Respiratory Conditions continued...
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Respiratory Physiotherapists are able to draw from a plethora of specialist skills to help treat and alleviate the symptoms associated with most respiratory conditions.
Symptoms which can be treated include:
Sputum clearance
Breathlessness reduction and management
Breathing re-education
Increase quality of life for even severely impaired breathless patients
To name but a few conditions which can benefit from respiratory physiotherapy include:
Asthma
bronchiectasis
COPD
Cystic fibrosis
hyperventilation syndrome
shortness of breath
unexplained shortness of breath
Physiotherapy techniques which have proved to be of benefit in the treatment of respiratory conditions include:
Gravity Assisted Drainage - where gravity is utilised to drain retained sputum from different lobes of the lungs.
The Active Cycle of Breathing Technique - where the individual is encouraged to take breaths of different volumes to mobilise secretions.
Pulmonary Rehabilitation - over time people with breathlessness tend to do less as effort makes them breathless, which makes them become less physically fit and so a downward spiral begins. By attending a 7 week, twice a week, pulmonary rehabilitation programme participants become physically stronger and fitter, which means they are able to do more before they become breathless and hence benefit from an improved quality of life.
Breathing re-education - in conditions such as asthma, peoples breathing patterns alter so they breathe more using the top part of their lungs which can exacerbate their poor breathing and symptoms. By teaching you how to breathe correctly again using the diaphragm, symptoms can improve and sometimes even resolve the need for drugs.
Adjuncts - for many years now devices such as the flutter and PEP have been used to help clear secretions and can be used effectively.
Acupuncture - Over the past few years some respiratory physiotherapists have started using acupuncture to help relieve symptoms such as breathlessness, thoracic pain and chronic cough.
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