Managing chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) can feel like a balancing act a lot of the time. On one hand, you want to do everything you can to reduce the symptoms and prevent the progression of your disease. However, on the other hand, you don’t want to use any treatments that could cause serious side-effects. It’s not always easy to find a balance between these two things and create a routine that works for you.

This has never been more true than with home remedies. Simply put, a home remedy is an easy and accessible treatment option for an ailment that you can do at home. Home remedies are not prescribed by a doctor and they typically have more anecdotal evidence to prove their efficacy than hard scientific fact. What’s more, home remedies aren’t always focused on treating a specific disease like COPD. Instead, they could be focused on improving your health in general which, in turn, could help you treat your COPD.

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Rather than taking a risk with home remedies you may find on social media or elsewhere on the internet, we’re going to outline some COPD home remedies that are proven to be safe and effective. Just remember that home remedies should never be put before the treatment plan prescribed by your doctor including but not limited to supplemental oxygen therapy, pulmonary rehabilitation, and an improved diet. As always, if you have any questions about what you read here, don’t hesitate to leave a comment and we’ll get back to you as soon as possible.

Dietary Supplements

Dietary supplements are commonly misunderstood in today’s world. Many people are under the impression that dietary supplements can replace a healthy diet and others are convinced that dietary supplements do nothing at all. However, the truth is somewhere between these two points of view. Supplements can potentially enhance your diet, but there are also a few things you need to be aware of in order to use them safely.

Dietary supplements are not considered “medication” by any means. In fact, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) classifies them as a “food product.” The good news is that this means they are widely available and you won’t need a prescription in order to buy them. But the bad news is that supplements are not regulated the same way as medication. It also means you’ll have to do your due diligence and research supplements, as well as the company selling them before you make any commitments.

Vitamin D Supplements

It’s a well-known fact that many people develop vitamin D deficiency after contracting COPD. According to the National Emphysema Foundation, over half of all COPD patients develop vitamin D deficiency because they consume fewer foods that are high in vitamin D and they are less likely to spend time outside in the sunlight which is a major source of vitamin D for many healthy people.

The main problem associated with vitamin D deficiency is osteoporosis, a condition where the bones become weak and brittle. Vitamin D plays an important role in the absorption of calcium which gives the bones their structure and strength. Vitamin D also plays an important role in the growth and function of muscles which is also very important for COPD patients.

Ginseng

Ginseng has a long history of use in Chinese medicine. It’s an herb that’s believed to improve pulmonary function as well as respiratory endurance. It’s known for both its antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects as well as being able to regulate blood sugar levels. While the benefits of ginseng look promising, it’s important to discuss with your doctor before using it because it’s known to interfere with certain COPD medications.

N-Acetylcysteine (NAC)

This is an antioxidant supplement that’s shown potential when it comes to thinning mucus, reducing phlegm, and clearing the airways. Like ginseng, NAC is a widely available supplement that can be bought without a prescription. However, it is also known to interfere with certain medications, so it’s important to consult with your doctor before using it to treat your COPD.  

Smoking Cessation

The vast majority of people who have COPD have smoked in the past and about 38 percent of current COPD patients are also smokers. Many people believe that, since they’ve already contracted COPD, there is no reason to put in the effort to quit smoking. But this could not be farther from the truth. The main reason to quit smoking is to slow the progression of COPD, but there are a whole host of other reasons as well.

Smoking increases your risk of conditions like heart disease, heart attack, diabetes, and more. What’s more, current evidence suggests that smoking is associated with increased severity of disease and a higher likelihood of death in COVID-19 patients. Smokers are known for having impaired immune systems which could also put you at a higher risk of contracting respiratory infections.

While there are many prescription medications you can use to quit smoking such as Chantix or Zyban, there are also many natural methods for quitting smoking. One thing you should know about smoking and other types of addictions is that you need it in order to feel normal. If you’re deprived of it for too long, you will likely start to experience feelings of withdrawal. When this happens, you’ll experience intense cravings, along with headaches and a change of mood. This is when you’re most likely to fall back into your smoking habits.

In order to avoid these intense feelings, you may have to slowly wean yourself off cigarettes or use a common technique like nicotine replacement therapy. Unfortunately, many smokers feel like they’re up against impossible odds when it comes to smoking cessation. Maybe you’ve seen others around you fail at losing cigarettes or you just don’t feel like you have it in you. But the truth is, it takes many attempts to quit smoking. This study suggests that it could take anywhere between 8 and 14 attempts to drop a smoking habit for good. 

Cleaning Your Home

For most people, cleaning the house is a chore. But for someone with COPD, it can be a lifesaver. There are two reasons you should clean your home on a daily basis: first and foremost, it helps to eliminate airborne allergens and bacteria from your home, and secondly, cleaning is a therapeutic activity that helps you feel accomplished and whole. When your living environment becomes messy or dirty, you’re far more likely to experience issues like anxiety and depression.

Before you start cleaning, you need to make sure you’re using safe cleaning products that don’t contain dangerous chemicals that could exacerbate your respiratory problems. Unfortunately, the cleaning product industry is rife with hazardous chemicals that, if inhaled, can lead to coughing, wheezing, chest pain, shortness of breath, and even permanent lung damage. In COPD patients, inhaled chemicals can even cause severe exacerbations.

Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) are some of the most common hazardous materials you should keep an eye out for. Some common personal and home care items that include VOCs are:

• Disinfectants and cleaners
• Pesticides
• Air fresheners
• Deodorant and cosmetics
• And fuel

Other hazardous things in cleaning products include bleach, ammonia, ethylene glycol, monobutyl acetate, sodium hypochlorite, and trisodium phosphate. If at all possible, you should entirely avoid using cleaning products with these chemicals in them. However, if you absolutely have to use them, you should ensure that the room is well-ventilated, you should always wear a mask, and avoid getting the cleaning product on your hands or near your eyes or mouth. Refer to the Cleveland Clinic for more information on cleaning safely if you have COPD. 

Breathing Exercises

Breathing exercises may seem silly to someone who has never tried them. However, the more you look into them, the more you begin to realize the bad breathing habits people develop over the course of their life. As a society, we spend more time sitting and remaining sedentary than ever before. This has caused many people to develop a shallow, ineffective breathing method that can be dangerous for someone with COPD or other respiratory conditions.

Breathing exercises are very easy to practice in the comfort of your own home and they are the perfect thing to incorporate into your daily routine. Not only will breathing exercises help you correct bad breathing habits, but they will also teach you how to reduce and manage anxiety more effectively.

One of the worst habits for COPD patients to develop is chest breathing. This type of breathing is focused on using the chest muscles in order to expand the lungs which can be exhausting with inflamed and obstructed lungs. Chest breathing should be replaced with diaphragmatic deep breathing which is focused on using the diaphragm, the thin sheet of muscle above the stomach to expand the lungs.

Anxiety Management

Cleaning regularly and practicing breathing techniques are both great ways to reduce anxiety, but they aren’t the only ones. The tricky thing about anxiety, depression, and other mental health disorders is that they can be triggered by just about anything. Some people may experience anxiety about their health whereas other people may experience anxiety for reasons that are purely biological.

The first step to preventing anxiety is to simply follow your treatment plan as closely as possible. Your treatment plan is designed with your long-term well-being in mind and that includes your mental health. Things like exercise and a healthy diet will help with full-body wellness and they’re always the first things you should commit to if you want to feel happier and more motivated. If you’ve tried all of this and you’re still experiencing anxiety, cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) is the best alternative. 

Weight Management

COPD is commonly linked with weight loss. Due to the increased energy that it takes to breathe with COPD, a changing immune system, and other factors like a loss of appetite, many COPD patients find themselves losing an unhealthy amount of weight. Oftentimes, this weight can be muscle mass rather than fat which is the most dangerous part about it. Your body needs muscle strength in order to breathe and get around more efficiently, so it’s very important to keep a healthy weight with COPD. 

Weight management is something that can be done at home. Your doctor has likely set you up with a new diet plan that includes high protein, fiber, and healthy fats. You should follow this plan as closely as possible. What’s more, you should eat regularly throughout the day instead of eating one or two big meals each day. This will prevent you from feeling exhausted or bloated after eating and keep your energy levels stable throughout the day.

The second thing you should be aware of is your exercise routine. Pulmonary rehabilitation isn’t just designed to keep your lungs strong, it’s also important for helping you manage your weight by keeping fat off and muscle on. Like your diet, the most critical thing with pulmonary rehab is consistency so try to incorporate fitness into your daily routine.

Healthy Sleep Habits

Your sleep/wake cycle doesn’t just affect your alertness throughout the day, it also affects your energy levels and your ability to take on the challenges that COPD presents. For example, someone with a healthy sleep schedule will have a better mental attitude and a better willingness to make lifestyle changes that will positively impact their respiratory health. A poor sleep schedule can also contribute to anxiety which can further exacerbate COPD.

The key to a healthy sleep schedule is consistency. Adults should be getting between 7 to 9 hours of sleep each night and your sleep schedule shouldn’t vary night-to-night. Try to get to bed and wake up at the same time each day. Doctors also recommend avoiding naps throughout the day, getting plenty of exercise, and avoiding using electronics before you go to bed.

If you’re concerned that you’re losing sleep at night due to low oxygen levels, you may want to speak with your doctor about using supplemental oxygen therapy while you sleep. You are likely already on some form of oxygen therapy, but using an oxygen concentrator while you sleep will ensure that your blood oxygen levels remain stable throughout the night. Portable oxygen concentrators like the Caire FreeStyle Comfort or the Inogen One G5 are great options because they’re small, quiet, and can be plugged into any wall outlet meaning they’ll never turn off on you in the middle of the night. 

If you have obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) and need to use a CPAP or BiPAP machine while you sleep, you will need to use a continuous flow portable oxygen concentrator like the Respironics SimplyGo. This concentrator is designed to put out a constant stream of oxygen, so if your breathing is interrupted for any reason while you sleep, you can rest assured that you’ll still be receiving medical-grade oxygen.   

Conclusion

When it comes to treating COPD, you need a comprehensive approach that takes into consideration all facets of your life from your sleep schedule to your mental well-being. Home remedies are a great way to make you more conscious about how your lifestyle is affecting your health and what steps you can take to reverse these issues.

At the same time, however, you need to be careful about what home remedies you use. Some people will make unfounded claims about dietary supplements or other remedies which can actually make your symptoms worse. This is why you should always consult your doctor before using a new product or making drastic changes to your lifestyle.

Above all, you should be focusing on the treatment plan that you’ve created with your doctor. Doing so will help you alleviate breathlessness, chest pain, and coughing associated with COPD and you can expect to see a better prognosis for your disease.

From managing short- and long-term goals to exercising, eating right, and making it to doctor’s appointments, living with COPD is not easy by any means. Whether you are still working or you’ve already retired, being diagnosed with COPD means taking on a whole new set of responsibilities — some of which can be overwhelming at times.

Sometimes, it’s a good idea to take a step back and try to figure out some ways to simplify your daily routine. This will help you experience more peace of mind and provide you with some reassurance that you’re taking the steps necessary to treat your condition effectively. It can also make it much easier to cope with the mental and emotional aspects of COPD such as anxiety management.

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If you’re in the market for a supplemental oxygen device such as an oxygen tank, liquid oxygen tank, or oxygen concentrator, read on, because we’re going to be taking a look at how the Caire FreeStyle Comfort, one of the most popular portable oxygen devices on the market, will simplify your life with COPD. If you have any questions, please feel free to leave them in the comment section below and we’ll get back to you.

What is the Caire FreeStyle Comfort?

The Caire FreeStyle Comfort is a portable oxygen concentrator. What this means is that, instead of storing oxygen like an oxygen or liquid oxygen tank would, it draws in ambient air, removing any impurities, and puts out medical-grade oxygen. This is defined as a type of controlled gas, over 90% purity, that’s used to treat respiratory illnesses. While oxygen concentrators are much safer than oxygen tanks, you will still need a prescription from your doctor in order to purchase one.

Another difference between the Caire FreeStyle Comfort and oxygen tanks is that the former is battery operated whereas the latter is not. In other words, by using an oxygen tank, you are restricted by how much oxygen can be compressed into one container — the more oxygen you need, the bigger the tank you’ll need to use. With the FreeStyle Comfort, you simply need to replace the battery.

The FreeStyle Comfort is one of the latest portable oxygen concentrators released, and objectively speaking, it’s one of the best. It has relatively little competition when it comes to its weight, size, oxygen output, and general reliability. The only comparable portable oxygen concentrator in terms of specifications is the Inogen One G5. And while this device surpasses the FreeStyle Comfort in terms of oxygen output, the battery is less powerful, which leads many people to prefer the former.

Another thing to note about the Caire FreeStyle Comfort is that it uses pulse dose technology rather than continuous flow. What this means is that it closely monitors your breathing rate and only delivers oxygen when you’re inhaling. This is what enables manufacturers to make their oxygen devices so small and yet still provide you with hours upon hours of medical-grade oxygen on one battery charge.

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Continuous flow portable oxygen concentrators, on the other hand, tend to be much bulkier and they have batteries that won’t last you more than a couple of hours. This is problematic if you’re someone who wants to be able to stay out of the house for extended periods of time without having to run home and charge your device. 

1.) You’ll Have a Hassle-Free Oxygen Device

Quite possibly the most common complaint about oxygen tanks is how much of a hassle they can be. Oxygen tanks need to be refilled constantly meaning you need to have an oxygen company deliver them to your home or you can drive to an oxygen company and have them refilled. This is incredibly inconvenient if you don’t live near a company that is able to refill your tanks and it can also be very expensive to pay someone to deliver your oxygen. What’s more, you’re likely going to want to have backup oxygen tanks meaning you’ll have to find a place to store them.

To counteract this issue, many oxygen patients choose to buy something called a homefill oxygen station. This is similar to an oxygen concentrator but it’s designed to refill your oxygen tanks. This can be extremely costly, though, and it requires you to know how to use it. If you’re going this route, you might as well just purchase a home oxygen concentrator and you’ll never have to worry about refilling oxygen tanks ever again. Home oxygen concentrators are also much more compact and easy to maneuver around your home than oxygen tanks are.

Alternatively, you could use the Caire FreeStyle Comfort which is one of the most hassle-free oxygen devices money can buy. When you’re at home, simply plug your FreeStyle Comfort into the wall and you’ll have access to an infinite supply of oxygen. Once you’re ready to go, simply unplug it and the device will begin to run off the powerful lithium-ion battery. There’s no need to constantly be in touch with oxygen companies because the device does all the work for you.

2.) You Can Exercise With Ease

If you have COPD, you know how important it is to maintain a consistent exercise routine. Exercise is what keeps your lungs and body strong so that you can reduce symptoms of breathlessness, fatigue, and chronic pain. But how can you exercise effectively if you’re lugging around a heavy and bulky oxygen device? Fortunately, the Caire FreeStyle Comfort weighs in at just 5 pounds and it’s small and compact enough to sling over your shoulder as you exercise. If you want, you can even use accessories like the FreeStyle Comfort backpack to spread the weight between your shoulders as you work out.

One unique feature of the FreeStyle Comfort is its ergonomic design. Unlike oxygen concentrators in the past which tend to be box-shaped, the FreeStyle Comfort has a curved design that prevents the unit from wobbling around too much as you’re walking and exercising. While this is only a minor difference, it just goes to show how far Caire has gone to make a portable oxygen concentrator that meets everyone’s needs. 

3.) You Can Plan Trips More Easily

Before portable oxygen concentrators were invented there was no way for supplemental oxygen patients to take a flight. Oxygen tanks and liquid oxygen tanks are banned on all commercial airlines because they’re an explosive hazard. Instead, people who needed medical-grade oxygen were relegated to road trips. And while there’s nothing wrong with road trips, it takes a lot longer to get where you’re trying to go. And even if you were in the mood to drive somewhere, you would need to make sure you had enough backup tanks to last you the duration of the trip.

Traveling with a portable oxygen concentrator like the Caire FreeStyle Comfort, however, is incredibly simple because it’s approved by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) for use on all commercial airlines in the United States. All you need to do is check in with your airline 48 hours before your flight and be sure to bring 1.5 times the duration of your flight in battery life. This will help to account for any potential delays during the flight. You might also consider investing in other accessories like the external battery charger so that you can charge batteries more quickly while you’re on vacation.

Unsurprisingly, using other modes of transportation also become much easier when you’re using a Caire FreeStyle Comfort. This machine comes with a DC charging cable that allows you to charge your device in any car outlet. In other words, if you’re taking a long road trip, you’ll never have to worry about stopping to charge your POC or carrying tons of extra batteries. You can even continue using your POC while it’s charging in the car.

4.) You’ll Save Money Over Time

Many people are surprised to find that portable oxygen concentrators are actually one of the most affordable options for oxygen therapy. While POCs do have a higher upfront cost, the longer you have them, the more they pay for themselves. And since the Caire FreeStyle Comfort is built to be reliable and durable, you won’t need to worry about having to send it in to get repaired or maintained. Aside from replacing the columns, there aren’t any major repairs that you will need for many years to come.

This is in stark contrast to oxygen tanks which have significant recurring costs associated with them. While you might only spend a couple of hundred dollars on a tank, you’ll need to pay to refill them on a weekly or biweekly basis which can add up really quickly. And realistically, you’ll want to have multiple tanks as a backup. On the other hand, if you want to rent tanks and have someone deliver full tanks when you run out, this can be even more expensive.

If you choose to refill your own tanks, you’ll need to purchase an oxygen refill station. These devices alone will run you several thousand dollars and they’re largely unsupported by most oxygen manufacturers so you will likely need to pay exorbitant prices to fix one if anything goes wrong. At this point, it would make a lot more sense to invest upfront in a portable oxygen concentrator rather than dealing with the recurring costs and hassle of owning oxygen tanks. 

5.) You’ll be More Independent

Maintaining your independence as you get older is very important. According to Vantage Aging, independence in older adults helps them find a sense of purpose and fulfillment and even have physical benefits like improved strength, balance, and memory skills. Unfortunately, it can feel downright impossible to maintain your independence when you’re using a heavy, bulky oxygen tank. Even if you’re making every effort possible to do things on your own, you may find yourself relying on others to help you manage your oxygen tank.

One example of this is going up a flight of stairs. It would be unreasonable to expect anyone to carry oxygen concentrators up a flight of stairs by themselves because it’s dangerous and can cause you to overexert yourself. However, the Caire FreeStyle Comfort portable oxygen concentrator is very lightweight and small. What’s more, it comes with accessories that make it safer and more convenient to carry. The FreeStyle Comfort backpack which we mentioned earlier keeps the unit close to your back as you walk so that there’s no added stress on your body, even when you’re going up a flight of stairs.

6.) You’ll Experience More Restful Sleep

If your doctor has prescribed you with 24 hours of oxygen, you’re going to need to use your oxygen device while you sleep. While this may sound like a huge pain, it’s actually made very easy by pulse dose portable oxygen concentrators. Like other oxygen devices, the FreeStyle Comfort is capable of detecting even the faintest breaths. This is important because when you’re sleeping, your breathing rate changes significantly, so you want to ensure that you’re inhaling the correct amount of oxygen despite this.  

The Caire FreeStyle Comfort has a built-in UltraSense® technology that ensures optimal oxygen delivery throughout the day and night. Unlike oxygen tanks which can run out while you sleep, you can keep your FreeStyle Comfort plugged into the wall outlet all night long so that you never run out of oxygen supply. Caire understands that many of their patients use oxygen 24/7 so they built this device with these people front of mind. 

7.) You’ll Keep Your Symptoms in Check

Last but certainly not least, using a Caire FreeStyle Comfort will help you manage your symptoms and keep your thoughts off of your disability and instead focus them on what you’re trying to accomplish. Far too many people have trouble living in the moment with COPD. Instead of focusing on what they’re trying to accomplish, many people are overcome with regrets about the past or anxiety about the future.

Most people find that when they make the switch to a POC, they’re much less self-conscious about using an oxygen device. Some people even say they forget they’re using a medical oxygen device making them feel much more confident in their own abilities. Since the FreeStyle Comfort adjusts to your needs there aren’t too many things for you to be concerned about. 

Conclusion

No matter what your age is or what stage of life you’re in, simplifying your lifestyle is an invaluable skill to have. If you have COPD, making the switch from an oxygen tank or liquid oxygen tank to a portable oxygen concentrator like the Caire FreeStyle Comfort can make a world of difference, especially when it comes to managing your disease effectively.

Here at LPT Medical, it’s our goal to get a portable oxygen concentrator into the hands of anyone who wants and needs one. However, it’s also important to us that you get a device that aligns with the prescription that your doctor created for you. Reach out to us either by phone or email and you’ll be connected with a respiratory specialist who can answer all of your questions and get you the best deal possible on a new, used, or refurbished portable oxygen concentrator.

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is one of the diseases with the greatest financial burdens worldwide and within the United States. Studies have shown that the average annual COPD-related expenditure is around $4,147. And while 51% of these costs are covered by Medicare according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), that still leaves roughly $2,000 a year that COPD patients need to spend out-of-pocket. Combine this with the cost of aging and limited retirement funds and it’s not hard to see why COPD is such a major financial burden for so many people.

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Without a doubt, the later stages of COPD pose the greatest burden for most people. It’s during end-stage COPD that you’re most likely to experience hospitalization due to exacerbation and you’re also more likely to be hospitalized for an extended period of time. Since symptoms tend to develop more quickly during this time, you’re also more likely to schedule more doctor’s appointments, use your medication more frequently, and seek out other treatment options for your disease. 

In this post, we’re going to discuss end-stage COPD (also called late-stage or stage 4 COPD). We’ll take a closer look at what exactly this term means, what to expect, and how to prepare for this stage of COPD in order to mitigate some of the physical and financial challenges it poses. If you have any questions, either leave them in the comment section below or reach out to your doctor to schedule an appointment.

What is End-Stage Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease?

Since COPD is a long-term condition that progresses slowly, it’s generally divided into four different stages. These stages help healthcare specialists identify the symptoms of your disease, predict the prognosis of your disease, as well as your life expectancy. And because COPD manifests differently in every patient, that also means the stages are going to look different for everyone. While researchers have a good idea of the average life expectancy of someone with COPD, what ultimately matters is your own health. In this way, it’s often better to think of COPD as a sort of “catalyst” for other health issues.

The best way to know that you’re approaching late-stage COPD is based on your symptoms. Someone with end-stage COPD will likely experience similar symptoms that they’ve experienced for many years such as coughing, breathlessness, fatigue, or chronic pain. In end-stage, however, these symptoms become significantly more debilitating to the point where they may need to rely on caretakers, friends, or loved ones to take care of them. They’ll also experience more frequent trips to the hospital due to flare-ups and exacerbations.

The term “end-stage” is controversial in many ways because it can imply that the patient doesn’t have much time left to live, but this isn’t always the case. Even when it’s evident that symptoms are increasing in frequency and severity, that doesn’t mean that won’t outlive them and go on to live many more years. However, using this term can be helpful when it comes to planning and the approach that you use to treat your disease. For example, some people prefer to switch to palliative care which is a type of specialized medical care that’s focused on optimizing a patient’s quality of life and ease discomfort.

How to Recognize End-Stage COPD

As aforementioned, late-stage COPD looks different for everyone. This is why it’s important to maintain open lines of communication with your doctor who can provide you with detailed information about your disease prognosis as well as advice on how to plan. Generally speaking, however, you’ll be able to notice an increase in the frequency and severity of symptoms you’re experiencing. Take a look at some of the symptoms below and see if you notice any similarities to what you’re experiencing.

• You experience heavy coughing or wheezing throughout the day
• You experience shortness of breath even while at rest
• You lack the energy or will to maintain your diet
• You’re becoming more reliant on friends and family for simple tasks
• You experience dizziness, confusion, or trouble sleeping
• You experience more frequent or severe exacerbations that lead to hospitalization

Another way to recognize end-stage COPD is by performing a spirometry test. A spirometer is a simple device used to derive two different results: Forced Expiratory Volume in one second (FEV1) and Forced Vital Capacity (FVC). Combined, these results will tell you how well your lungs are functioning, and if you have spirometry results already, you and your doctor will be able to compare them to determine how quickly your lungs are deteriorating. FEV1 refers to the total amount of air you can force from your lungs in one second and FVC refers to the total amount of air you can expel from the lungs in one breath.

From a diagnostic perspective, stage four COPD is recognized as an FEV1/FVC ratio of less than 70% or an FEV1 less than 30%. Even if your FEV1 is above 30%, however, your doctor may classify you as stage four severe COPD if you have chronic respiratory failure. Several other tests your doctor may use to diagnose stage four COPD include lung volume tests, gas diffusion tests which measure how well oxygen moves from the lungs to the bloodstream, and exercise tests.

How to Ease End-Stage COPD Symptoms

All-in-all, your treatment plan for end-stage COPD shouldn’t look all that different from your treatment plan for any other stage of COPD, but you may need to make adjustments based on your physical, mental, and emotional abilities. What’s more, there are several additional strategies you can add to your routine that can ease some of the pain and increase your comfort.

Supplemental Oxygen Therapy

Oxygen therapy is likely the most consistent treatment you’ve used since being diagnosed with COPD. Since COPD leads to progressive lung obstruction, one of the best ways to remedy this is by helping your lungs out and providing them with a higher concentration of oxygen. By doing so, your body will have the resources it needs in order to stay healthy. Unfortunately, many COPD patients use oxygen incorrectly or they use an oxygen device that doesn’t suit their needs and lifestyle.

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When it comes to oxygen delivery devices, there are several options available to you. Oxygen tanks have been around the longest, followed by liquid oxygen tanks, home oxygen concentrators, and portable oxygen concentrators. While each of these can provide you with the oxygen you need, portable oxygen concentrators tend to offer the most comfort and convenience in end-stage COPD. There are many reasons for this, but above all, they don’t need to be refilled.

Rather than containing compressed oxygen like oxygen tanks do, portable oxygen concentrators run off of powerful lithium-ion batteries which allows you more freedom to move around on your own time. Instead of having to call an oxygen company to deliver full tanks to you, simply plug your POC into any wall outlet and you’ll be able to recharge your batteries. You’ll even be able to use the device while it’s charging. 

There are several different types of POCs you can choose from depending on your wants and needs. Pulse dose portable oxygen concentrators like the Caire FreeStyle Comfort or Inogen One G5 closely monitor your breathing and only deliver oxygen when you inhale. These devices are incredibly efficient, lightweight, and small. On the other hand, you could opt for a continuous flow portable oxygen concentrator like the Respironics SimplyGo which provides the user with a constant stream of oxygen. These machines tend to be slightly bigger and bulkier than their counterparts.

Nutritional Counseling

Like we mentioned before, malnutrition is a significant problem that many stage-four COPD patients face. Symptoms like breathlessness and chronic fatigue can lead to a situation where patients simply don’t have the energy to eat or they don’t get the same satisfaction from it that they used to. Conversely, it could lead to someone choosing foods that are convenient and provide a quick energy boost. Unfortunately, these foods tend to also be filled with sugar and other problematic ingredients that don’t provide your body with the nutrients it needs.

If either of these situations sounds like you, it might be a good idea to consider nutritional counseling. This is a type of therapy that’s focused solely on your eating habits and it attempts to break down any barriers you might be facing that are preventing you from sticking with the diet that your doctor has provided for you. Contrary to popular belief, nutritional counseling isn’t just for people facing weight issues, it’s also extremely beneficial for people with chronic illnesses like COPD who struggle to get the nutrients they need. It’s also useful for anyone who believes that they have “unhealthy” or “unproductive” eating habits. 

Complementary Therapies

Complementary therapies are any therapy that can help you ease the burdens associated with late-stage COPD. As you can imagine, this varies greatly depending on the patient because everyone faces different issues with their disease. For some, this might mean attending cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) sessions in order to prevent anxiety or depression, for others it could mean speaking with a spiritual or religious leader who can help you settle any concerns or fears about living out the later stages of your life.

Cognitive behavioral therapy is a type of psycho-social intervention that’s focused on correcting negative or inaccurate thought processes or actions. It’s a type of therapy that’s become very popular among older adults, especially those with chronic conditions, who want to seek more fulfillment in their daily lives. CBT takes place over the course of several weeks, months, or however long it takes for the patient to feel comfortable on their own. 

Another type of therapy you might want to consider when it comes time to plan for end-stage COPD is massage therapy. Studies have shown that anxiety can cause a lot of tension to form in our bodies and this tension can lead to more anxiety. Massage therapy is a great way to break this tension causing us to feel better both physically and mentally. According to this medical report, there are two reasons massage therapy is beneficial for COPD patients. Firstly, it causes hyperemia which is the increase of blood flow to different tissues. Secondly, it activates the lymphatic system which is responsible for draining your body of toxins.

A Revised Pulmonary Rehabilitation Routine

Most people are well-aware that with aging comes problems with mobility, endurance, and strength. It’s a natural part of life that we lose a lot of our physical abilities as we get older, but that doesn’t mean you can’t continue to do pulmonary rehabilitation. It simply means that you will need to find new ways to do it. Some people find that the best option for them is to switch to exercises that involve sitting as well as ones that don’t require them to leave the house or meet up with other people.

The important thing to remember is that any form of exercise will benefit your lung health, not just exercises that work your lungs specifically. In many cases, this mindset can even be counterproductive in late-stage COPD because most people don’t have the lung capacity to perform any strenuous endurance exercise that gets your heart rate up. Rather, targeting specific muscle groups in your body will improve your strength and circulation, thus easing some of the burden on your lungs. Studies have shown that muscle requires less oxygen to use and it produces less carbon dioxide as waste, ultimately resulting in less air that your lungs need to take in. 

The thing that we would like to stress, like we’ve done many times before, is the importance of consistency when it comes to your pulmonary rehabilitation. Just like maintaining a healthy diet, your exercise routine will be more effective if you are able to do it everyday without letting yourself fall back on your goals. Ideally, you should have someone like a friend or family member who can hold you accountable at least until you are able to do so for yourself.

Address Your Concerns With Your Doctor

Just like with any other stage of COPD, you’re going to want to work closely with your doctor in end-stage COPD. This is because you’ll want to make sure that your goals are in line with or at least not counterproductive towards your treatment goals. Like we mentioned earlier, end-stage COPD should be all about improving your comfort and reducing chronic pain. But this doesn’t mean that you should completely ignore the treatment plan that you’ve followed throughout your whole life with COPD.

Another reason to consult your doctor is because he/she will likely have some helpful resources for you in regards to finding other health specialists such as nutritionists or mental health experts. This will not only save you a lot of time but it will set you off on the right path. You should also make it a priority to visit your doctor more frequently so that you can make healthy choices that fall in line with your COPD treatment plan.

Conclusion

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is an ailment that develops and progresses over the course of many years — sometimes even decades. This is why it’s important to always be adaptive when it comes to your treatment plan and lifestyle. While during stage one COPD, you were likely very active and took the time to travel as much as possible, stage four COPD treatment should focus more on improving your comfort and ensuring your psychological, physical, and even spiritual needs are met.

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While you should take the initiative to do these things for yourself, it’s also important to consult your doctor to make sure you don’t leave out any aspect of your treatment plan in the process. Even in end-stage COPD, you’ll need to keep up with your oxygen therapy, dietary plan, pulmonary rehabilitation, and avoid environmental triggers such as pollution or airborne allergens.

Many people assume that the longer they live, the less capable they are of improving various aspects of their lives. For example, some people take for granted that you can’t learn a musical instrument as an adult. These people are often told throughout their lives by their parents or friends that if you want to learn something complex, you have to start when you’re younger. It’s also assumed that you’ll stop progressing very early on in your life.

Fortunately, this is not always the case. While studies have shown that children are able to learn more easily due to an undeveloped prefrontal cortex, this does not mean that adults can’t become well-versed in a particular skill. And more importantly, this doesn’t mean that there is no reason for learning something even if you’re faced with the reality that you will never reach your full potential.

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Being diagnosed with COPD is similar to the situation discussed above. Many people diagnosed with COPD are immediately hit with a sense of inferiority. They begin to think that they’re no longer capable of things that they previously were. And for some people, this can even lead to a self-defeating attitude that can be very counterproductive when it comes to your health and happiness. In this post, we’re going to take a look at seven different things that you should never stop pursuing, even after being diagnosed with COPD.

Your Relationships

If you’re like most people, your relationships play a key role in your well-being and happiness. Despite how busy your day gets, you probably ensure that you put enough time aside to spend with your family and friends. Studies have shown that, not only do healthy relationships increase our perceived level of happiness, but they also have real clinical effects that can affect us both psychologically and physically. Furthermore, this study states that these relationships may be especially important in treating COPD due to the high levels of anxiety and depression among this demographic.

Family relationships primarily have an effect on the onset and course of depression. In other words, positive interactions with your loved ones may cause depression to develop more slowly and ease some of the burden when you have depression. This study also found that people who are dissatisfied with their marriage are about three times more likely to experience an episode of depression over the course of a year than people who are satisfied with their marriages. Finally, people who experience “perceived criticism” from family members are more likely to experience a release of depressive symptoms.

You’ll be happy to know that this isn’t the only study that confirms these findings. Depression has been studied in many other chronic conditions and relationships consistently rank among the most important determining factors. According to this study of lung cancer patients, people who were married had a greater survival rate than those who were not. It also found that people with the most severe symptoms had smaller social networks and were more likely to experience comorbid conditions like traumatic stress, anxiety, in addition to physical symptoms.

So now that we’ve established that your relationships play an important role in helping you manage COPD, you’re likely wondering how you can actually improve your relationships. Many people believe that they have good relationships already, so there’s no point in worrying about it. However, even if you already have positive relationships, there’s a good chance that you can take steps to improve them.

According to the University of Delaware, the first step in improving relationships with family members is to become a better listener. Rather than being quick to react to what someone is saying, take the time needed to fully understand what they’re saying and focus your attention equally on how they’re feeling as much as what they’re saying. It also helps to eliminate as many distractions as possible such as your cell phone, the TV, or anything else that could take your attention away from the conversation.  

Another aspect of building good relationships is to make time for people. In this day and age, it’s becoming increasingly more difficult to make time for friends and loved ones because there are so many things to schedule around. This is no different for COPD patients because your day is likely full of pulmonary rehab, doctor’s visits, and you might even work a part-time or full-time job. 

Your Hobbies and Pastimes

Hobbies and pastimes may not seem like something you should be focusing your attention on. But the truth is, the older you get and the more COPD symptoms progress, the more important your pastimes become. This is because even as your respiratory symptoms progress, you’ll still be able to improve at hobbies like playing music, card games, puzzles, and more. All of which will keep your mind occupied, improve your mood, and help prevent issues like anxiety and depression.

According to the Lung Institute, hiking, reading, and puzzles are three of the best hobbies you can have as a COPD patient. Hiking is one of the best ways to get out and enjoy the great outdoors without doing anything too strenuous. However, there are several important considerations you should make before going on a hike. Extreme weather, either hot or cold, can exacerbate your COPD symptoms. As such, it’s important to check the weather beforehand and make sure it’s comfortable enough for a hike. Read through this post to learn about preventing heat-related COPD symptoms. Another factor you should consider is outdoor air quality. Visit AirNow.gov and type in your ZIP code or city to check the air quality in your area. 

Reading is the second hobby that the Lung Institute recommends. Reading is unlike any other hobby in that it allows you to learn about any topic you want without ever leaving the comfort of your living room. Whether you’re into historical books, fantasy, or educational books, there is something out there for everyone. What’s more, reading content is more accessible than it ever has been before. You can read books directly off your phone, computer, or tablet, order them online which is far more affordable than you might expect. 

If reading isn’t exactly your thing, there are always puzzles or games. Jigsaw puzzles are a great way to occupy your time and they can even be used as a socializing tool or teambuilding exercise if you want to spend more time with friends and family. If you’d like to expand your vocabulary, crossword puzzles might be something to consider. Or if interested in working with numbers, give Sudoku a try. You can either print them off, find them in magazines, or install an application on your smartphone or tablet. 

Your Exercise Routine

According to Everyday Health, moderate exercise makes it easier for COPD patients to breathe by strengthening respiratory muscles and helping the body use oxygen more efficiently. In many ways, however, this can be a vicious circle because many COPD patients find themselves unable to exercise in the first place. This can lead them to outright stop trying to implement an effective exercise routine into their lives.

The solution to this is to speak with your doctor about joining a pulmonary rehabilitation program. During this program, you will not only learn how to exercise correctly with COPD, but you will also learn what causes flare-ups and exacerbations so that you can avoid them in the future. Many COPD patients do not know very much about their condition or even what it is when they’re first diagnosed, so pulmonary rehab is one of the most effective ways to learn about it and address any concerns you may have.

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Generally speaking, your exercise routine is something that you can always improve on. Whether you just started pulmonary rehab or you’ve been exercising on your own, it can be extremely beneficial to try new exercises. If you see improvements in your symptoms, you can make gradual adjustments to your exercise routine, however, if not you can try something else. If you’re in need of guidance be sure to consult your doctor.

Your Diet

Many people would argue that your diet is equally important, if not more important than your exercise routine. The food you eat is inextricably linked to your lung, heart, and circulatory health because the nutrients you gain from your food can benefit (or harm) your overall health. While you might believe that you already maintain a healthy diet, when it comes to coping with a chronic condition like COPD, it’s more about maintaining the right diet for your needs. For example, if you’re someone who’s underweight because of your COPD, you will need to consume more calories and more protein to get back up to a healthy weight.

Your Sleep Schedule

Sleep is vital for anyone’s health, but especially so for people with COPD and other chronic respiratory ailments. While COPD doesn’t cause sleep disorders or vise versa, they often occur simultaneously in a condition called COPD-OSA overlap syndrome. People may live their whole lives with this condition without realizing it and it can lead to loss of sleep, chronic daytime fatigue, and even increase your risk for conditions such as high blood pressure, heart attack, and stroke.

Aside from getting more sleep, you should take the opportunity to take a sleep test (polysomnography). These tests are done by trained professionals who will monitor your brain activity, breathing rate, and heart rate as you sleep. This information can be used to determine a number of things such as if a sleep disorder is present. It can even help your doctor understand how your COPD is affecting your sleep at night so that you know whether to increase or decrease your oxygen supply while you sleep.    

Your Mental Health

While we’ve already mentioned two things you can do to improve your mental health including improving your relationships and spending time with your favorite hobbies, there are many other things you can do as well. Mental health issues look different for everyone. Some people experience regular anxiety or depression whereas others experience it off and on, like with a change of seasons. Others have had anxiety so long that they may not even realize they have it.

One of the best ways to combat mental health issues if you have COPD is to attend cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT). This is a type of intervention that’s designed to pinpoint where your negative or unconstructive thoughts are coming from and take steps to change them. CBT is used by people of all ages and with a variety of different mental or physical conditions. It’s becoming increasingly popular among COPD patients because the idea of seeking help for mental health conditions is becoming de-stigmatized.

Your Goals and Aspirations

Last but certainly not least, your goals and aspirations should never stop changing and improving even after you’re diagnosed with COPD. Far too many people believe that being diagnosed with a chronic condition means letting go of your dreams or goals, but this couldn’t be farther from the truth. While COPD should be taken seriously, it’s not a doomsday scenario like many people make it out to be. In fact, people who follow a strict treatment plan often see significant improvements to both their symptoms and their life expectancy.

If you want to stick with your short- and long-term goals, it’s always best to write them down. According to Forbes, there are two reasons why this is the case: external storage and encoding. External storage simply means that you will have a physical reminder of what your goals are. You can post sticky notes around your home or around the office to remind yourself to stay on track for what you’re trying to accomplish. The other aspect of this, encoding, refers to your brain's biological ability to remember things better when they’re written down. Studies have shown that note takers are able to retain about 23% more information than those who do not take notes. 

Conclusion

COPD is one of the leading lung conditions in the world and it’s even one of the leading morbidities in general. While COPD can lead to debilitating symptoms like a chronic cough, chest pain, and shortness of breath, this condition is unique in that it develops over the course of many years. This means that it’s very possible to live a long and happy life after being diagnosed with COPD.

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One of the most important aspects of happiness is being able to always learn and improve at things that are important to you. In this post, we highlighted seven things you should be focusing on. If you can think of anything else, however, be sure to create your own list and make reminders so that you remember you’re never too old to pursue things that are important to you.

If you’re interested in reading more articles about living a rewarding life with COPD, supplemental oxygen therapy, smoking cessation, or holistic health, be sure to bookmark our blog page. And if you have any questions, don’t hesitate to leave them in the comment section below or reach out to us by phone or email.

It seems like no matter where we go these days or what we’re doing, we’re always using technology. While several decades ago, it may have been possible to avoid using a cell phone or the internet, this becomes increasingly difficult as nearly everything around us is moving digital. According to the Pew Research Center, 95% of adults between the ages of 50 and 64 own a cell phone, and 79% of people in the same age group own smartphones. These numbers are only expected to increase over the years.

Although the pros and cons of smartphone use are hotly debated, it’s fair to say that they’ve afforded us easier access to information than ever before. And if you’re someone with a respiratory illness like chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), you know that technology enables you to stay connected more easily with friends and loved ones, and research information about managing and treating your disease. What’s more, most of these resources are free and easy to use.

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If you’re a COPD patient who’s interested in technology that allows you to interact with your disease in unique and beneficial ways, stick around. We’re going to be taking a look at some of the best mobile applications you can have on your smartphone. In the meantime, if you’re in the market for a portable oxygen concentrator, feel free to reach out to our respiratory specialists in Denver, Colorado. LPT Medical offers the lowest prices on the latest portable oxygen concentrators including the Caire FreeStyle Comfort, Inogen One G5, and the Respironics SimplyGo.

AirNow Mobile Application (Android and Apple)

If you’ve read any of our blog posts here at LPT Medical, you know how important air quality is to us. While cigarette smoking is still the primary cause of COPD, exposure to outdoor air pollution, and indoor irritants is still a significant risk factor for contracting COPD. this is why it’s of the utmost importance to be conscious about the air we breathe and take steps to plan our life around these issues. While there will always be poor air quality due to wildfires and carbon emissions, we can take steps to live healthier lives.

If you read our post about wildfires, you know that we discussed a very important component of air quality: the air quality index (AQI). This is a broad term used to describe the overall quality of air outdoors. It’s an aggregate score of five major types of pollutants including carbon monoxide, particle pollution (PM2.5 and PM10), ground-level ozone, sulfur dioxide, and nitrogen dioxide. The AQI scale runs from 0 being perfect air quality and 500 being the absolute worst. Generally speaking, COPD patients should not be outside if the AQI is over 100, but this will depend on the severity of your symptoms.

Rather than having to go to the AirNow website to check the AQI in your area, the AirNow Mobile application allows you to do it anywhere in the world from the convenience of your smartphone or tablet. You can save a variety of different locations to easily check the AQI all over the country and you can even view the AQI forecast in your area to make it easy to plan your week. Since all of the information is pulled straight from AirNow.gov, you can rest assured that it’s up-to-date and factual.

Breathe2Relax (Android and Apple)

Most people give very little or no thought to the way they breathe — but they should! The way we breathe is directly linked to many of the body’s functions including, sleep, digestion, and cognitive function. Simply by becoming more self-aware of our breathing habits and implementing techniques like deep breathing and diaphragmatic breathing, we can begin to reverse the negative effects of shallow, ineffective breathing. This is imperative for COPD patients who have significantly reduced lung function compared to the general population. 

Another problem with ineffective breathing is that it can cause anxiety. The Breathe2Relax app was created specifically to target this type of breathing and correct it so that you can feel more at peace and relaxed in your day-to-day life. One of the techniques it focuses on is diaphragmatic breathing which teaches you how to breathe using the diaphragm muscles below the lungs rather than using the chest muscles to breathe. Many people find it difficult to learn this technique from simply reading about it, so this app is more interactive to ensure you do the exercises correctly. Another great feature of this app is that it can connect with your Apple Watch to measure your heart rate and provide you even more detailed information about your health.

If you’d like to learn more about breathing exercises for COPD, we’ve created a great comprehensive guide. In this post, we take a look at 6 key breathing exercises that all COPD patients should know about including:

• The stop, rest and continue technique
• Pursed lips breathing
• Coordinated breathing
• Deep breathing
• Diaphragmatic breathing
• And a relaxed posture
  
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NCI QuitGuide (Android and Apple)

According to the American Lung Association, 85 to 90 percent of COPD patients contract their disease through cigarette smoking. While not all people continue smoking after being diagnosed with COPD, you may be surprised to find that around 38% do. Unfortunately, many people believe that the damage has already been done, and continuing to smoke will not affect them, however, this couldn’t be further from the truth. Any amount of smoking, whether it’s one cigarette a week or a pack a day will contribute to lung inflammation, and thus, increase the rate at which COPD progresses.

Another problem with smoking as a COPD patient is that it significantly increases your risk of experiencing a flare-up or exacerbation. In short, an exacerbation is a sudden increase in respiratory symptoms such as breathlessness, chest pain, coughing, or wheezing. Acute exacerbations can be severe and even lead to hospitalization if they aren’t dealt with swiftly and efficiently. Smoking also impairs your immune system’s responsiveness making you more likely to contract a lung infection. Infections are also the most common cause of COPD exacerbations. For a more detailed look at the importance of smoking cessation, please visit our article titled: 15 Important Things That Happen When You Quit Smoking.

While there are many “quit smoking” apps out there, we chose NCI QuitGuide because it was created by the National Cancer Institute. This is one of 11 government organizations that makes up the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) in the United States. NCI QuitGuide is not necessarily designed to be an all-in-one smoking cessation tool, but it can be used in tandem with other methods like nicotine replacement therapy and cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT). Be sure to consult with your doctor to determine which method is best for you.

QuitGuide is a simple mobile application that allows you to track cigarette cravings, mood, and your reasons for quitting. It also displays information about your smoking cessation including the amount of money you’ve saved, days smoke-free, and provides you with milestones to reach. This app is perfect for anyone who wants to see the tangible effects of smoking cessation. The best part of all is that it’s free. There’s no need to worry about paying an upfront fee or paying a subscription of any kind.

The COPD Pocket Consultant Guide (Android and Apple)

We’ve referenced the COPD Foundation many times and you’re likely familiar with COPD360social, a free social networking site for people with COPD. However, you may be less familiar with their mobile application, the COPD Pocket Consultant Guide. This app has tools for healthcare providers, caretakers, and patients, so it’s important that you select the option that applies to you when you first open it. Once you have it set up, however, you’ll find that you have a variety of resources at your disposal.

The “For My Next Visit” section is designed to help you prepare for your next doctor’s visit. This is a simple tool that displays a bunch of “questions” and “symptoms.” You can then go through and select the questions you’d like to ask your doctor upon your next visit, along with any symptoms that have changed since your last one. You can then either save your results or print them out to show your doctor.

The “Wallet Card” section is designed to work like a digital version of your medical information card. Through this tool, you can save important information about your oxygen concentrator flow setting, CPAP or BiPAP settings, and a whole host of other things such as your physician contact information and insurance provider information. The best part about this feature is that it allows you to secure all of this important information using face identification technology. This way, you ensure that only you can view this information.

The third feature of this app is the training video section. Pulmonary rehabilitation, inhaler therapy, and nebulizer therapy are key components of most COPD treatment plans, and these videos will show you exactly how to do these things effectively. Believe it or not, studies show that many people do not follow their treatment plan, especially when it comes to using an inhaler. This app provides the easiest solution to this with all the training videos in one area.

The next feature of this app is the “Activity Tracking” section. This section lists out a bunch of daily activities such as cleaning, making the bed, and brushing your teeth, then you get to choose the level of difficulty you have doing these things. Fill out this form once a month and then print it out to see what kind of progress you’re making in your day-to-day life.  

An action plan is a series of steps you will take if you encounter a specific problem. The COPD Pocket Consultant Guide divides your symptoms into three different categories: green, meaning you feel good; yellow, meaning you feel worse than normal; and red, meaning you are experiencing serious and disruptive respiratory problems. Go over this section of the app with your doctor so that you’re prepared for days where your symptoms increase.

Last but certainly not least, there is a section titled “more” that has additional resources for you to view. This includes links to COPD360social, the COPD Foundation blog, the COPD Patient-Powered Research Network (COPD PPRN), a COPD Assessment Test (CAT), and a help page if you’re experiencing any issues with the app or you have any questions about managing your disease.

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All Respiratory Disease and Treatment (Android)

The last mobile application we’re going to go over is not necessarily specifically designed for COPD patients, but it’s more of an educational resource about all respiratory diseases — chronic and acute — and how they’re treated. This is a useful app if you’re someone who simply enjoys learning about the lungs and how to take care of them. It can also help you put COPD into perspective and clarify any confusion about its similarities and differences when it comes to other lung diseases.

The best advantage of using this app is that you won’t have to waste time scouring the internet for information about COPD and other lung diseases. Simply open up the app and you’ll be able to view a substantial amount of information about COPD like a definition, risk factors, symptoms, causes, home remedies, and much more. It’s also handy to have on-the-go if a question comes to mind while you’re away from your computer at home. The only downside is that this app is only available on Android. 

Conclusion

The world is a more connected place than ever before. One of the biggest benefits of this is that we can have easier access to information in the palm of our hands, pretty much wherever we go. If you’re a COPD patient, you need to stay up to date on how to treat your disease, as well as how to use things like inhalers, nebulizers, and oxygen devices. The apps listed above are just a few of the free resources you have available to you if you use a smartphone like an Android or an iPhone. 

Looking for more ways to stay connected? Telehealth technology is reshaping the way we view healthcare and it’s becoming increasingly more accessible for COPD patients like you. Check out this blog post where we feature portable oxygen concentrators like the Caire FreeStyle Comfort and the Inogen One G5 and the unique technologies they’re bringing to the oxygen industry. And in the meantime, stay tuned to our blog where we discuss helpful information about COPD and COPD management.

Happiness, an emotional state of being that humans are innately attracted to. Happiness overall embodies positivity and satisfaction, yet it is a subjective well-being that makes an individual truly happy. This means that everyone's happiness is rooted in something unique to them, and their journey through life is fueled by their own desires, and while society can inflict its bias on everyone and sway people into believing there is only one way to be happy, in reality happiness is limitless.

But how can you be happy if you are suffering? If you have COPD, it is fair to say that you are spending a lot of time in discomfort and even in pain, both physical and emotional, so seeking out happiness throughout you COPD diagnosis can seem like a daunting and even impossible task. 

In this blog, we look into your COPD symptoms and how you can ease some of these uncomfortable feelings associated with your disease. Beyond treating your disease there are a few ways that you can begin to feel happy again, and we hope that some of these concepts resonate with you so you can start implementing them into your life. 

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At LPT Medical, our goal is to help respiratory patients nationwide by giving them the oxygen equipment they need at the most affordable price. We offer the very best portable oxygen concentrator on the market that gives respiratory patients the freedom and independence many people crave in order to be happy! Again, happiness is subjective, and unique to every individual, which is why we supply many different brands, makes, and models on POCs, check out our inventory on our website LPTmedical.com, or reach a respiratory specialist based in Denver, CO by calling 1(800)-946-1201 

Happiness is Reliable and Easy Oxygen Equipment 

For many respiratory patients happiness is having oxygen equipment that is not only reliable but helpful. Studies have proven that oxygen therapy prolongs life in patients who are a certain level of hypoxic. So while the oxygen therapy is giving you a quantity of years back, remember that the type of oxygen equipment you are using can impact the quality of those years you are getting back.   

If you utilize oxygen therapy you are most likely using one of these three methods:

1. Portable oxygen concentrators 
2. Liquid oxygen tanks 
3. Gas oxygen tanks 

There are several reasons why POCs give oxygen patients a quality of life that tanks cannot. 

Portability  

First and foremost, is the portable aspect of a POC compared to the two alternative methods. POCs were designed with the active oxygen patient in mind. We wanted to give oxygen patients who were looking to be more active the opportunity to do so without being weighed down by heavy machinery.

POCs like the Caire Freestyle Comfort weight just under 5 pounds and have an ergonomic shape that makes this device easy to carry with you in a Caire Freestyle backpack, or its Caire Freestyle custom carrying case. Have the accessibility to move freely around your home is happiness in itself. But in addition to this you will have the capabilities to exercise more frequently which is known to increase happiness and promote healthy emotional responses, and for many people more exercise means more happiness.  

Battery powered

If you have an oxygen tank, you have to spend a lot of time and money waiting for your oxygen to be delivered to you weekly. Spending all of this cash and waiting around for a delivery service would weigh on anyone. There are often delivery delays that cause unnecessary stress, not to mention additional fees and price jumps for oxygen services that you have been using for years. 

With a POC you are cutting off all dependability you have on other aspects outside of your control. Instead you are responsible for charging your device, and that's it. The Respironics SImplyGo POC is a pulse flow and continuous flow device, and its battery can last up to 3.4 hours, and when it needs to be charged you can do so almost anywhere. With the AC and DC charging cable you will be able to plug in your device at home, in the car or RV, even a boat! 

Because POCs are not oxygen reservoirs, you can travel with your POC on an airplane. And it is no surprise that travel promotes happiness in so many people! If you love to travel, but are limited by your oxygen tanks, it could be very beneficial to you and your happiness to buy a portable oxygen concentrator.

Happiness is Treating your COPD with Care and Attention 

For many people happiness is keeping their COPD symptoms at ease and treating their disease diligently in order to maintain a healthy lifestyle. Since we already discussed oxygen therapy, there are 6 other main treatments for COPD that can make a very big difference in the quality of life and happiness you are experiencing throughout your diagnosis. All of these treatments can go a long way in easing some of your symptoms and supporting your mental health. 

1. Medication 
2. Quit smoking 
3. Eating a COPD healthy diet 
4. Taking supplements if you have deficiencies 
5. Pulmonary Rehabilitations
6. Therapy and/or support groups 

Happiness is Appreciating the Little Things 

Life is hard, and it's harder if you have COPD. The simplest thing in life, breathing, is being stripped away from you. It is uncomfortable and disheartening. Life seems unfair, and it is in the hardest and most painful moments you have to be strong enough to appreciate the small things in your life that are positive. 

This is so much easier said than done, and it takes effort and time to be able to accomplish this practice. Here are some steps into focusing on the positive things:

1. Start a journal and write down one thing a day that you are grateful for. This can be easy because you can write down something as small as being grateful for a cup of coffee, or the support of a loved one. Try to think of something different everyday. 

3. Connect with your family and friends.Even if you can only do this virtually, try to call and speak with someone that you love once a day, even if it's just for a small amount of time. Humans are very social creatures, and social interaction can promote happiness if you value togetherness. 

4. Try mediation. Mediation is the practice of being in the here and now, which is something everyone struggles with from time to time, and if you have COPD or another chronic illness it is even harder to be present. It is very possible that you are thinking about your next doctor's visit, or how you once love to do something that you are incapable of doing now that you are sick. Thinking about the past and future can cultivate a negative headspace. Mediation helps bring you back to this moment, so you can start to focus on your life right in front of you rather than the past and future moments that are out of your control. 

5. Treat yourself. Understanding that you are in a difficult position and giving yourself credit for going through the trials and tribulations of your disease is a useful way to promote a little bit of happiness in your life here and there. Think about what brings you joy whether it is scoop of ice cream or a new pair of shoes, and go out and get it!! Remember that these little gifts to yourself are sometimes a form of instant gratification, and the happiness you gain from these types of endeavors can be fleeting, but every so often we all need a little pick me up!

Happiness is Being Empathic 

Empathy is an interesting thing, and often confused with sympathy. As a person with COPD, it is easy to forget that the people around you are going through their own challenges, and as small as those hardships may seem to you compared to what you are going through, people’s challenges are relative to them and their experiences. 

If you can find the energy to be empathic to a loved one in your life, you will gain a sense of understanding and more importantly perspective. 

Perspective is the lens in which we see and react to certain situations, the broader and more complex your perspective is the more in control of your emotional state you will be. This means that by taking a step back from the issue or circumstance in front of you you will be able to see the bigger picture and deal with the issue reasonably rather than being intimidated and stressed out by your situation. 

Empathy helps you broaden your perspective by connecting with other people on a level deep enough where you understand that everyone has hardships and while you are suffering and COPD is a very invasive disease, you have the ability to get stronger and deal with your disease and life in general. 

Overview

COPD patients have to be some of the strongest and most willful people on the planet. They are constantly struggling to breathe and experiencing other symptoms on top of that daily. The mental and physical exhaustion is something that a healthy person would ever understand. Yet, here you are, alive!

Happiness is attainable, and as hard as it may seem, if you can find happiness in the simple things if you are able to change your perspective and focus on more positive things. You can also do a lot for your well-being by getting oxygen equipment that promotes a healthy lifestyle.  Lastly, being diligent and treating your COPD can make a huge difference not only for your physical wellbeing but your mental state of mind!