Managing COPD at Home: Practical Care Tips for Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease
Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) clinically manifests as chronic progressive dyspnea, mostly as a result of chronic bronchitis, and as a cause of pulmonary heart disease and respiratory failure. For COPD, which is an irreversible disease, it is important for patients' families to master the home care of COPD, which can hopefully slow down the progression of the disease and reduce the number of hospitalizations. For this reason, professional doctors have introduced some home care tips to the families of CPOD patients.
Home oxygen therapy
For patients with COPD, especially those with chronic carbon dioxide retention, oxygen should be administered continuously by nasal cannula at low flow rate, usually controlled at 1~2 liters/minute, to avoid aggravation of carbon dioxide retention and suppression of respiration. Oxygen therapy is required for at least 15 hours per day, and is more effective if the conditions are such that the daily duration of oxygen therapy reaches 18 hours or more.
Home oxygen therapy
TTlife's home oxygen concentrator, 101W and 105W, can be used for 24 hours and the oxygen flow rate can be adjusted in the range of 1-7L/min.
Prevention of colds and flu
The main cause of COPD is recurrent inflammation, and that recurrent inflammation constantly exacerbates the progression of COPD. With each infection in the lungs, COPD worsens. Therefore, you should have as few colds as possible, and you can get vaccinations against influenza and pneumonia. Keep warm and avoid getting cold when the weather changes. However, we should pay attention to a misconception that the more you wear, the better. If you wear too much, you will sweat when you move a little, and then you will catch a cold when the wind blows. Wearing clothes to not feel, but not too easy to sweat is appropriate.
Scientific sputum excretion
Patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease have symptoms of excessive sputum. By actively removing sputum and effectively clearing respiratory secretions, patients will breathe more freely. Back patting has obvious effect on patients who have a lot of respiratory secretions and are difficult to discharge.
To "pat" effectively, must master the correct method: the operator five fingers together in a cup shape together, from the back from the bottom up, from the edge to the center, rhythmically tap the patient's back, while asking the patient to breathe slowly and deeply, with the coughing out of phlegm. Two issues need to be noted when patting the back: firstly, it is not advisable to pat the back within one hour after meals to avoid causing vomiting; secondly, the patient should lie on his side and remove the pillow when patting the back to facilitate the drainage of sputum.
In addition, humidification is also effective for sputum drainage, and patients are encouraged to drink more water, especially to increase the frequency of drinking water, which is more effective for the humidification of the respiratory tract. For patients with thick sputum that cannot be coughed out, ultrasonic nebulized inhalation can be used, and drugs can be selected according to individual conditions and according to medical advice to promote sputum dilution and facilitate coughing out.
Breathing exercises for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease help to breathe well
Lip retraction breathing.
(1) Inhale slowly and deeply through your nose until you cannot inhale.
(2) Constrict your lips as if whistling.
(3) Slowly exhale while maintaining the lip contraction position.
(4) Do the above breathing movement twice.
(5) Empty your lungs without exertion.
Lip retraction breathing will help you control your breathing rate and control shortness of breath. It allows more gas to enter your lungs and reduces the amount of energy expended while breathing.
Hold your breath.
Inhale - hold your breath for 3 seconds - exhale.
Holding your breath prolongs the exchange of oxygen and carbon dioxide in the lungs, allowing more oxygen to enter the bloodstream.
Abdominal breathing.
(1) Relax both shoulders.
(2) Place one hand on the stomach.
(3) Inhale through the nose as the stomach puffs out.
(4) Tighten the stomach muscles.
(5) Contract the lips and exhale, feeling the stomach sink.
(6) Repeat three times every two minutes of rest.
(7) Repeat this exercise several times a day.