Some Tips to Help You Cope with COPD
Every COPD patient is different and reacts to treatment differently. That is the reason that it is so important for the patient to keep in contact with your G.P. who provide the best course of medical assistance. Your G.P. see hundreds of patients and can not be expected to remember everything or everybody. Simple things like maintaining 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. This will help you manage your COPD.
Smoking!
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 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 stem-cell research on going
Infection!
The colour of the mucus that you spit up can be an indication of whether you have an infection. 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, or has a strong odour, consult your G.P. right away.
Activities and Dressing Tips
Pre-arrange everything. Get towels, wash cloth, soap, toothbrush, toothpaste, razor, razor soap, denture container etc. all laid out where it may be easily accessed. Think ahead how you plan to use these things.
Put a chair in front of the sink to be used for face washing, shaving and other grooming.
Install a small mirror at chair level to be used for activities at the sink.
If standing in the shower is a problem, obtain a shower seat.
Use liquid soap to reduce need to lather.
Don’t dry off, slip on a terry cloth robe and let it dry your body.
Pursed lip breathing
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 and breathe out through pursed lips. Breathing out should take at least twice as long as breathing in.
Oxygen therapy!
Oxygen therapy should be considered the same as any other medical prescription. If the COPD patient has oxygen prescribed it should be managed in the same manner that you would manage any other medication. Oxygen is not necessary for every COPD patient but your consultant may feel it would be helpful.
Pulmonary Rehab!
Most patients with COPD show much improvement when they participate in a pulmonary rehab program. Ask your consultant to refer you.