How Physical Therapist can Help You in Relieving Symptoms of COPD?

by Health Now Health Care Services

Have you heard about a chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)? Actually, in this disease, the normal shape and elasticity is lost by the airways in your lung nose and can become irritated with time. This results in less efficient airways while moving air in and out of your lungs. The key factors that develop COPD include:

• Inhaling toxic substances
• Genetic/environment interactions
• Smoking
• Respiratory offense to the developing lungs during early childhood or prenatal stages of life
• Indoor and outdoor pollutants

Types of COPD

Emphysema –

A state in which the damage of small air sacs in the lungs called “alveoli” occurs. The difficulty is faced by the body in getting the amount of oxygen it requires, resulting in a chronic cough and shortness of breath.

Chronic bronchitis –

A chronic soreness of the medium-sized airways, or “bronchi” in the lungs, results in a persistent cough that generates mucus and sputum minimum for 3 months per year, in 2 successive years.

Not only it causes breathing difficult, but COPD also leads to sputum production, cough, and other symptoms. The whole body can be affected by the disease and results in:

• Nutritional problems (weight gain or loss)
• Weakness in the legs and arms
• Balance issues and increased risk of falls

Other health problems are also experienced by the people that can arise at the same time or may be associated with COPD, such as:

* Lung cancer

* Atrial fibrillation

* The reduced supply of blood to the heart (ischemic heart disease)

* Diabetes

* Asthma

* High blood pressure (hypertension)

* Coronary artery disease

* Depression

* Congestive heart failure

* Osteoporosis

With passing time, COPD results in a progressive decline in physical function and it happens due to loss of muscle strength and increased shortness of breath (dyspnea). There are four stages of COPD – mild, moderate, severe and very severe – and these depend on the measurements of the amount of air that you exhale and inhale. People suffering from COPD require supplemental oxygen or medications.

How physical therapist provides help in COPD?

The physical therapist San Mateo County will perform an evaluation that includes:

• An evaluation of your medications
• Assessment of your lung function test results that may be performed by your physician
• Walk tests to measure the capacity of your exercise
• A review of your history, including exposure to dust or toxic chemicals, smoking history, any hospitalization associated with your breathing problems, or your medical history
• Tests of your balance and risks of falling
• Evaluation of what is worsening your symptoms, and what relieves them
• Muscle strength tests of your legs, arms, and core

You can avail the treatment of COPD within your home facility with HealthNow Healthcare as they have a wide experience in providing help to patients experiencing this disease. Their healthcare professionals provide assistance by developing a custom-made program to help with oxygen therapy, help with daily living activities, such as hygiene and meal preparation and many more. You can get help by contacting them today.

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Created on Dec 25th 2018 23:41. Viewed 737 times.

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