE preview now at: http://www.healthwiseexercise.com/shop/cart.php

Is COPD Treatable?

Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease, or COPD is a disease that refers to a collection of respiratory ailments that cause syndrome like symptoms. The conditions that fall under COPD are asthma, bronchitis, and emphysema. These conditions are considered to be COPD when the individual is suffering from one or more of them on an ongoing basis, such that their airflow is frequently disrupted or obstructed. In many cases damage caused by chronic COPD is irreversible, and this is what makes the condition chronic, and in some cases fatal. Many patients need to know that quality of life with COPD does not have to suffer. Treatment is available and proven very effective. If you suffer from asthma, bronchitis, or emphysema and are wondering if you may have COPD, read here to find out more and how to get treatment fast. An obstructed airway or airflow is the primary symptom of COPD, and this is marked by a difficulty in exhaling. Common symptoms that accompany the obstructed airflow are a dry cough, or cough that produces mucous; wheezing that occurs upon exhaling, and a shortness of breath that will come with any exertion. Individuals that struggle with bronchitis or emphysema on a consistent basis will be diagnosed with chronic bronchitis or chronic emphysema which are precursors to COPD. Chronic bronchitis is one where a cough produces mucous frequently enough that it lasts for either three months every year, or for two years consecutively. Chronic emphysema will be diagnosed when the arispaces around the bronchiole in the lungs are enlarged on a consistent basis. Bronchodilator treatments for the precursor conditions to COPD are the first weapon of defense when it comes to COPD treatment. When it comes to bronchitis and asthma, bronchodilator treatment may be enough on their own to release the obstruction of airflow and allow for comfortable breathing. Emphysema is the only precursor condition that will cause irreversible damage when it comes to COPD, but if caught early enough, the obstructed airflows in emphysema patients with bronchodilator treatment. In many cases of the more advanced COPD, additional treatment such as prednisone or steroid treatment may also help in releasing airflow obstructions. In addition, even more advanced stages of COPD may require oxygen treatment in supplemental forms. Because oxygen is a bronchodilator in itself, it can also be used in moderate COPD to ease coughing and wheezing symptoms. For patients with COPD, quality of life can be severely impaired. Many doctors along with treatment such as oxygen and prednisone will offer pulmonary rehabilitation programs to educate people on how to live effectively with this disease. This type of program will help patients plan their quality of care, and learn how to implement exercise into their treatment program. Exercise is very important for COPD sufferers to keep their cardiovascular function optimal, as well as to keep the airways clear. Pulmonary rehab programs in conjunction with prednisone and oxygen therapy have been proven to be the most comprehensive and multi-pronged treatment relief programs for people suffering from asthma, bronchitis, and chronic emphysema.

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To learn what John Scott has to say about other things and look on the things from his point of view, visit http://www.generalmeds.net/articles/prednisone-treatment.html where he frequently writes on many different subjects that you will find fascinating.
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