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Many individuals with COPD show much improvement when they participate in a pulmonary rehab program. Ask your doctor. Sorry I'm not the cure. Try again. |
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It is important that you keep a list of the drugs you are taking and the ones that you you tried but no longer take. Everyone in the medical field will want this information. A simple form will do. If you don't have one click here and copy to your printer. Sorry this is not the cure either. Try Again! |
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Pursed lip breathing is done to help breathe easier and to control panic. The key is to blow out through slightly closed lips. Some recommend breathing in through your nose while you "smell the roses" and breathe out through pursed lips "to blow out the candles". Breathing out should take at least twice as long as breathing in. Helpful procedure but this is no cure either. Try again! |
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It is important for the COPD patient to think ahead so that energy is not wasted. Learn the tricks of the trade like putting on a terry cloth robe instead of drying off to lessen energy expended. Use a stool in the shower so you can sit, put a chair in front of the sink for brushing your teeth and shaving. See a more detailed list by following the magic of links. Click here and use your back button to return. Sorry, this is not the cure, but will help you manage the disease by not letting it get you SOB (Short of Breath). Try Again. |
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It is very useful for the COPD
patient to stop smoking. While this is not a cure, when you stop
smoking there is a definite improvement in quality of life and the rate
of deterioration of the lungs is slowed considerably. There is not
now a cure for COPD although there has been some remarkable progress in
research in recent years. Who knows what tomorrow will bring. Some
studies suggest the possibility of a means to regenerate lung tissue, there
are other studies considering the use of animal grown tissue, and they
are even discussing an artifical lung.
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They are faceless because every COPD patient is different and reacts to treatment differently. That is the reason that it is so important for the patient and/or the caregiver maintain a running dialog with the medical professionals who are trying to provide the best course of medical assistance. The professionals see hundreds of patients and can not be expected to remember everything or everybody. Simple things like maintaining a log of what has been done in recent months and a list of medications presently used and those that have been discarded for one reason or another can go far in helping your own cause. But while this will help manage your COPD, it is not the cure. Try Again! |
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The color of the mucus that you
spit up can be an indication of whether you have an infection coming on.
Infection is the dread of those who have COPD because it makes matters
a lot worse and can lead to pneumonia. Mucus should be clear or white.
If it is yellow, green, brown, seems to have blood spots in it, or has
a strong odor, consult your doctor right away. This too can help
manage your COPD but is not the cure. Try again!
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Oxygen therapy should be considered
the same as any other medical prescription. If the COPD patient is
in need of oxygen therapy, it will be prescribed and should be managed
in the same manner that you would manage any other medication. Oxygen
is not necessary for every COPD patient but if you feel it would be helpful,
discuss it with your doctor. If prescribed, be sure you also discuss
the term, Carbon Dioxide Retainer, with your doctor, also. Oxygen
is not the cure either but is very helpful if you need it. Try Again.
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