When suffering from a medical condition, it is common for people to feel lonely and depressed. However, suffering from a disease never means you have to cut off your desires and let it hinder your work and social life. Living with COPD can be challenging as it means you have to stay alert of any triggers that might hinder your breathing and be mindful of all your activities. However, small changes here and there can do the trick for you to enjoy life to your fullest.
This article aims to provide all the necessary tips to help you live a normal life as a Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease patient. Let’s get into further details to unveil the best tips for COPD management.
Learn Breathing Techniques
Learning breathing techniques to modify your breathing can help you cope with the shortness of breath. Pursed lip breathing or Coordinated breathing are the commonly recommended breathing techniques for COPD patients.
Pursed breathing involves you inspire through the nose while your mouth is closed and exhaling through the mouth at a controlled flow gradually. The true essence of this type of breathing lies when you are working your muscles.
You inhale through your nose before starting the activity and exhale slowly through the pursed lips during the most intense exercise. This technique focuses on longer exhalation and shorter inhalation, allowing people to control their oxygenation and ventilation.
Keep Your Nebulizer and Inhaler Ready
Inhalers are the lifesavers of people living with COPD. Life is full of unpredictables, and breathing can get difficult for COPD patients at any time. Therefore, keeping your nebulizer and inhaler close at hand is vital, always clean and filled with the medicine.
We admit that the medication prices can be bank-breaking, but you can always look for cheap Spiriva price stores or discount coupons to keep up with the rising prices. However, keeping your equipment cleaned, filled and ready to help is crucial.
Adhere To Medication
Most COPD patients are bound to take medicine for regular breathing problems. Taking medication on time and adhering to this routine is the vital step that comes to the fore when managing COPD.
You must also educate yourself to notice if your condition is not improving or if any medication is causing an undesirable effect. Monitor your condition every day and set alarms to prevent missing a dose.
You can also use a medicine checklist to track your daily intake and which drug you need to take at a certain time.
Start Eating Healthy and Get Moving
Healthy food is the core to reversing unfavorable disease conditions. Eat small but well-balanced and frequent. COPD patients are recommended to lower the portion of their diet for each meal and include vegetables or fruits in their diet. It is even better to talk to your healthcare provider before starting a diet to make
Exercising might sound ridiculous when you are already dealing with a disease-causing breathing issue. However, the better your body is good at maintaining its oxygen level, the better it is for managing COPD. The human body is extremely strong and adapts to changes to cope with certain situations. Train your body to withstand the hectic exercises without making you lose breath or need an inhaler spurt.
Get Your Vaccines
COPD patients are usually recommended to take vaccines, especially against influenza and some pneumococcal pneumonia strains. Falling sick with COPD can further complicate the condition, making breathing difficult through closed-off bronchioles.
If the situation exacerbates, patients sometimes also have to put on artificial breathing until their condition stabilizes. Therefore, taking good care of your health and following your doctor’s recommendations is extremely important.
Refrain From Smoking
It is a no-brainer why one should give up smoking if they suffer from COPD since this condition worsens when exposed to dust, smoke or other environmental triggers.
Nicotine is one of the worst triggers for bronchial constriction. It also deteriorates the health of the lungs, further worsening COPD as a whole. If you are a regular smoker, consult with your doctor and indulge in alternatives like medication, counseling, nicotine replacement therapy or other self-help materials.
The Bottom Line
You can live a healthy life no matter what health condition you are suffering from. What matters the most is your belief in yourself and your will to become better. Once you have a strong resolve to improve your disease, nothing can stop you from fixing your life habits and your overall health.
