If you or someone you know is suffering from severe Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD)/Emphysema, Pulmonary Rehabilitation (rehab) should be part of your care plan. Pulmonary Rehabilitation is typically a 4–12-week program comprised of supervised exercise and education and is recommended by most physicians who treat patients with COPD.
The program is designed to help relieve symptoms of COPD by teaching participants how to manage their chronic disease through better diet, safe exercise, breathing techniques, and peer support. In pulmonary rehab, you would work with healthcare professionals to better understand your disease and the limitations it places on your body and learn techniques to improve your physical and mental health.
Pulmonary Rehab can Help to:
- Relieve common symptoms, such as coughing and shortness of breath
- Improve quality of life
- Improve daily mobility and make daily tasks achievable
- Lessen anxiety, COPD related or not
- Lessen fatigue
Where to Begin?
If you are looking to participate in a Pulmonary Rehabilitation program, your first step will be to consult your doctor. Since Pulmonary Rehabilitation includes exercise, you will have to undergo a few tests to see what is safe for you and your lungs. These tests may include an exercise stress test, pulmonary function tests, and a six-minute walk test.
“I was always determined to try to make my condition better. I received a lot of support through friends and Facebook groups. Pulmonary rehab is a very important component to being able to get my health to the best I could make it. I was able to wean myself off oxygen by exercising to build stamina and strength. “
-Barbara, a Zephyr® Valve treated patient. Read her full story here.
Pulmonary Rehab Clinics
Pulmonary Rehab clinics are often associated with hospitals and pulmonary clinics so your doctor will likely recommend one nearby. But don’t fret if there is not one near you because there are many online pulmonary rehab options too. Pulmonary Bootcamp is an online version of Pulmonary Rehabilitation that offers many of the same benefits, but from the comfort of your home.
If you chose to do online rehab and still want to connect with other patients locally, you can ask about a local Better Breathers Club. This is an American Lung Association program that offers both in-person and online meetings that allow you to connect with others in your community who also have COPD. The goal of this program is to help connect those with COPD to a community for education and support. To find a Better Breathers Club near you, go to The American Lung Association website, where you can enter your ZIP code to find a chapter near you.
Links:
US-EN-1358-v1
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