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…
In my last post, I talked about oxygen safety. One of the things I do as a Pulmonary Rehab therapist is optimize patients’ medication regimes and oxygen usage. Some people need oxygen only at night, while others need it only during the day when they are active. I get asked all the time, “If I…
I discovered a cool product the other day… but let me tell you this story first. My mom suffered with asthma for years. She always felt better when she was by the ocean. She briefly moved inland, but as soon as an exacerbation would hit, someone would have to drive her over the hill just…
Are we in the ‘safe’ zone with Ebola? Today we had our hospital training on caring for Ebola or other VHF – Viral Hemorrhagic Fever patients safely. I’ll go political on you in just a sec, but for now, let me say this: I think we (The U.S.) are finally prepared to care for these…
It all starts here…. What do you think is the number one thing that helps COPD ? And ILD? It’s not oxygen… it’s not medications…. it’s EXERCISE. Now, I want to ask you a question and I’d like an honest answer. What was your first reaction to the word exercise? For some people , their…
If you’re new to being on oxygen, safety is a must. Even if you’ve been on oxygen a long time, it’s good to review and make sure you are using it safely, especially with winter being right around the corner! There are some obvious rules, such as no open flames. And some not-so-obvious rules also….
People have asked me, “How will I know if I am overdoing it?” If I am doing this exercise routine on my own, and you’ve never even seen me? The answer is simple, but a bit involved. Firstly, make sure your doctor has cleared you to start exercising. Even if you plan on just some…