If your doctor has prescribed pulmonary rehabilitation as part of your COPD treatment plan, don't be alarmed. Pulmonary rehabilitation is quickly becoming part of the "gold standard" of treatment for people with COPD.
Pulmonary rehabilitation uses a multidisciplinary, team approach that covers all aspects of COPD management, including education, exercise, relaxation, breathing techniques, nutritional advice, emotional support and the development of coping skills.
To get a sense of what pulmonary rehabilitation can do for you, imagine this scenario: After you are diagnosed with COPD you slip into a deep depression. You may feel lonely and lack the self-esteem that you once had before you were sick. While these feelings are completely normal, your pulmonary rehab team would be able to provide you with counseling services, teach you relaxation techniques and allow you to share your feelings in a safe environment. Helping you develop effective coping skills is just one of the objectives of your pulmonary rehabilitation team.
Read more about COPD exacerbation and depression
Goals of a Pulmonary Rehabilitation Program
- To reduce COPD symptoms
- To decrease disability
- To increase participation in physical and social activities
- To promote independence and improve quality of life
- To reduce the number of hospitalizations, thereby reducing your overall healthcare costs
Benefits of Pulmonary Rehabilitation
The benefits of pulmonary rehabilitation have been studied extensively. They include:- Improved exercise tolerance
- Lessened perception of breathlessness
- Improved quality of life
- Reduced hospitalization time and hospitalizations per year
- Improved anxiety and depression
- Improved survival
- Improved arm function
- Improved respiratory muscles when combined with general exercises
Techniques Learned Through Pulmonary Rehabilitation
Most pulmonary rehab programs are accomplished on an outpatient basis and normally run two to three times a week for six to eight weeks.Team members may include physical therapists, occupational therapists, respiratory therapists, dietitians, psychologists, cardiopulmonary technicians, social workers, pharmacists and nurses.
Among the many techniques you will learn are:
- How to strengthen respiration muscles so you don't overly fatigue yourself when breathing
- pursed-lip breathing
- How to maintain bronchopulmonary hygiene
- Coughing techniques to effectively clear you airways
- Diaphragmatic breathing
- How to perform aerobic endurance exercises to reduce breathlessness
During your pulmonary rehabilitation program, a great emphasis will be placed on patient and family education. This enables you to better manage your disease at home with the help of knowledgeable family members.
While most insurance companies will pay for a pulmonary rehab program, check with your physician to make sure you qualify. For a list of pulmonary rehabilitation programs in your area, contact the American Association of Cardiovascular and Pulmonary Rehabilitation (312-321-5146) or your local chapter of the American Lung Association.
If you have ever participated in a pulmonary rehabilitation program, please tell us about your experiences. Visit Readers Respond below.
Source:
Global Strategy for Diagnosis, Management, and Prevention of COPD. The Global Initiative for Obstructive Lung Disease. Updated 2010.
Reviews in Clinical Gerontology (2003), 13 : 175-182 Cambridge University Press Copyright © 2004. http://journals.cambridge.org/action/displayAbstract?fromPage=online&aid=230581
Shimberg, Elaine. Coping with COPD. St. Martin's Press, 2003.
