Chest physiotherapy, or physical therapy, can be very beneficial to individuals suffering from acute or chronic respiratory illnesses, including chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, asthma, bronchitis and pneumonia. A pulmonary rehabilitation program has been shown to improve breathing by decreasing shortness of breath and improving coping strategies and quality of life, according to the American Physical Therapy Association.
A physical therapist will perform an extensive evaluation. Be prepared to discuss your current and past medical history, including smoking history, exposure to hazards and medication usage. Spend some time thinking about what triggers your symptoms and what may help improve them prior to your appointment. If you have any results of pulmonary function tests, bring those to your appointment. The physical therapist will then evaluation your joint range of motion, strength, activity tolerance, balance and shortness of breath. All of these factors will be utilized to design a program that will be most effective for you.
Breathing exercises are an important component of a pulmonary rehabilitation program. Your physical therapist will train you in several breathing techniques. Pursed-lip breathing can help improve recovery during shortness of breath episodes, according to the APTA. Diaphragmatic breathing improves lung capacity and breathing efficiency. Your therapist may also teach you how to use an incentive or expiratory spirometer, depending on your condition. He may also teach you forceful coughing techniques if you are prone to congestion.
Overall Exercise Program
Your physical therapist will tailor an exercise program to increase your overall strength, endurance and activity level. The stronger the muscles of your body are, the more efficient they are at performing tasks and the less oxygen they require, which will ease the burden of breathing on your lungs. It is easy to decrease your activity level as your shortness of breath worsens, but this will only further exacerbate the problem.
Physical therapy can help you devise an effective relaxation program. Naturally, when you are short of breath, you will feel anxious. Unfortunately, this anxiety subsequently makes you more short of breath, which only increases your anxiety. This is a vicious cycle, and one you have to be able to stop in order to overcome the effects of your respiratory illness. Training in relaxation can help you do that.
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