COPD改善生活质量的9种方法

您的医生可能已经开了一些药物，通常通过吸入器或雾化器服用，以改善您的肺功能。第一步：带他们！此外，如果您觉得您的药物不起作用，请立即通知您的医生。让她知道任何对您不正常的喘息，咳嗽或呼吸急促的增加。“一个人的加剧与他人的加剧不同。”医学教授兼科罗拉多州丹佛国家犹太人健康的COPD计划主任Barry Make说。您的医生将能够调整您的治疗方法以找到适合您的方法。

没有辩论。戒烟真的很难。但是，如果您有COPD，那么抓住习惯的艰苦工作就会得到回报。根据国家肺气肿基金会的说法，当患有COPD的人戒烟时，他们会减慢肺部损伤的过程，改善其肺功能并减少症状加剧的数量。增加了好处？不再在家吸烟意味着您将降低家庭成员在以后的生活中发展COPD的风险。这美国肺协会has resources to get you started.

在一项针对COPD患者终生暴露于肺部刺激物的职业暴露的研究中，高暴露于气体或烟雾与慢性支气管炎有关，这是您想要避免的一种严重COPD。如果您的工作场所经常暴露于灰尘或化学烟雾等肺部刺激物，那么是时候与您的主管谈论改善工作环境中的空气质量，或者将您的保护性面罩与您一起使用。这样做可以减轻您的COPD症状并保持健康。

Whether you can manage a daily walk, regular strength-training, or some gentle stretching, Dr. Make says the benefits of a good workout routine can’t be overstated. Movement strengthens your whole body, including your lungs, to help reduce shortness of breath and improve your prognosis with COPD. Exercise is also a stress-reliever, Dr. Make says, making it helpful in combating anxiety and depression, which are common mental-health effects of living with a lifelong disease like COPD.克利夫兰诊所recommends gradually working up to a 20- to 30-minute exercise session three to four times a week.

Jeff Pardy, associate professor of respiratory care at the Oregon Institute of Technology in Klamath Falls, OR, teaches two breath techniques to his COPD patients. Pursed-lip breathing can help release trapped air in your lungs. Try it: Breathe in through your nose for two counts, then pucker your lips and breathe out for four. Diaphragmatic breathing strengthens your diaphragm, helping you use less energy to breathe. Place one hand just above your belly button. Breathe in slowly through your nose so that your stomach moves out against your hand. Tighten your stomach muscles as you exhale through pursed lips. Practice three times a day.

At-home oxygen therapy from a canula (tube with nostril prongs) attached to an O2 tank may sound restrictive, but it actually can offer more freedom to people with severe COPD. For example, it may give your lungs the boost they need to make it through a visit to a friend’s house without getting fatigued. (P.S.: The new portable tanks are small enough to fit in a large purse.) According to an article in the journalRespiratory Care, long-term oxygen therapy at home has been shown to improve survival in patients with COPD and severe resting hypoxemia (low blood oxygen).

Pacing yourself during daily activities is an important way to conserve your energy and your breath. Remember to walk slowly and breathe in rhythm as you go (try that pursed-lip breathing tip!). Avoid the energy-sapping habit of walking and talking at the same time and get some rest when you can. Being intentional about breathing while you are on the move will help you be able to do more of the things love without paying the price of feeling winded and exhausted.

Dr. Make recommends that anyone who has shortness of breath look into a pulmonary rehabilitation program. These six-week therapy sessions (offered at some hospitals and covered by most insurance plans) provide education and support for people with lung disease. The goal is to help you gain strength and stamina through breathing techniques, energy conservation steps, proper nutrition, exercise, and advice on how to effectively take medications. Rolling what you learn from rehab into your everyday life after the program can help keep you healthy and out of the hospital for years to come.

您可能会觉得由于呼吸问题而削减见面的朋友 - 这是正常的：COPD会使简单的事情变得更加困难，社交可能会变得非常筋疲力尽。但是，保持关系和参与社交活动可能是改善您生活前景的重要组成部分。循环在其他患有COPD的人的支持下可以提供额外的保证。美国肺协会有一些链接在线和亲自COPD小组to help you get connected. Bottom line: Don’t give up. Life with COPD may be more challenging, but it’s still yours to live.