No matter what stage of life you are in, it’s always a good idea to find new ways to save money. If you’re someone with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) or a similar lung disease, one of the best ways you can cut costs is by looking for ways to save money on medication, medical equipment, and other medical expenses. This study found that the average annual healthcare cost per COPD patient is around $4,147 and that increased disease severity is associated with higher healthcare costs.

Unfortunately, many people find that it’s not as easy as they thought it would be to save money on medical expenses. While there are many ways to save on medications, things like doctor’s visits, hospital visits, and pulmonary rehabilitation are pretty set in stone. And trying to avoid these things all together to save money could put your long-term health at risk. Be sure to visit a medical specialist whenever you need to, and find other ways to save such as on your medical oxygen equipment. 

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If you’re just getting started with oxygen therapy, it might not be immediately evident how many options you have available to you and that just a few considerations could save you hundreds, if not thousands of dollars when it comes to purchasing and maintaining your oxygen device. In this post, we are going to highlight some tips for getting the best deal on an oxygen concentrator and avoiding some of the common pitfalls many people experience as a first-time oxygen buyer. If you have any questions, be sure to leave them in the comments or reach out to us by phone or email.

Find the Right Retailer to Buy From

By far the most important thing to remember if you’re looking for a good deal on an oxygen concentrator is to find a reputable retailer to buy from. The internet has made it easier than ever before to find the exact product you’re looking for and have it delivered on your porch within a matter of days. However, the internet has also opened the door for scammers and dishonest companies to get your money. This is why it’s so important to be prudent when it comes to the company that you work with.

Possibly the biggest scam you should be aware of when buying oxygen is companies that don’t ask to see your supplemental oxygen prescription. In the United States, oxygen is a “controlled substance” meaning it can’t simply be bought and sold freely without proof of medical necessity. If a company sells you oxygen without having you provide a prescription from your doctor, they are either doing so illegally, or they’re selling you low grade oxygen that will not meet your medical needs. Either way, these are deceptive business practices and they could be deceiving you in other ways as well.

Another thing to watch out for is something called “recreational oxygen.” This is not necessarily a scam or deceptive but it can lead to confusion when you’re trying to buy an oxygen concentrator to treat your COPD. Essentially, recreational oxygen is a type of low-grade oxygen used by hikers, climbers, or people traveling to higher altitudes than they’re used to. Allegedly, using these cylinders periodically can help you prevent breathlessness and altitude sickness, but there is little evidence to suggest this is the case. The important thing to remember is that “recreational” oxygen does not equate to “medical” oxygen. 

Ultimately, the reason you should focus on finding a reputable oxygen retailer to work with is because purchasing the wrong device will set you back even further financially. Many people are ecstatic to find an oxygen device for a couple hundred dollars only to find out that it’s not going to meet their medical needs and that the company they bought it from doesn’t accept returns. Aside from breaking the bank, buying an oxygen device from a shady company can compromise your health and leave you without oxygen when you need it the most.   

Decide Between New, Used, and Refurbished

Another way to get a great deal on an oxygen concentrator is to consider different buying options like new, used, and refurbished units. We wrote a post discussing all of the different buying options for portable oxygen concentrators in a different post, so be sure to check it out for more information. However, we’ll summarize the main points here for your convenience.

A “new” oxygen concentrator is one that has never been opened, turned on, or used in any way since it was manufactured. The obvious benefit to having a new concentrator is that the unit has no wear and tear and that you can expect it to last many years without needing repairs. What’s more, most new concentrators come with a manufacturer warranty which will cover you for several years if anything is wrong with the unit. Although rare, manufacturing defects are a possibility, so having the warranty will guarantee you repairs or a full replacement if your unit doesn’t work.

A “used” oxygen concentrator is one that has been owned by another oxygen patient in the past. The great news though is that “used” doesn’t mean that the unit is old and worn out. Some oxygen patients never use a unit or it is only lightly used before returning it. What this means is that you’ll be paying a discounted price on an item that is in “near mint” condition. When you purchase a concentrator from LPT Medical, you can rest assured that it’s been tested beforehand to ensure full functionality.

A “refurbished” portable oxygen concentrator differs slightly from a used unit in that repairs or replacements have been done to it. One of the common part replacements you’ll see in a refurbished oxygen concentrator are the sieve beds. These are specialized filters that remove unwanted gas from the air, allowing you to receive medical-grade oxygen. Over time, sieve beds can become worn out and need to be replaced.

One final option for you to get your hands on an oxygen concentrator is through renting one. This is not always the most practical option, but if you know you will only be needing one for a few days or weeks, it may be your most cost-effective option. Renting an oxygen concentrator is ideal for people who typically use an oxygen tank or stationary concentrator at home, but want to be able to go on a trip without having to hassle with lugging their tank around or finding a place to refill it.

Overall, there are benefits to each of the buying options, it’s just a matter of your individual situation. Be sure to ask our oxygen concentrator specialists here at LPT Medical if you have any questions or concerns.  

Take Advantage of Package Deals

Package deals are one of the best ways to save money on an oxygen concentrator. A package deal is when you buy accessories alongside your oxygen concentrator unit and get a discount on your final price. This means you’ll be able to save a lot of money if you buy everything up front rather than buying each accessory separately. Package deals are not always going on, so be sure to talk with your oxygen concentrator specialist who can let you know what’s available.

One package deal many people enjoy is one that offers a carrying case, battery, and DC charging cable. This way, you will have the ultimate freedom to move around the minute you receive your oxygen concentrator instead of having to order additional accessories later on down the road. Most oxygen concentrators come with the standard size battery but if you think you will need a battery that lasts longer, you can always upgrade it and maybe even get some additional savings that way.

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Another reason to take advantage of package deals is that it could help you save money on shipping. With very few exceptions, it’s almost always cheaper to ship everything in one box rather than individually. While it may not seem like that much extra to ship a couple of accessories, the costs can really start to add up.

Two package deals we highly recommend are the Caire FreeStyle Comfort package and the Inogen One G5 package. These are some of the top-performing concentrators currently on the market, and when you consider everything that comes with them, you’ll see why they’re so popular. Just the base packages include an 8-cell battery, AC and DC charging cables so that you can charge your device anywhere, a carrying case, oxygen tubing, and a 3-year manufacturer warranty. Speak with one of our oxygen concentrator experts to see which one of these would be best for you.

Take Advantage of Sales

Sales are another thing you should keep an eye out for when you’re shopping for a portable oxygen concentrator. We offer a lot of oxygen concentrator sales here at LPT Medical because we want to get these devices to as many COPD patients as possible, even people who are on a tight budget. Currently, we are running a deal where you can get a free online pulmonary workshop course with the purchase of a new portable oxygen concentrator.

This program is called Thrive eLearning and it provides access to one-on-one counseling, support groups, and online courses that help you slow the progression of COPD. One of the important things you’ll learn during this course is breathing exercises which are a powerful tool for alleviating symptoms of breathlessness, fatigue, and chest pain which are commonly associated with COPD. You’ll also be able to connect one-on-one with doctors, caretakers, and other healthcare professionals, saving you time and money.

Sales are pretty common in the oxygen industry because the market is always changing. For example, we might offer a sale on one concentrator because a newer concentrator has hit the market. This is the perfect opportunity to get a great deal on a slightly older unit that still meets your needs perfectly. One of the best ways to keep up with these sales is to join our mailing list by filling out the form at the side of the page. You’ll be notified immediately whenever we have a new promotion going on!

Consider Your Financing Options

“Financing” an oxygen concentrator means splitting the payments up into more manageable monthly payments. While financing typically doesn’t save you money in the long run, it does lead to more financial security, because you won’t see the full cost of the concentrator come out of your bank account all at once. If at any time, you decide you want to pay off the rest of the concentrator all at once, you can do so without incurring any additional fees. Before committing to the financing terms, however, you should make sure that the company doesn’t charge a bunch of interest on top of the original price. Make sure you know what the exact amount of interest is and not just the monthly payments.

Conclusion

Oxygen concentrators are the ideal oxygen therapy device for most COPD patients. They’re very lightweight, compact, versatile, and most importantly, they provide you with medical-grade oxygen that you need to stay healthy. But if you want to get the best deal on an oxygen concentrator, you need to make several considerations first. Most importantly, you need to work with an oxygen concentrator retailer that you can rely on.

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Here at LPT Medical, we take your oxygen needs seriously, and as such, we will take the time and diligence to understand both your medical and financial needs, then use our knowledge of the industry to align you with the perfect concentrator for you. It’s our goal to get an oxygen concentrator in the hands of any and all COPD patients who need them, so we will work with you to provide you with the best deal and we’ll even work with your healthcare provider to ensure you have all the necessary paperwork to buy an oxygen concentrator legally.

To get started, simply give us a call or shoot us an email.

There are five big respiratory diseases that are the most common causes of severe illness and death worldwide- COPD, asthma, acute lower respiratory tract infections, tuberculosis and lung cancer. There are other forms of lung disease that also impact large populations around the world like occupational lung disease, pulmonary hypertension, sleep apnea, pulmonary embolism. 

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, or COPD affects 16.4 million adults and accounts for two main groups of lung diseases, emphysema and chronic bronchitis, each contributes to the obstruction of air flow that interferes with a patient’s normal breathing. 

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If you have been diagnosed with COPD, understand that your condition will worsen over time. However, you can take the necessary treatment that can improve your quality of life and slow down the progression of your disease and you can do so by overcoming hardships and challenges that your disease will inevitably present you. Its called a fight for a reason!

Early and accurate diagnosis of COPD is a huge factor in treating your disease, this may seem obvious, how can you treat a disease if you don’t know that you have it? But it is not that simple, inaccurate diagnosis of COPD happens all of the time, and it is important that you and your doctor are aware of the signs of COPD so you can catch it early on! 

Testing for COPD

Doctors should use spirometry for the diagnosis of COPD according to a GOLD report that was released in 2020. This test is helpful in avoiding misdiagnosis and determining the severity or stage of your COPD.

When diagnosing COPD, a doctor is looking at things like:

• Symptoms
• Severity of airflow limitation
• History of exacerbations
• Presence of other health conditions

Looking Out for Early Signs of COPD 

Looking out for COPD symptoms is not the easiest way to prevent COPD because oftentimes symptoms don't appear until lung damage has already occurred to the point of no return. The best way to look out for yourself and avoid getting COPD or at least be sure that you are slowing the progression of the disease if you already have it, is to reduce and eliminate your exposure to respiratory irritates, number one being cigarette smoke. Quit smoking!

If you have COPD you’ll start to notices signs and symptoms of COPD like:

• Shortness of breath, especially during physical activities
• Wheezing
• Chest tightness
• Chronic cough
• Excess production of mucus that may be clear, white, yellow or greenish
• Frequent respiratory infections
• Lack of energy
• Unintended weight loss (if your disease has progressed into more severe stages)
• Swelling in areas of your legs

All of these COPD symptoms can inflict pain and suffering on your day to day life, so treating your disease properly can help ease these discomforting symptoms. 

Treating COPD Symptoms 

COPD affects everyone differently, you might experience more shortness of breath throughout the day and someone else may have a chronic cough, COPD is not a straight laid out treatment plan, it requires you to be flexible and listen to your body. 

You also have to listen to your doctor and take the medication and oxygen therapy as prescribed in order to reduce the chances of experiencing an exacerbation and hospitalization, and to slow down the progression of your disease.    

Oxygen Therapy 

Long term oxygen therapy is one of the most effective treatments for COPD if your blood oxygen levels are low enough, and is the only treatment that will actually add years to your life. 

This is because once your COPD has infiltrated your lungs to the point where they can no longer function properly enough to provide your body with the oxygen it needs to survive, supplemental oxygen can oxygenate your blood for you. 

If your blood oxygen levels are low enough, and your doctor prescribed you supplemental oxygen therapy, a portable oxygen concentrator is your ticket to a healthier lifestyle. With the help of your oxygen device you should be able to sleep better, exercise more, and breathe easier. 

Overcoming Challenges Presented with Supplemental Oxygen Therapy

Overcoming challenges with your oxygen therapy will come with time, patience, and practice. As with anything, it will take time to get used to using your device. 

Tubing 

Using the tubing during the day and at night while you sleep is a learning process, but eventually it will be second nature.

If you feel like the tubing is rubbing uncomfortably on your ear or your face, try wrapping the tubing in fabric or foam. This is a great solution for irritated skin caused by the friction of a nasal cannula sitting against your face or on top of your ears. Because you have to wear this tubing all day and night, the constant contact can cause soreness and skin irritation over time, which can make oxygen therapy very uncomfortable. 

Dryness and irritation

Sometimes, you will notice your supplemental oxygen can cause dryness and irritation, common areas that might be affected are your lips, the skin under the nose, and other areas of the face that are near or in contact with your nasal cannula, oxygen, mask, or tubing. 

This can be the result of rubbing, chafing, or the constant flow of air drying out your skin. When you use oxygen continuously, it is common that your skin will dry out in the areas where air escapes the tubing. 

A simple solution for dryness and irritation that can help your skin heal and reduce the chances of future inflammation is to start using water-based moisturizers on your face and lips. If that does not help, your skin irritation could be a sign that your oxygen mask or nasal cannula isn't fitting you properly. If it's too tight, too big, or sits too loosely on your face, it can cause unnecessary friction and chaffing.

If you are having chronic problems with soreness or irritation, talk to your doctor or your oxygen supply company about getting a new nasal cannula or oxygen mask. You might need to try a different size, a different design, or a different brand in order to find one that fits your face more comfortably.

For more tips and trick to make you oxygen therapy more comfortable, read this blog: 

How to Make Supplemental Oxygen More Comfortable

Medication 

Common COPD medication consists of long-acting and short-acting bronchodilators, inhaled steroids, combination inhalers, oral steroids, phosphodiesterase-4 inhibitors, theophylline, and antibiotics. 

All of these mediations have some kind of set back or side effect that can disturb your day to day life. Managing your medication and taking it properly is one of the only ways you can combat these issues.

Overcoming Challenges Presented with Medication 

First of all, if one of your medications is giving you horrible side effects, talk with your doctor about trying a different medication with the same purpose but perhaps a different medication will not have such great side effects. 

There is a lot of research being done surrounding COPD, and new innovative medications become available from time to time, so be sure you stay up to date with COPD news and experiential treatments either by doing your own research online or speaking with your doctor. 

There are many efforts to develop new drugs for COPD. A research team from NIH’s National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS) in Rome, Italy, investigated the use of hyaluronan. Hyaluronan is naturally produced by many of the tissues in your body, including your lungs. The idea of utilizing hyaluronan as a new drug for treating COPD wound be for healing and reducing inflammation. In animal studies, inhaled hyaluronan treatment was shown to reverse some types of COPD, so watch this space and others like it for new COPD clinical trials. 

Exercise  

If you have COPD, you already know that exercise is a huge aspect of your treatment plan, and finding a time to exercise everyday will help you manage your COPD and slow the progression of your disease. But you also must know how hard it is to find the motivation to exercise. 

Overcoming Challenges Presented with Exercise 

If your disease has progressed, and you are required to be on oxygen therapy, having the right oxygen equipment can help you find motivation to exercise more than any other one thing. A lightweight portable oxygen device will give you the ability to bring your oxygen with you for a long walk or bike ride so you can stay oxygenated during your exercise session.  

If you need continuous flow oxygen, the Respironics SimplyGo is the lightest continuous flow device available today, and it is a great option for any oxygen patient that is looking for more range of motion and freedom to exercise.

Of course, even with the help of your oxygen device, exercise can still be challenging. 

Here are a few tips for getting in shape with COPD:

1. Start with small increments and time, and build from there.
2. Write down an attainable goal everyday that involves moving your body or an exercise that you can do. Check off the goal once you’ve accomplished it. 
3. If you feel tired one day, try to go for a short walk instead of taking the day off 
4. Drink plenty of water and stay hydrated
5. Eat a healthy and balanced diet that give you energy 
6. Join a pulmonary rehabilitation course to learn new exercise and be around people going through similar trials and tribulations as you 

Mental Health and Depression 

Dealing with a chronic illness will take its toll on your mental health because you are not always capable of doing the things you once loved. Not to mention that diseases like COPD can be intrusive and uncomfortable to live with. 

Emotional health is just as important to take care of on top of your physical health that you treat with medication and oxygen therapy. One of the best ways to treat mental health issues is to seek out meaningful and helpful social interactions. 

Try talking to support groups and opening up in your pulmonary rehabilitation courses, it is likely that someone in your COPD community is going through similar issues. If you have trouble opening up about your mental health in person, try joining facebook and online forums and talking to people online. Also don’t forget that confining in friends and loved ones may seem hard at first, but it can really help them understand your mood swings and symptoms that are not always as obvious. 

Beyond social interaction, you can also talk to your healthcare team about your mental state. Asking for help is sometimes the only way to get your emotions under control, so ask your health care providers to work with you to understand the cause of your feelings, and to identify coping strategies that will work for you. They may recommend you speak with a mental health professional such as a counselor, psychologist or psychiatrist.

There are also medications available to help with anxiety and depression, but they have not always been found to be effective for people with COPD. Counseling, or talk therapy, can successfully help people living with COPD change patterns of negative thinking and behaviors, improve quality of life and reduce anxiety and depression.

Overview 

Dealing with challenges is a guaranteed part of having a chronic illness like COPD, overcoming these challenges is left up to you.

There are active steps you can take to get through the obstacles, and if LPT Medical can help you get the oxygen device you need to combat supplemental oxygen related challenges, just call 1(800)-946-1201. 

You can also find a plethora of respiratory disease resources on our website where you can get information about everything and anything you need to learn more about your condition and how to manage it! 

When you think about your day as a whole, how much time do you spend thinking positive thoughts? What about negative thoughts? And have you ever wondered how these two different lines of thinking are affecting your well-being and your ability to cope with your lung disease? Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is an unbelievably complex disease. Like we’ve discussed in previous posts, it’s a “systemic disease’” meaning it can have manifestations in other areas of the body. So, we can’t even begin to imagine all of the ways it affects our physical and mental health. 

But despite the complexity of COPD, seemingly small and insignificant things can have a considerable impact on the outcome of the disease. For example, getting on your feet and moving around for just a couple of minutes extra each day could reduce your risk for heart disease and stroke, while helping your body manage hypertension, muscle pain, and stiffness, all of which are common in COPD. What’s more, making small adjustments to your diet like reducing sugar intake and consuming more protein and healthy fats can also have a big impact on your disease outcome.

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While you may think of “positivity” as something that only impacts your happiness, we’re going to show you in the following sections how it’s inextricably linked to the outcome of your disease and how just a few adjustments to your thought process can make your life a lot easier. As always, if you have any questions for us, feel free to leave them in the comments below or reach out to us via phone or email.

Positivity Promotes Productivity

While you may think of COPD patients as mostly retired people, there is a surprising amount of them who still work part-time or full-time jobs. According to a study published in the European Respiratory Journal, it’s common for COPD patients to miss work due to exacerbations, recurring lung infections, or simply feeling burnt out from dealing with their disease. Another thing to consider is the types of jobs that people work. Someone who works an office job might be less inclined to miss work than someone who works outside in the sun or in a factory where air pollution can lead to respiratory exacerbations.

Equally important to productivity in the workplace is productivity at home. Many COPD patients have obligations at home such as cleaning, paying the bills, and taking care of their children or grandchildren. Completing these obligations can make you feel satisfied and whole so it’s best to stay positive and focus on what you’re trying to accomplish rather than focusing on how challenging it can be with a respiratory disease. But at the same time, everyone has their limits, so you should know what they are and be sure not to cross them. 

Positivity Results in Better Decision Making

Good decision-making is paramount to COPD management. Ultimately, your decisions will mean the difference between managing your respiratory symptoms effectively or letting them run their course. For example, on any given day, you have the opportunity to use your medication as it’s prescribed or deal with the side effects of using it improperly. While it may be tempting to increase your dosage if you feel that it isn’t helping, a better decision would be to connect with your doctor first to see if it will have any unintended consequences.

One of the terms you might hear thrown around in the COPD community is something called “shared decision making.” In short, this refers to healthcare professionals working one-on-one with patients to make decisions about the patient’s health. In other words, the doctor isn’t simply telling the patient what to do. The patient is playing an active role in their own health decisions. This benefits the patient because they feel like their personal needs are being met and it benefits the doctor because he/she can learn more about what’s important to COPD patients.

Positivity Prevents Anxiety and Depression

Anxiety and depression are two of the most common mental health conditions. It’s estimated that around 18.1% of the population or 40 million people in the United States have anxiety. What’s more, these mental health conditions are significantly more common among COPD patients than in the general population. According to this study from the European Respiratory Journal, COPD patients are 85% more likely to experience an anxiety disorder when compared to healthy control subjects, and studies regarding depression have shown similar results.

There are several reasons for the high rates of mental illness among COPD patients. One possible reason is that COPD patients spend more time thinking or worrying about their health. From making it to the doctor’s office to taking medication, exercising, and maintaining a strict diet, your illness is something that’s always top of mind. As symptoms escalate, you’ll likely put even more of an emphasis on your health and well-being.

Another reason COPD patients have higher rates of mental illness is due to the physical effects of the disease. COPD is known to cause breathlessness, fatigue, and chronic pain, and rapid changes to your diet and sleep routine due to flare-ups and exacerbations can leave you feeling irritable and groggy. Studies have shown that COPD can even affect our hormones and brain chemistry which can manifest itself as behavioral changes. This is why treating your underlying disease is not only important for your physical health, but your mental health as well. 

Positivity Improves Systemic Health

Believe it or not, having a positive attitude can also have beneficial effects on our systemic health. This study found that emotional well-being improves recovery time and survival after physical illness. Other studies have found that positive attitudes in older adults result in a stronger immune system. This is essential for people with COPD because a poor immune system can lead to infections, the primary cause of COPD exacerbation and hospitalization.

Several other health-related benefits of positive thinking include lower blood pressure, a lower risk of heart disease, easier weight management, and healthier blood sugar levels. Weight management, in particular, is an issue that many COPD patients face because they expend a lot more energy and burn more calories than they used to, meaning they tend to be underweight. However, the opposite can also be true. Some people tend to “stress eat” when they’re experiencing anxiety or unhappiness, which can lead to unhealthy weight gain.

Positivity Leads to More Social Support

Social support is extremely important for people with chronic conditions. Between daily conversations with friends and family and interactions with caretakers and healthcare providers, it’s your social support system that is keeping you motivated. If your disease progresses, you may find yourself relying even more on those around you. There’s nothing wrong with this, of course, but you should take care to foster positive relationships early on so that you have that extra support later in life.  

If you think about it, you probably enjoy spending time around people who are positive and uplifting, so it’s only natural that others would feel the same. What this means is that, despite how difficult the challenges of COPD may become, it’s always beneficial to remain positive and to spread that positive energy to other people. One of the ways many patients like to spread positivity is through online social platforms like COPD360Social. This is a patient engagement platform that’s hosted by the COPD Foundation and allows COPD patients to discuss treatment options and coping mechanisms for their disease.   

Positivity Helps You Stay in Control

“Control” is a very important topic to discuss when you have a chronic disease. Many people who have been diagnosed with a chronic illness suddenly feel like they have lost control of their lives and that their disease now defines who they are and what they are capable of. However, when you look at the big picture, you start to realize that this is not the case at all. Many of the world’s greatest achievers have had some form of chronic illness and the thing that sets them apart the most is that they were able to adapt and overcome the challenges that they were presented with. None of this would be possible without having control.

The first step to maintaining control of your life despite your COPD diagnosis is understanding that there is no “right way” to do something. For example, you might be someone who makes use of mobility aids like canes, walkers, manual scooters, or electric scooters. But you shouldn’t feel guilty or self-conscious about using these things even when people around you are not. Instead, you should feel overjoyed knowing that you’re doing what you can in order to stay active and maintain your independence.

Another important note about control is that you likely have a lot more of it than you believe. While the lung damage caused by COPD is not reversible, your lungs are not the only things that affect your breathing. Your breathing is also affected by your fitness level, your diet, heart health, blood circulation, and many other things. So, if you want to stay in control, focus on things that you can change like eating right, staying active, drinking plenty of water, keeping up with your oxygen therapy, and visiting the doctor regularly. Once you realize that you have control over all of these things, you’ll be a lot happier and more positive about your condition.

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The alternative to being “in control” is having a “lack of control.” If you take on the mentality that you’re not in control, you might begin to believe that your disease, healthcare providers, friends, or family members are responsible for your happiness and well-being. And well you should certainly rely on these people for help, it’s ultimately up to you to make a difference in your own life and do what’s necessary to improve your health.

How to Increase Positivity in Your Life

While negativity has a huge impact on the outcome of your respiratory disease, the good news is that there are many different ways to promote positive thinking in your life. The first and possibly most effective method is something called cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT). This is a form of psycho-social intervention that’s used for a number of different purposes including treating alcohol and drug abuse, eating disorders, marital problems, and mental illness. Recently, it’s come to light how effective CBT can be when it comes to providing coping skills to people with chronic conditions like COPD.  

CBT is based on the premise that mental health conditions like anxiety and depression are caused by inaccurate thinking patterns and patterns of unproductive behavior. CBT aims to identify these things and take steps to reverse them and replace them with productive and positive thoughts and behaviors. During CBT, you will work one-on-one with a psychologist who will guide you through the process of correcting these things. The ultimate goal is to teach you the skills you need to be able to correct them on your own without the help of a professional.

Conclusion

COPD is one of the leading causes of morbidity and mortality worldwide. It’s estimated that around 65 million people in the world have been diagnosed with COPD and it affects some 16 million people in the United States alone. While these numbers may be shocking, it helps to know that many of these people have gone on to live long and happy lives by making healthy lifestyle choices like exercising, eating a well-balanced diet, and following their doctor’s instructions when it comes to oxygen therapy and medication.

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Modern medical research has proven beyond a shadow of a doubt that mental well-being also plays a role in our overall health. People who embrace a positive line of thinking are better equipped to deal with anxiety and depression and in turn, they can mitigate many of the risks associated with COPD such as heart disease, high blood pressure, and stroke. Taking steps to reverse negative thinking can have many beneficial effects in both the short and long term. For many people, cognitive behavioral therapy is the preferred method for accomplishing this.

Here at LPT Medical, we want to make it as easy as possible for COPD patients to lead happy and productive lives. That’s why we offer lightweight and reliable portable oxygen concentrators like the Caire FreeStyle Comfort and the Inogen One G5. Unlike oxygen tanks, these devices will allow you to travel wherever and whenever you please. And since they’re so easy to use, you’ll be able to focus more of your attention on living your life rather than worrying about whether or not your oxygen needs are being met.

To learn more about portable oxygen concentrators, reach out to us either by phone or email.

Beside oxygen therapy, and utilizing a portable oxygen concentrator, people with COPD are left with few other options to explore that would potentially add years to their lives. Studies have shown that hypoxic patients’s respiratory health improves greatly from long-term oxygen therapy but a viable treatment beyond oxygen therapy, still must be explored. 

There is a lot of research being done right now that is dedicated to new treatment methods for COPD. COPD is the fourth leading cause of death in adults in the United States, and over 16 million Americans are diagnosed with COPD currently. This disease is preventable, but once you have COPD, you have the disease for life. There are, however, actionable ways to control COPD and the symptoms involved, but it requires diligence and attention to your treatment plan that you have set up with your health care team. 

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Beyond the common treatments for COPD such as, long-term oxygen therapy, medication, exercise, diet, it is possible that you will still feel unwell and incapable of doing things you once loved to do. 

This is very common among COPD patients, and it can lead to mental health disorders like depression and anxiety. 

Avoiding further degradation of your respiratory health and overall well being is essential if you want to live a long and happy life with COPD. 

In this blog, we summarize a lot of the research being done that can help you treat your COPD even further, either through surgery, new and innovative medications, and other treatments. 

New Respiratory Drug Discoveries 

Currently, Only about 50 percent of asthma patients, and an even lower percentage of people with COPD, suffer from lung inflammation and cannot open up their restricted airways even with the help of readily available medications. It is evident that there is still a lot of work to be done to develop medications that can help all people with obstructive respiratory diseases breathe better. 

Medication - TASR5 Bitter Taste Receptor for COPD Patients 2021 

If you have asthma or COPD, the tightening of smooth muscles surrounding your bronchial tubes narrows your airway and reduces air flow, this is often why you cannot breathe well.  Dr Liggett's lab has discovered a TASR5 bitter taste receptor that can open your airway when activated. This is a promising new study that has paved the road for looking into new drugs to treat asthma and other obstructive lung diseases.

This new medication targets smooth muscle to open up constricted airways.

The medication is a promising bronchodilator agonist that shows a lot of potential in treating respiratory diseases. In the preclinical study, this new bronchodilator was 1,000 times more potent than some of the other agents that were tested.

The goals of this new mediation are to find a more potent agent that will activate this smooth muscle receptor and for it to accurately deliver the potencies by inhalation. T5-8 was the bronchodilator agent that showed the most promise. 

Luckily, there were others options that worked well too, so there are multiple potential new drugs to carry out the next steps!

Zephyr Valve for COPD Patients in 2021 

It is likely that your lung disease will begin to advance into a more severe state as you get older, even with proper treatment. Once your disease begins to get in the way of taking care of business the way you are used to, it is time that you do something. 

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If you have chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), but noticed it getting worse over the past few years, it can easily begin to get in the way and you will be unable to do the things you love.

Things like attending family events, hobbies like golfing, or taking care of the house can soon become unattainable and sound impossible. 

COPD affects 16 million people, and is the fourth leading cause of death in the United States.. The main symptoms, including chronic cough, fatigue, and shortness of breath, secondary symptoms include, mood swings, fatigue, and mental health issues all of which tend to worsen over time. 

There is still no cure for COPD, but there are drugs and therapies readily available to treat these symptoms, however they are not always potent enough. Treatments include pulmonary rehabilitation, bronchodilators and corticosteroids, and lung volume reduction surgery help many people living with COPD.

A new option called the Zephyr Valve, which was FDA approved in 2018, is offering hope for people who suffer from COPD in an advanced state. The Zephyr Valve is designed for patients with advanced COPD, who’s breathlessness at rest or with activity is extremely high, and even with optimal medical treatment, they still suffer from significant hyperinflation and air trapping due to deterioration of lung tissue.

Another not so commonly noted problem with the way COPD affects patients is how the lungs become bigger, or hyperinflated. Shortness of breath and uncomfortable gastrointestinal symptoms are the result of overinflated lungs pressing down on the diaphragm.

The valves in the Zephyr Valvae are extremely small, they work by being implemented into the ‘bad’ diseased parts of the lung, in order to block the air from going into those sections. As a result, the non-diseased portion of the lung can expand and relieve the pressure on the diaphragm, allowing patients to breathe better.

If you treat your COPD properly- take your medications, adhere to your oxygen prescription, exercise and eat properly, and still your disease progresses past a certain degree, your pulmonologist may suggest you look into the Zephyr Valve placement. 

If you qualify, there is no guarantee  you’ll be completely better and feeling 100% all of the time, but there is overwhelming hope that you’ll have a better quality of life. You can get back to doing what you love or enjoying the simple things, will you still get tired? Yes, because you still have COPD. But the progress towards a happier more active life is a pursuit you can begin on! 

Stem Cell Therapy for COPD in 2021

There is potential to help patients with COPD by using Mesenchymal Stem Cells. Stem cells work by promoting healing and regenerating, they do this by creating extra messenger cells called "cytokines".

Stem cells are amazingly unique, and they are capable of changing into any cell in the body. Once they are inserted, they can find damaged tissues around organs and rejerate new healthy cells within those organs. In your case, as a respiratory disease patient, it is your lungs that are deteriorating and damaged, and so stem cells can repair damaged lung tissue to combat emphysema or chronic bronchitis.

While stem cells rebuild healthy cells, they also have natural anti-inflammatory properties that can clear your airways as well.

Studies have shown the results of stem cell therapy and its effects on COPD. Over 82% of COPD patients that have tried stem cell treatment have significant improvements in their quality of life after their therapies. 

The positive reported impacts stem cell therapy after transfusion are increased lung capacity and the ability to walk. These reports have highlighted stem cells' ability to be viable options for current patients with COPD. 

And while stem cell treatment still will not cure COPD, it is able to repair damaged lung tissue and it being a relatively noninvasive procedure compared to other options, stem cell therapy is an attractive alternative for COPD patients. Studies have shown that certain cells- expanded cord tissue-derived mesenchymal cells- have very high anti-inflammatory properties and tissue regeneration capabilities, that are perfect for patients with COPD. 

Cost of Stem cell therapy for COPD

The most affordable option for COPD patients is to find patient-funded clinical trials. COPD patients who get stem cell therapy can pay anywhere from $10000 - $35,000. 

While you are researching stem cell clinics for COPD, be sure to find out how many cells are included in the treatment protocol, and what type of cells you would  be receiving. 

Currently, Medicare does not cover the cost of stem cell therapy for COPD.

Currently Available Treatments for COPD 

New medications such as the TASR5 bitter taste receptor to treat COPD are not yet available for COPD patients, and the Zephyr Valve and Stem Cell Therapy may be out of your price range or you simply do not qualify for those treatments based on the current state of your disease. 

Other more common treatments for chronic respiratory disease go a long way in cultivating a healthy lifestyle and improvements in your wellbeing. 

Supplemental Oxygen Therapy 

Oxygen therapy is among the most effective treatments there will ever be for COPD and patients with chronic hypoxia. 

Supplemental oxygen therapy should be administered at least 15 hours a day, and for the best results, 24 hours per day, but this depends on your doctor’s recommendations and the prescription they will base upon your spirometry test results. 

You will get your supplemental oxygen therapy administered with an oxygen device that you will bring with you everywhere you go. Having the best oxygen equipment will help you live a high quality life while getting the oxygen saturation your body needs to survive. 

Portable oxygen devices are a great option for people who value the ability to exercise, run errands, and get out and about rather than spending a lot of time at home! 

The best portable oxygen devices are called portable oxygen concentrators and they are the most efficient because they are battery powered oxygen devices so you can take them on airplanes, they are lightweight, and it extracts air from its surroundings so you never have to get them refilled with oxygen. 

Pulmonary Rehabilitation 

The goal of pulmonary rehabilitation is to rebuild strength so you can start to enjoy a more full and active life. These programs are set up to improve your lung function, reduce the symptoms you experience, and improve quality of life.

The courses are a mixture of educational classes and physical exercises that will increase your awareness about your lungs and your disease. 

Your pulmonary rehab team is a team of doctors, nurses, physical therapists, respiratory therapists, exercise specialists and dietitians. With all of their help and expertise, you will develop a unique program that meets your specific needs.

Overview 

As a company that works with respiratory patients on a daily basis LPT Medical has readily available reading material that will help answer all of your questions about your respiratory illness, how to treat it, and everything else you may want to know, just visit our respiratory resource center page. 

This is not the end of COPD research in fact, it is the beginning. New and innovative mediations, procedures, and other respiratory devices will become available in 2021 and beyond that will help you breathe easier, and reduce the symptoms you experience from COPD. 

Watch this space, and be sure to like LPT Medical on Facebook, subscribe to our newsletter, and comment on this blog because we are always posting news and information about respiratory illnesses, and learning about your disease is as important as treating it everyday. 

In the 21st century, we are highly dependent on energy sources like natural gas and electricity. We use fuel to power our cars, cook and heat our homes, and we use electricity to charge our phones, computers, and more. But what happens when we lose access to these resources due to a natural disaster or some other problem? In some situations, this can be a minor nuisance; but in others, it could be life-threatening.

Fortunately, hospitals and other medical facilities have back-up generators that allow them to use life-saving medical equipment even in the event of a power outage. But what about individuals living at home who are reliant on electronic devices? What safety measures are in place to ensure these people are able to use the medical devices they need to stay healthy?

The truth is that there aren’t many safety nets in place to help people experiencing power outages, so this is why it’s always important to be prepared, especially if you depend on electricity to power your medical equipment. In this post, we are going to highlight all the steps you should take to be prepared for a power outage if you have COPD or any other chronic respiratory disease.

What Causes Power Outages?

Before we can discuss the different ways to plan for power outages, it’s important to understand what actually causes them. According to the U.S. Energy Information Administration, the average household experienced one outage in 2016, accounting for 112 minutes of lost power. Although this is the average, this does not mean that power outages cannot last longer. Depending on what causes the power outage, they could last anywhere between several days and several weeks. So you should always plan for the worst-case scenario.

According to Constellation, the most common cause of power outages are severe weather and natural disasters. High winds, snowstorms, and thunderstorms can all knock power lines over causing entire neighborhoods to lose power. Extreme temperatures can also lead to power outages if it results in people overusing their air conditioners or heaters. There are so many different variables that come into play, so it’s best to always be prepared for an outage, regardless of the time of year and what the weather is like.

Install an Emergency Power System

The first thing you should do to prepare for power outages is to have an emergency power system in your home. There are many different options for powering your home in the event of an emergency, so you will have to do a lot of research to determine which one will best meet your needs. However, a good place to start is by contacting your utility company. Some utility companies provide backup generators for people with medical conditions free-of-charge. Others may add an additional fee to your monthly utility bills. Below are some of the most widely used emergency power supplies:

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Home Backup Generators

A home backup generator, also known as a standby generator, is a permanent power generator that is installed outside of your home. These generators resemble air conditioning units and they run off of your existing natural gas or LP fuel supply. While home backup generators are the most costly option for backup power, they are also the most convenient and reliable. These units are designed to turn on automatically when a power outage is detected, so you won’t have to go outside to turn it on. Since these generators are permanent, they will give your home’s value a nice boost if you ever decide to sell it. As you can imagine, home backup generators are extremely advanced, so you will need to hire a professional to install one for you.

Portable Generators

A portable generator, also known as a recreational generator, is a type of generator that’s commonly used for camping and other outdoor activities. However, they can also be a good way to power your home during a power outage. Unfortunately, these devices don’t start automatically when your power goes out, so you’ll have to go through the hassle of setting it up when your power goes out. What’s more, these units use fossil fuels which can exacerbate your respiratory symptoms, so be sure to never use one inside of your home. The benefit of portable generators is that they are much more affordable than home generators. 

Solar Generators

Just like the name suggests, solar generators are powered by the sun. The only scenario where you should purchase a solar generator is if you live in an area that is very sunny to ensure that your generator is fully charged when you need it most. Since these generators don’t burn any fuel, they won’t exacerbate your lung symptoms and they aren’t noisy. Solar generators are fairly expensive but they are worth the price for many people.

Install a Medical Alert System

An emergency alert system is a device designed to alert medical professionals if you experience a medical emergency like a COPD exacerbation or a fall. Each medical alert system comes with a pendant that you wear around your neck and a receiver that plugs into the wall. In the event of an emergency, press the button on the pendant and an ambulance will be dispatched to your home. 

What many people don’t know is that many medical alert systems have backup batteries that will kick in if there is a power outage. Generally speaking, most backup batteries will last a day or two, but you should speak with the company that manufactures it to learn the full details. Medical alert systems are an invaluable tool to have when the power goes out so be sure to get one installed as soon as possible.

Another way to prevent falls when the power goes out is to have a flashlight on hand. Chances are, even if you have a generator in your home, you’re going to want to conserve energy by keeping as many lights off as possible. A flashlight will help you navigate your home safely while doing so.

Keep Backup Batteries or Oxygen Tanks

COPD patients have a variety of options at their disposal when it comes to medical oxygen. Some of the most popular options include oxygen tanks, liquid oxygen tanks, and oxygen concentrators. The one you choose as your “backup” oxygen supply in the event of a power outage will depend on what your needs are.

The most notable benefit of having backup oxygen tanks is that they don’t require electricity in order to operate. Oxygen tanks have compressed oxygen inside them, so all you need to do is connect your nasal cannula and you’ll have access to medical-grade oxygen. However, the downsides of oxygen tanks are that they are very heavy and bulky so you won’t be able to get around your home while you’re using one.

Liquid oxygen tanks work a little differently than normal oxygen tanks. Rather than storing the oxygen as a gas, these tanks store oxygen as a liquid. Since gas is expanded, storing it as a liquid allows you to carry more of it with the same size and weight tank. This will allow you more freedom in the event of a power outage. However, there is one glaring flaw with liquid oxygen tanks which makes them impossible to recommend for this situation. Oxygen needs to be stored at very low temperatures in order to stay as a liquid, so over time liquid oxygen will begin to evaporate, According to the Lung Institute, liquid oxygen will evaporate in a week or two depending on the type of tank you have.  

Last but certainly not least there are oxygen concentrators. Unlike the previous two oxygen devices, concentrators are electronic devices. They work by drawing in ambient air and putting out medical-grade oxygen. It may seem silly to use an electronic oxygen device during a power outage, but you may be surprised to find that they are actually the best backup oxygen device for this situation. Portable oxygen concentrators run off detachable batteries that can be stored for emergencies. 

These batteries are also very small and only weigh about a pound so you can store as many as you’d like. One important thing to note is that batteries should be used from time to time in order to help them keep their charge. Be sure to swap out the batteries occasionally so that each one is being used. Let’s take a look at some of the best portable oxygen concentrators to have during a power outage. 

Best Oxygen Concentrators for a Power Outage

The Caire FreeStyle Comfort

The FreeStyle Comfort is currently one of the most popular portable oxygen generators on the market. It’s a pulse dose portable oxygen concentrator meaning it has built-in technology that tracks your breathing and only delivers oxygen when you inhale through the nasal cannula. What this means is that it’s able to conserve electricity while still giving you the oxygen you need to stay healthy. With the larger 16-cell battery, the FreeStyle Comfort can run for up to 16 hours on one charge.

The FreeStyle Comfort is one of only a few portable oxygen concentrators that weigh at or under 5 pounds. Additionally, it’s one of the most compact concentrators so you can carry it around on your shoulder with ease. In the event of a power outage, the FreeStyle Comfort will provide you with plenty of battery life, ease-of-use, and mobility. It has a maximum oxygen output of 1,050 milliliters per minute (ml/min).

The Inogen One G5

The Inogen G5 is another pulse dose portable oxygen concentrator under 5 pounds. With the 8-cell battery, the G5 weighs only 4.7 and has a battery duration of 6 ½ hours. The battery life can be doubled with the 16-cell battery affording you up to 13 hours of battery life on one charge. Just like with the FreeStyle Comfort, the batteries are very small and lightweight so you can store as many as you think you’ll need to make it through a power outage.

One of the great things about the Inogen G5 is the number of accessories there are for it. The G5 external battery charger is very useful if you’re planning for a power outage because it allows you to charge one battery separate from the G5 unit itself. In other words, it allows you to charge your batteries more quickly so that you can always be prepared. Another great accessory to have during a power outage is the DC charging cable. This is a type of cable that allows you to charge your G5 in the car via a cigarette outlet. Keep a DC charging cable in your car so that you’re always prepared if you need to leave the house in a hurry. The best part about this is that you can use your device while it’s charging meaning there will never be an interruption in your oxygen treatment.

The Respironics SimplyGo

The last portable oxygen concentrator we’d like to recommend for power outages is the Respironics SimplyGo. Certain patients are prescribed continuous flow oxygen which is where oxygen is administered irrespective of the user’s breathing rate. When this is the case, the SimplyGo is the lightest and most reliable unit available to you. The SimplyGo has a maximum flow rate of 2 liters per minute (LPM) at it weighs only 10 pounds which is significantly lighter than most continuous flow POCs on the market. Unfortunately, the SimplyGo offers significantly less battery life than the aforementioned POCs, so you may need to keep even more batteries charged.

Create a List of Contacts

Having a convenient list of contacts you can call during a power outage is very important. You don’t want to be searching the internet using what little electricity you have to find out the number of your utility company or your neighbor’s phone number. Take some time right now to write down your contacts so that you don’t have to do it when an emergency occurs. 

Firstly, you should write down the numbers of a couple of friends or family members who could come pick you up if your power is out. Secondly, you should have your doctor or pulmonologist’s number as well as the closest medical oxygen company. If you happen to run out of oxygen for one reason or another you can reach out to them and have them deliver some oxygen tanks. Lastly, don’t forget to write down the number of your utility company. Be sure to call them immediately when the power goes out so that you can plan accordingly.  

Keep Non-Perishable Food in Your Home

One of the most notorious issues with power outages is that all of the food in your fridge will begin to spoil. This can be absolutely devastating if you like to keep your fridge well-stocked with lots of food and beverages. It’s a good idea to get in the habit of buying healthy non-perishable food at the grocery store that can hold you over if you experience a power outage. Apples are a great source of energy and they will stay fresh for up to a week while sitting on the counter. However, be sure to ask your doctor about non-perishable foods that are healthy for COPD patients.

Speak With Your Doctor

Last but certainly not least, you can and should speak with your doctor about managing your COPD during a power outage. Your doctor might have some helpful information or resources for you to refer to. Most likely, he/she will tell you the minimum flow rate you’re allowed to use on your oxygen tank or concentrator in order to maintain your blood oxygen levels. Also, be sure to ask your doctor if it’s okay to cease your pulmonary rehabilitation routine while the power is out so that you can conserve your oxygen supply.

Conclusion

While it’s rare to experience a power outage that lasts more than a couple of hours, it’s crucial that you are prepared for the worst-case scenario. Studies have shown that power outages are associated with a greater risk of exacerbation and hospitalization in COPD patients. Ensuring that you always have access to a dependable medical oxygen supply will help you to stabilize your respiratory condition.

What’s more, you should work together with your doctor to create a power outage action plan. You may be able to reduce your oxygen flow rate in order to conserve your oxygen concentrator battery life during a prolonged power outage. And ideally, you’ll have some sort of backup generator that you can use to hold you over until the electricity returns to your home.

Here at LPT Medical, we can help you prepare for power outages by providing you with a durable and reliable portable oxygen concentrator like the Caire FreeStyle Comfort or the Inogen One G5. While we can’t guarantee that your battery will last the duration of the outage, we can help you find the best concentrator for your needs. Please don’t hesitate to reach out to us either by email or by phone.

If you have COPD, the first sign that something was not right was likely feeling shortness of breath, to the point that you wanted to see your doctor about it. It also could have been that incessant cough throughout the day and night.

It's easy to blame a cough on allergies or a common cold, but if it persists and becomes a regular thing, you should see your doctor to discuss the possibility of having COPD or another lung ailment. The sooner you find out if it is COPD causing your symptoms the sooner you will be able to treat the chronic illness, thereby slowing down the progression of your COPD.

The first thing that you need to understand is that coughing may seem like a symptom you want to relieve, but in the case of COPD, it actually serves a function.

Continue reading to understand how COPD and coughing are related, what you can do to ease a cough, and when to seek medical attention.

How are COPD and coughing related

If you have COPD you probably experience a persistent cough. This symptom is related to a condition of COPD called chronic bronchitis, which means that your airways are constantly irritated. This irritation is often caused by smoking or second-hand smoke, but it can also be caused by other irritants and biological factors, such as pollution or genetics.

The irritation in your airways causes two problems that prevent enough air from passing through to the lungs:

• The lining of your airways become swollen
• There is too much mucus produced by your lungs

People with chronic bronchitis can have a persistent cough because it is important to regularly clear their swollen airways of this excess mucus, which can sometimes be difficult and require extra attention and treatments, of which, we will discuss in more detail in the What you can do to ease a cough associated with COPD section of this article.

So, coughing caused by COPD is often productive and it is a natural function of your body that plays an important role in your breathing system. Coughing helps to move extra mucus out from your lungs. Coughing is also a reaction that can help remove certain irritants you may inhale into your lungs, like dust, pollution, and other common allergens.

When your cough produces mucus, which is also called sputum or phlegm, that means your body is working correctly to clear the excess mucus up through your swollen airways and into your throat and out of your mouth.

It is normal for the mucus to be clear or white, yellow, or green in color but if the mucus is very mucky, it may be a sign of a respiratory infection. We will go over this in more detail in the When you should see a doctor section

What you can do to ease a cough associated with COPD

To determine whether or not your cough needs to be treated with medication or other remedies, depends on the type of cough you are experiencing and whether or not your cough is actually helping to clear your lungs and airways.

You should consult with your doctor to determine the type of cough you are experiencing and how to deal with it going forward.

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As we discussed in the section above, airway clearing coughs serves a meaningful purpose by clearing out mucus from your airways. In this case, it is best for you to continue coughing in order to avoid mucus building up in your lungs.

That being said, there are certain medications you can take as well as techniques you can learn how to perform in order to couch more effectively.

COPD and coughing medications

If your cough is due to very thick mucus, first you should try to drink more fluids. This can help make your mucus thinner and easier to clear. If this does not work well enough, then there are medicines called “expectorants” that can help make the mucus easier to cough up.

If your coughing becomes painful or difficult to control. In those cases, your doctor might recommend cough suppressants that keeps your body from coughing. These suppressants might also be used for coughs that do not produce mucus, like a dry smoker’s cough.

If you have COPD, coughing can also cause a “bronchospasm” or “spasm.” This happens when your muscles around your airways suddenly tense up causing your airways to become very narrow, This makes it even hard to breathe. To reduce coughing that causes spasms, healthcare providers might prescribe special types of inhaled medications called “bronchodilators” or inhaled steroids.

If you are not interested in getting on medication for you coughing, there are also three airways clearing techniques you can do to clear your lungs

Airway clearing techniques for COPD

One of the most effective ways to clear your airways is to use the effective, or controlled, cough technique. This cough comes from deep within your lungs and has just enough force to loosen and carry mucus through your airways without causing them to narrow or collapse. By utilizing the controlled coughing practice, you will save energy and therefore, oxygen.

• Controlled coughing: A type of cough that comes from deep in your lungs. It loosens mucus and moves it though your airways
• Postural drainage: You lie down in different positions to help drain mucus from your lungs
• Chest percussion: You lightly tap your chest and back. The tapping loosens the mucus in your lungs

To cough effectively:

1. Sit on a chair or on the edge of your bed, with both feet on the floor. Lean slightly forward. Relax
2. Fold your arms across your abdomen and breathe in slowly through your nose. (The power of the cough comes from moving air.)
3. To exhale: lean forward, pressing your arms against your abdomen. Cough 2-3* times through a slightly open mouth. Coughs should be short and sharp. The first cough loosens the mucus and moves it through the airways. The second and third cough enables you to cough the mucus up and out.
4. Breathe in again by "sniffing" slowly and gently through your nose. This gentle breath helps prevent mucus from moving back down your airways
5. Rest
6. Perform again if needed

Here is a link to postural drainage and chest percussion treatment and how to perform these mucus clearing techniques.

Natural home remedies for helping reduce COPD induced coughing

Eucalyptus oil

Eucalyptus oil contains a natural compound called eucalyptol. Eucalyptol may have the following benefits for people with COPD and may ease uncomfortable coughing symptoms:

1. antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties
2. opens up the airways in the lungs
3. reduces mucus production
4. helps clear mucus from the lungs
5. prevents flare-ups in moderate to severe COPD

One way you can use eucalyptus oil is by adding 12 drops of eucalyptus oil to 150 milliliters of boiling water and inhaling up to three times per day.

This will not work for everyone, and if you experience any side effect of the oil, stop using it immediately.

Quit Smoking to reduce dry coughing

Smoking is the leading cause of COPD in the United States and is responsible for around 90 percent of COPD-related deaths.

Tobacco smoke is known to irritate your airways and your lungs. Smoke causes inflammation and obstruction within your airways causing them to narrow, and making it very difficult for air to pass in and out.

If you smoke, the most important step to reduce COPD related symptoms and slowing down the progression of your COPD is to stop smoking. Quitting will put an end to “smoker’s cough,” the dry, hacking cough common among people who smoke.

A deep, productive cough that clears the airways of mucus may replace this dry cough also benefiting you and your breathing.

When you should seek medical attention

Call your doctor within 24 hours if you notice:

• You’re out of breath or coughing more than usual
• Being out of breath affects your daily routine
• You’re coughing up more gunk that normal
• The mucus you are coughing up is dark yellow, dark green, or rust-colored
• You have a fever over 101 F
• You feel dizzy or lightheaded

If you begin to experience any of these symptoms it could mean that you have a respiratory infection or your COPD is getting worse.

Call 911 or go to the emergency room if you’re still out of breath after using the medicines your doctor has prescribed for your COPD.

Other symptoms associated with COPD 

One of the other many symptoms of COPD we mentioned very briefly in this article was shortness of breath. When you have COPD your lungs are no longer able to process oxygen like they once did. This is partly due to the irritation in your airways that also causes coughing. 

Both chronic bronchitis and emphysema can cause shortness of breath. This symptom is also called “breathlessness” or “dyspnea".

If you airways are swollen and filled with mucus, not only does this initiated a coughing reaction, but it also inhibits oxygen from flowing through your lungs and into your blood stream and organs. 

Not only is this feeling extremely uncomfortable, it is also life threatening, and if it goes untreated for a long period of time, you will inevitably be taking years off of your life.

Here are positive changes you can make to improve breathing with COPD:

Learn pursed-lip breathing This is a breathing exercise designed for people with COPD: Purse your lips and blow as much air out as you can before taking a deep breath in through your pursed lips again. Then slow down your breath so that you’re using as much of your lungs as you can. This technique slows your breathing rate and helps to keep your airways open which can also help to reduced coughing episodes.

Drink plenty of water because water helps thin out mucus so you can clear it better. Some people with COPD have conditions that could be made worse by extra fluid, however some people with COPD may be very dehydrated.Speak with your doctor to find out how much water you can safely drink. 

Get informed and continue learning about COPD and how your lungs function. This can help you better understand and manage your condition. Pulmonary rehabilitation programs often offer this type of education.

Exercising regularly can make a big difference in your breathing capabilities and COPD symptoms. A lot of people with COPD get more and more out of breath as their disease progresses, but it’s not due of their lung function — it's because they’re not conditioning enough. Most doctors recommend walking for people with COPD since it’s moderate in intensity and easily accessible.

Know and avoid your triggers. If you have COPD and allergies, take steps to avoid anything you’re allergic to. This may mean putting dust covers on your pillows and mattress or keeping your pets out of the bedroom. High-efficiency particulate air filters can remove dust and other irritants from the air in your home. You may also consider a humidifier if dry air triggers your symptoms.

Get your rest Many people with COPD have an underlying sleep disorder, like sleep apnea, that makes it difficult to get good sleep. When you sleep better, you’ll feel better and breathe better, so if you are not able to fall asleep, or have trouble staying asleep, speak with your doctor to understand the root of this issue so you can solve it. 

Stay on a healthy diet full of nutrient-dense foods is needed with COPD to maintain strength and fight off infections. Eating healthy can help you lose weight and breathe easier. If you’re underweight, ask your doctor about the best foods to eat and if nutritional supplements are right for you.

Take your medication COPD medications can help manage symptoms, including shortness of breath so be sure you’re taking the right medications and get evaluated to make sure your lung function is as good as it can be

If you have severely low oxygen levels this is called hypoxemia, your doctor will likely prescribe you medical-grade oxygen, for home oxygen therapy. Long-term oxygen therapy has many benefits if it is used correctly and It can even help you live longer.

• Confusion
• A sense of euphoria
• Restlessness
• Headache
• Shortness of breath
• Rapid breathing
• Dizziness, lightheadedness and/or fainting spells
• Lack of coordination
• Rapid heart rate
• Elevated blood pressure
• Visual disturbances
• A bluish tint to the lips, earlobes, and/or nail beds (cyanosis)

Hypoxemia is the main reason that people with COPD and other lung diseases are prescribed supplemental oxygen. There are a few forms of home oxygen therapy: You can opt for liquid oxygen tanks, gas cylinder tanks, or the most popular, convenient, and cheapest option a portable oxygen concentrator.

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If you are a good candidate for long-term oxygen therapy, this is a blessing in disguise. While it might seem as if you lung function is declining, once you are able to utilize oxygen, your quality of life will improve drastically. When you have adjusted to the oxygen therapy, you will begin to slow the progression of you COPD as well! 

Once you find the right POC for you, your bones and muscles will feel stronger and energized, you will have improved exercise tolerance, your mood and stamina will boost,  your quality of sleep may improve, and so much more. 

If you feel like you have experienced any of the symptoms of hypoxemia, and are curious how to find the best portable oxygen concentrator to fit you oxygen requirements, fill out the blue box to the right, it is our official guide to portable oxygen concentrators. 

Cough with a Purpose

Remember, COPD-related lung damage can’t be reversed, but it can be controlled if treated properly.

We hope you and your caregivers understand more about COPD and coughing, and how avoiding coughing is not always the best option.

Now that you understand that your cough can in fact be beneficial for your health while treating COPD, we hope that you can use the information in this article to cough effectively and efficiently. These coughing techniques, mixed with medication and other home remedies should reduce the dry uncomfortable smokers cough, and influence you to cough with a purpose.

Even though this can be a pain, always feel free to excuse yourself during social gatherings, and other outings to clear mucus from your lungs and airways. This will allow you to go longer without coughing and spend more quality time with the ones you love while enjoying the things you like to do.

The more you practice these coughing techniques the more efficient you will become at clearing your airways, and therefore breathing!

If you have any questions please leave a comment on this blog below, and always feel free to share our blog with your friends and family. By explaining how beneficial your cough is for managing your COPD, they will better understand and be willing to help and encourage coughing rather than trying to help you avoid it.