![]() ![]() The content on this page is provided for general information purposes only and is not meant to replace a physiotherapy or medical consultation. Patient information on COPD: NHS Choices.For health professionals making the case for physiotherapy-led PR.For health professionals making the case for physiotherapy: Physiotherapy Works - COPD.Keep your clothes loose, and wear clothes and shoes that are easy to put on and take off.Instead of drying yourself with a towel after a bath put on a cotton dressing gown which will dry you without effort.Plan an exercise programme that you can manage – your physio will advise you.You could use a small table or cart with wheels to move things around your home and a pole or tongs with long handles to reach things Find simple ways to cook, clean, and do other chores.Put items that you need often in one easy to reach place.Bending down can often increase breathlessness - try blowing out as you bend down.Don’t avoid activities like climbing stairs or going for walks, but do them more slowly if necessary.If you have COPD then you should seek advice from your GP. These could include supervised, individually tailored and prescribed, progressive exercise training including both aerobic and resistance training. Programmes are based around exercise and education and are at least 6 weeks long and include a minimum of twice‑weekly supervised sessions. People who have been admitted to hospital because of their COPD should start a pulmonary rehabilitation programme within four weeks of leaving hospital. What should I expect from pulmonary rehab?Įveryone with a diagnosis of COPD should be referred to pulmonary rehabilitation classes. ![]() This is perfectly understandable, so please do tell your GP or health care team how you are feeling so that they can support you. Living with COPD may cause fear, anxiety, depression, and stress. Depending on how severe your condition is, you may need to ask your family and friends for help with daily tasks. This may involve some activities that make you breathless.Ĭheck with your GP or physio what activities or exercise are suitable for you. Keeping fit is still important, even in people with lung disease. Try to keep as active as possible but do things slowly. If there is a lot of air pollution or dust outside, keep your windows closed and, if possible, stay at home. ![]() Try to avoid lung irritants such as second-hand smoke, air pollution, chemical fumes, and dust. Ask your GP to refer you to your local pulmonary rehabilitation service. The earlier you can attend such a course the better, as you will benefit more quickly and it will make a bigger difference to your life. Some of this they learn from trained staff and some they learn from other patients, who experience and cope with similar problems. Patients who attend pulmonary rehabilitation gain a great deal of knowledge about the condition and skills in how to manage it. Your physio will be able to give you advice and support and can put you in contact with specialists trained to help people stop smoking. There is a strong link between COPD and smoking, so if you smoke, stop. How physiotherapy helped Sarah "get my life back" What will happen when I see a physiotherapist? Physios may also be involved in helping people with COPD with their return home from hospital after being unwell, and in managing future flare-ups of their condition. If someone with COPD is admitted to hospital with a breathing problem, physios play a key role in helping them clear their chest, manage their lung condition and get moving again. They can use positioning and breathing exercises, give advice on how to pace your activity, and show you ways to cope. Physios also help patients manage the breathlessness caused by COPD. If you tend to hyperventilate (breathe too quickly) or have problems clearing phlegm from your chest, a physio can show you breathing techniques to help. Better health leads to improvements in quality of life and a reduction in hospital readmissions. Pulmonary rehab programmes significantly improve the patient’s health by reducing breathlessness, providing ways to control the disease and by improving the patient’s ability to carry out daily activities, such as washing and dressing. Physiotherapists are an essential part of the team of health professionals that run these programmes. Studies have shown that pulmonary rehabilitation programmes are extremely effective in treating COPD. Read our evidence briefing: Physiotherapy works: Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease and access the COPD Pulmonary Rehabilitation Impact on Exacerbations Model (PRIME), to see the impact of physiotherapy-led PR. ![]()
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |