Category: COPD

How To Beat COPD

COPD

Chronic bronchitis and emphysema (COPD) obstructs airflow through the lungs because the tissue is inflamed. Most often, COPD develops because of exposure to toxins like cigarette smoke. Asthma patients also have difficulty breathing, but their symptoms are caused by allergies or autoimmune conditions. Symptoms common both to COPD and asthma include wheezing, coughing, tightness in the chest, excessive mucus, and shortness of breath (dyspenia).

Having a diagnosis either of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease or asthma does not mean you cannot maintain a fulfilling, active lifestyle. Through fitness that focuses on improving your functional ability, you can regain your ability to live a fuller life. Functional Fitness for COPD begins with maximizing your lung capacity. Breathing exercises are therefore the foundation of your wellness plan.

In a recent study, Fedrica Campigotto MD, Luca Pomidori, PhD, Tara Man Amatya, Luciano Bernardi, MD, and Annalisa Cogo, MD researched the effects of deep, slow abdominal breathing on COPD symptoms. Patients who practiced this power breathing experienced less shortness of breath and increased oxygen absorption. (“Efficacy and Tolerability of Yoga Breathing in Patients with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease: A Pilot Study.” Journal of Cardiopulmonary Rehabilitation and Prevention, March/April 2009).

Beating COPD and asthma begins with learning how your muscles help you to breathe. Your diaphragm, which covers the lower chest area, helps you draws air into the lungs. Your abdominal muscles work with the diaphragm when you exhale. And the intercostal muscles around your ribs allow the ribcage to expand when you inhale.

Muscles that assist in breathing can be strengthened so that they function more effectively. You might think learning a new way to breathe sounds complicated. But the techniques are simple, and with practice, power breathing will come naturally. Any time COPD symptoms interrupt your ability to function; you will know how to beat them.

There are a few things all breathing exercises have in common. You will get in the habit of breathing through your nose. This is very important, because the nasal chambers help to filter air. You will always inhale and exhale slowly, filling your lungs to capacity and then emptying them completely. And functional fitness exercises should be practiced often. You can do this simple power breathing almost anywhere.

COPD and asthma symptoms need not prevent you from getting plenty of functional exercise. If exercise triggers shortness of breath, you might feel discouraged, but your powerful breathing techniques will help you stick to a healthy routine and give you a better quality of life.  Having symptoms of COPD during exercise does not mean you should stop.

Chronic bronchitis and emphysema (COPD) obstructs airflow through the lungs because the tissue is inflamed. Most often, COPD develops because of exposure to toxins like cigarette smoke. Asthma patients also have difficulty breathing, but their symptoms are caused by allergies or autoimmune conditions. Symptoms common both to COPD and asthma include wheezing, coughing, tightness in the chest, excessive mucus, and shortness of breath (dyspenia).

Having a diagnosis either of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease or asthma does not mean you cannot maintain a fulfilling, active lifestyle. Through fitness that focuses on improving your functional ability, you can regain your ability to live a fuller life. Functional Fitness for COPD begins with maximizing your lung capacity. Breathing exercises are therefore the foundation of your wellness plan.

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About the Author:

Learn the correct way to breath to increase your lung power in Functional Fitness COPD/Asthma DVD. 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 in just minutes a day. FREE preview now at: http://www.healthwiseexercise.com/shop/cart.php?target=product&product_id=16171&category_id=103
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Acute Respiratory Case Study" a Cute Exacerbation in Copd"

COPD

Evidence based case study in management of acute Exacerbations of COPD.

Introduction:

Chronic pulmonary diseases have become increasingly one of the most common chronic lung diseases and a major cause of morbidity and mortality in modern world. It is characterized by airflow limitation that is not fully reversible.

 Chronic Obstructive Disease is a leading cause of the death in the worldwide (Calverley et al, 2003). The condition can result in loss of work quality and quality of the life can be significantly effected (Barnes, 1999). In UK 27,478 men and woman die because of the chronic obstructive lung diseases and most of the death ( more than 90%) was in  the age of above 60 years old(British Thoracic Society. 2006).

Rehabilitation for patients with chronic lung diseases is well established and widely accepted as means of enhancing standard therapy in order to improve symptoms and maximise the patients function (Siafakas et al, 1995; Ries, 1990; Casaburi, 1993; Fishman, 1996). In 1974, the American College of Chest Physicians (ACCP) focused in there definition of Pulmonary rehabilitation on three important features and they suggested that Successful pulmonary rehabilitation depends on three importance features, Individuality of each case, Multidisciplinary team approach and attention to physiopathology and psychopathology of each case.

One of the main problems with COPD patient is the increase in the pulmonary secretions leading to increase in shortness of breath. These two factors affect the patient’s function and quality of life.  For exacerbation, Physiotherapy is often required to help clear secretions and reduce WOB, including non-invasive ventilation to prevent intubation (Alexandera, 2001).

There are various techniques, which can be used in physiotherapy to improve patient’s condition. The research suggests that the postural drainage is beneficial in clearing  the chest from secretions (Clarke,1989;Faling,1986), respiratory muscle relaxation manoeuvre is effective for improving the pulmonary function of pulmonary emphysema patients (Fujimoto et al, 1996), relaxation can help reduce dyspnoea and anxiety in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) patients (Louie, 2004).

Case description 🙁 case history, physical examination, and intervention)

Patient is a 67-years-old woman with acute exacerbation in Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD). She complained of increased shortness of breath with loose, non-productive cough. A febrile on auscultation, bilateral rales, rhonchus, and expiratory wheezing. Patient said she is on bronchodilators and low-dose steroid. Patient said she has been suffering from this problem since 10yrs and has been on medication since. She does not do any exercises and her general practitioner who she usually sees has never mentioned about seeing any physiotherapist. Recently during this episode of acute exacerbation, she was advised by the hospital doctor to see a physiotherapist.

The strategy in this case study used was the problem-solving model, which included following six steps;

Step 1: Patient assessment,

Step 2: defining the problem,

step3: determining the goals,

step4: identifying appropriate techniques,

Step 5: applying the techniques,

step6: re-evaluation of the patients situation(Donna,1987).     

Evaluation and assessment:

Accurate assessment is the key player of physiotherapy and forms the bases of rational practice. A Problem based assessment leads to reasoning in the pulmonary rehabilitation. As result, a thoughtful evaluation will guide to both effectiveness and efficiency  because time will be saved by avoiding unnecessary treatment (Physiotherapy in Respiratory Care An evidence-based approach to respiratory and cardiac management).

Ward reports and medical notes of the patient were evaluated to know about;

·         The past and present relevant history.

·          social history , accommodation

·         Conditions required precautions in relation to certain treatments e.g. light-headedness ,bleeding disorders or swallowing disorders

·         Recent cardiopulmonary  resuscitation to examine the X-ray in case of gastric aspiration or fracture

·         Checking for possibly of bony metastases, long-standing steroid therapy that this leads to risk of osteoporosis and checking for the history of radiotherapy over the chest. These all findings contraindicate percussion or vibration over the ribs.  

·         The patient’s experience increased shortness of breath and the assessment indicate airway secretion.

A part of the patient evaluation was subjective assessment and that was by listening to patient’s problem in her own words. Following symptoms were checked:

Respiratory symptoms by looking for the how long the symptoms been troublesome.

·         Frequency, duration, and the severity.

·         Any pain, chest pain, musculoskeletal pain or cardiac pain.

·         Checking functional limitations including the daily living.

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1989-1993 BSc. in Physiotherapy and Rehabilitation, Istanbul/ Turkey.
2002-2005 PgDep. in Pain, Queen Margrate University, Edinburgh/ United Kingdom.
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Living With COPD

COPD

One of the most common diseases that affects the aging population of California is COPD. COPD ( chronic obstructive pulmonary disease), is a progressive disease that makes it hard to breathe. “Progressive” means the disease gets worse over time. There is no cure, doctors try to treat the symptoms and relieve the patient’s discomfort. COPD can cause coughing that produces large amounts of mucus, wheezing, shortness of breath, chest tightness, and other symptoms.

To understand COPD, you need to be able to understand how the lungs work. The air that you breathe goes down your windpipe into tubes in your lungs called bronchial tubes, or airways. The airways are shaped like an upside-down tree with many branches. At the end of the branches are tiny air sacs called alveoli. The airways and air sacs are elastic. When you breathe in, each air sac fills up with air like a small balloon. When you breathe out, the air sac deflates and the air goes out.

In COPD, less air flows in and out of the airways because of one of the following reasons:

? The airways and air sacs lose their elastic quality.

? The walls between many of the air sacs are destroyed.

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Gregg Camp, of Propertyinsantacruz.com is a local realtor who sells Santa Cruz homes. He works in the Santa Cruz real estate market and specializes in Rio Del Mar beach homes
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COPD Patients are using Pulse Oximeter Technology to monitor themselves at home

COPD

COPD or also known as chronic obstructive pulmonary disorder is one of the most difficult health conditions to live with. This condition typically affects the lungs and thus creates a situation where the lungs will not operate properly. When the lungs do not operate properly then the body may actually not get enough oxygen and thus other complications will occur. As oxygen is the most important and basic aspect to life it is of critical importance to ensure that a person’s oxygen levels are at optimal healthy levels. COPD patients are particularly at risk of not getting enough oxygen in their body due to their specific illness. As such, these individuals have always been necessary to be in the hospital setting or the physician’s office so that there would a device that would measure their oxygen levels in order to determine if their body is getting enough oxygen. Unfortunately, once these individuals with COPD went home they really had now way of monitoring themselves while at home. There really existed no device that was capable of not only being mobile so that the individual can take the device anywhere they desired to go to measure their oxygen levels, but also a device that was affordable and not something that just a hospital budget was able to purchase. The device that came along and has changed the entire medical field in particular in regard to the COPD field has been the pulse oximeter.

 

A pulse oximeter is a medical and health device that is used to measure pulse rate as well as blood oxygen saturation. The way that the device works is that it uses a completely safe infrared light that passes through a person’s skin. Typically since you place your index finger inside the device the light passes through your skin and as such has the ability to measure the percentage of oxygen in your hemoglobin or your blood. This measurement is then computed in a number that is read by the individual utilizing the device. A COPD patient has to simply insert their finger inside the portable pulse oximeter device and within seconds they get a reading of their pulse rate as well as oxygen levels in the blood. This is absolutely critical to their health as they are in constant need of monitoring their oxygen levels. Because the oximeter device is extremely portable COPD patients not only can take and use this device in their home, but they can also take it anywhere that they desire to go. So lets say for example a COPD patient needs to go on vacation. Although they are on vacation they still need to monitor their health and in particular their oxygen levels. Well with the new portable oximeter devices they no longer need to worry about not being able to monitor their health. They simply take the device with them and monitor their oxygen levels wherever they desire to go and never have to worry about the fact that they are far away from their health care professional as now they have the power of vital sign monitoring in their hands.

 

 

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The highest quality pulse oximeter products can be found at http://www.pulseoximetersupply.com
 
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Will I Need Oxygen Therapy?

COPD

Each year thousands of individuals in the United States are diagnosed with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD), especially cigarette smokers. Many of these individuals will be prescribed oxygen therapy by their physician. As the population of the United States continues to age, more and more people are going to be required to use supplemental oxygen. COPD has several common signs and symptoms to alert individuals that they may have a respiratory problem. Some of the most common COPD warning signs are:

* Dyspnea (shortness of breath)

* Chronic cough

* Wheezing

* Hemoptysis (coughing up blood)

* Ankle swelling

* Unexplained weight loss or weight gain

* Confusion, slurring of speech

* Increasing morning headaches

COPD is a disease that progresses slowly and causes many changes to occur in the lungs. Narrowing of the airways and damage to the lung tissue are common occurrences for COPD patients. As the disease worsens, the lungs performance deteriorates, requiring the need for supplemental oxygen to make up for what your lungs are no longer able to do. COPD related inflammation destroys tissue in the lungs which reduce transportation of oxygen to the cells of the lungs and the transportation of carbon dioxide back out of the cells. The inflammation makes it harder for blood to get into the lungs, lowering the oxygen levels in the blood, which may result in pulmonary hypertension. The symptoms of pulmonary hypertension are shortness of breath, dizziness and fatigue.

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About the Author – Chuck Jaymes is an indoor air quality professional for
Oxygen Concentrator and
offers reviews and information about
Inogen One Portable Oxygen Concentrators
for OscarAir, Inc.
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COPD And Swine Flu Can Be Deadly

COPD

COPD And Swine Flu Can Be A Deadly Combination

Some individuals have a higher risk for complications or even death if they are infected with swine flu. Lung conditions like COPD and asthma are a few of the factors that can increase your risk. COPD sufferers have a much higher incidence of severe complications than others.

COPD, or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, is a condition that makes it hard to breathe. Most times, this disease gets worse as time goes on. The symptoms of COPD are: coughing, wheezing, shortness of breath, chest tightness, and other symptoms.

Almost 41 percent of individuals hospitalized in New York suffered from COPD, asthma, or some other lung condition. And recently, 7 swine flu deaths were reported in New York. Of those seven deaths, six of the individuals had some sort of lung disease. If you are afflicted with COPD you should speak with your doctor and ask him if he recommends any special precautions regarding the swine flu, even before an outbreak occurs in your area.

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For further info on copd and swine flu, download my guide on How To Reduce Your Risk of Swine Flu Infection By 98%. You can download my complete system at Asthma and Swine Flu!
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COPD Symptoms Diagnosis – What Is The Whole Procedure For Diagnosis

COPD

There are many people who may experience various medical conditions.  in the case of COPD, it’s vital to get COPD symptoms diagnosis from specialists who can conduct breathing tests.  But of course, it doesn’t mean that they will only do the test on their patients.  It’s also important for them to take note of the patient’s full medical and family history to note whether someone from their family also had pulmonary problems.  After this assessment, they may subject the patient to physical examinations just to see if there are abnormal growths on the lungs.  From this point onward, they would ask the patient to have the blood testing and undergo imaging systems like X-rays.  Once everything has been performed, the patient may start doing the breathing tests to their patients.

If you’re not familiar with the breathing tests done in COPD symptoms diagnosis, spirometry is used in order to take note the shortness of breathing and is useful in diagnosing this condition.  To do this procedure, what you need to do is to take a deep breath and get as much air as you can.  after taking as much air as you can, exhale on a mouth piece connected to a tube.  This tube is connected to the computer in order to measure your breathing.  This technique is simple but it can be a great help in knowing whether you have COPD or not.

The computer would display the volume of air that you’ve exhaled.  With the help of this COPD symptoms diagnosis procedure, you and the physician would know the extent of your lungs’ damage caused by COPD.  Typically, the symptoms caused by COPD are something similar to what other pulmonary diseases but this diagnosis would help you know whether your lungs are really inflamed or not.  if it’s inflamed due to COPD, your physician will help you in managing symptoms but it will not be treated even with all the approaches used.  If you want to know more about COPD in details, you’ll now find a lot of online resources that will help you know more about it while you can also ask your physician personally to get direct information.

 

 

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Want to know more about COPD symptoms diagnosis? Visit Michael Harrah’s site at http://www.copdsymptoms.net/ now to learn more exciting information.
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Getting to Know Copd

COPD

COPD stands Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease, here we go another disease for the drug companies to capitalize on. So what the heck is this COPD anyway?

COPD (Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease) is a progressive disease that keeps your lungs from functioning normally. It is characterized by a gradual loss of lung function. The airways in your lungs are blocked, and breathing takes more effort. You may have started to limit your activities due to shortness of breath. Without proper diagnosis and treatment, you may become less able to do for yourself and be more dependent on others.

Currently in the United States, more than 36.1 million adults are afflicted with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD)

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Visit Don Richardo’s Solution Hub for more information. Go through the Don’s Rolodex to read about this subject and more. The Don says “You got problems I got Answers” Tell Him I sent Ya, the boys will take care of Ya.
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COPD Treatment Mexico – Getting Medical Treatment for Less

COPD

COPD is one of the fastest growing lung diseases. It affects millions of Americans every single year and is very debilitating in even the mildest forms. There are two types of COPD that you can face, depending on the condition that you have. Chronic bronchitis and COPD is one form of the disease and Emphysema and COPD is the other form. By the way, COPD stands for Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease, which basically means that it becomes hard to breathe for patients who have this condition. There is no cure for the condition currently, but new studies and research are in the works.

Many people are turning to Mexico stem cell therapy, which has recently become quite popular among people who are looking for the best solutions for their condition. COPD treatment Mexico is not expensive and can often be covered by insurance for some patients, but even out-of-pocket the costs are going to be low. With this treatment, an IV is placed directly into the lungs, ensuring that the stem cells will have the most therapeutic value because they will not get lost along the way. In the end, people have quite positive results just a few days after the initial IV treatment.

If you are considering stem cell treatment abroad, you will need to take the time to look at your options and determine whether it is feasible for you. Some people have better odds than others at finding success or even finding a way to get stem cell treatment. Mexico is the most popular place that people turn to get this treatment because it was developed by Hospital Angeles Tijuana, which works with a pulmonologist that was trained at Boston University Medical Center.

People who have COPD often resign themselves to the fact that they can only control the disease and that there will never be a cure. In the U.S. and Canada, people are seeking better options and that leads them to Mexico for treatment. Mexico stem cell therapy procedures are becoming quite successful for many people and being more and more refined as the days go on. For anyone suffering from COPD, treatment Mexico offers sounds like a breath of fresh air—literally to some. If you are interested in this procedure, it is important that you talk to your doctor and determine if it is going to give you the help that you need with your condition.

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Regenerative Medicine is an Institute where Board Certified Neurosurgeons and Interventional Radiologist work together; using endovascular therapy methods in order to place patients own stem cells (autologous) as close as possible to the target organ or tissue. By utilizing specialized catheters, this novel less invasive procedure, doctors are able to get the stem cells to the most remote areas of the body; patients are awake the entire time, usually less than an hour. For more details please visit: http://www.regenerativemedicine.mx
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Copd Disability Lawyer – How A Social Security Attorney Can Help

COPD

COPD is short for Cardiac Obstructive Pulmonary Disease. This disease is difficult for a sufferer to manage. Sufferers often find they are unable to remain employed because of this medical condition. The Social Security Disability system (SSI and SSDI) are in place to help those that become disabled manage to have a source of income and medical treatment. The challenge for a COPD disability case is proving you are disabled under the strict regulations of Social Security Disability.

Before a person with Cardiac Obstructive Pulmonary Disease seeks Social Security assistance, it is important that this person has worked with a doctor to properly treat and document this condition. Your health comes first, ensuring you are seeking medical attention on a regular and recommended basis is critical to a Cardiac Obstructive Pulmonary Disease sufferer. While at your doctor’s office there are some things you can do to help better present a SSI Disability or SSDI benefits case.

Documenting a Cardiac Obstructive Pulmonary Disease Disability Impairment:

Too often when a person is not awarded Social Security Disability benefits it is not because the person is not disabled. Too often a legitimate disabled people are not awarded SSI Disability or SSDI benefits because they were unable to present the Social Security Administration (SSA) with sufficient evidence and documentation to prove their disability. Presenting the SSA with proper disability documentation starts with having the right medical evidence. Getting the right medical evidence starts with having good doctor’s notes.

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How To Strengthen Your Breathing Muscles With Copd

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
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Is COPD Treatable?

COPD

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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