Can someone with asthma ever completely ditch the inhalers? I came across an interesting article in the Huffington Post Healthy Living Blog, about the possibility of getting off inhalers. The story outlines a patient who has symptoms of asthma, and went through the classic course: antibiotics, then inhalers, then medication for gastric reflux, all…
Keeping the pace after Pulmonary Rehab Just graduated from Pulmonary Rehab? Congrats! Now you need to keep up all the gains you’ve earned. I’m sure your rehab therapist harped on you every possible moment- join a gym! Join a walking group! And for good reason. Before I go one character further I want to drive…
In my last post, I talked about things you can do to ensure that, when a position becomes available, you will at least be looked at seriously if not hired outright. In addition to being eager to learn just about anything, the second most important trait an RT student or new grad can have is:…
I see a lot of posts from students and new grad RT’s worried about getting a job. As an educator, part of my job was to orient new students and make sure they have what they need to be successful in the clinic setting. I know that life as a student can be busy, intimidating,…
My pager goes off again, calling me to ER to assess a patient who is short of breath. As I grab her chart to have a look before I go see her , Oh……. wait, this lady was just in last week. For the same thing. Turns out she has a doctor across town, but…
“Cigarettes cause Cancer”! -That’s what we heard growing up, as a reason not to start smoking. But I’m going to tell you a better reason in a minute. Smoking can also cause COPD, Emphysema, Bronchiectasis, all of which can lead to oxygen dependance. This in turn leads to more problems- social isolation, and eventually what…
Study after study shows the benefits of Pulmonary Rehab programs. Most PR programs at major medical centers follow the guidelines laid out by the American Association of Cardiovascular and Pulmonary Rehab: Six to eight weeks of supervised exercise 2-3 times a week, coupled with education on a variety of topics, shows improved 6 minute walk…
[Announcer voice] : “And, Live from [insert your city here], Event number 276: Olympic Holiday Shopping!” Let the the start of spending some close and cozy time around lots of people you don’t know begin! Lines at the mall, crowded buses and subways, theaters full of people watching the Nutcracker, and the kids’ Christmas plays….
Inhalers work by depositing tiny particles of medication right onto the lungs. You may have heard that all inhalers should be used with a spacer, but not all inhalers are manufactured that way. Standard MDI’s should always be used with a spacer device. Most MDI’s and DPI’s (Dry Powder Inhalers) are meant to be inhaled…
Long, long, ago, in a faraway city, I worked at an Independent Pulmonary Rehab program. We had an interesting mix of patients. At this particular facility, I did all the initial intake assessments. First, everyone was on inhalers. Albuterol inhalers work great only if you have what’s called a reversible component. This is determined by…