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The medical term “localized disease” refers to a condition that is confined to one organ or system of the body. For example, an ear infection is a localized disease because it typically only affects the “middle ear” just behind the eardrum. While ear infections can spread to other parts of the body, this is very uncommon. A “systemic disease”, on the other hand, is one that has systemic manifestations. For example, diabetes is a disease that affects the level of glucose in your blood. Since every organ in the body is reliant on this blood, diabetes can have many systemic effects ranging from cardiovascular disease to nerve damage.
Traditionally, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) has been considered a localized disease. Cigarette smoking either results in chronic inflammation in the bronchioles (chronic bronchitis), the lungs (emphysema), or both. But an increasing amount of evidence suggests that COPD should be re-labeled as a systemic condition rather than a localized one. Or at the very least, patients and medical specialists should treat COPD as if it were a systemic issue.
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In this post, we’re going to help you understand the big picture of COPD. Instead of looking at respiratory symptoms associated with COPD like chronic cough, breathlessness, and chest pain, we’re going to focus on the systemic issues that can manifest as a result of this disease and why other respiratory diseases like asthma don’t put you at the same risk. If you have any questions, please address them in the comment section and we’ll get back to you soon.
Why COPD is a Systemic Disease
In the world of medical treatment, not everything is set in stone. Sometimes, medical specialists disagree on how to diagnose conditions and how to treat them both in the short- and long term. While it’s generally accepted that supplemental oxygen therapy, a revised dietary regime, and a pulmonary rehabilitation plan are the best ways to treat COPD, other aspects of the disease are not as clear-cut and straightforward. For example, some medical specialists may focus on treating the respiratory symptoms associated with COPD while others will focus on a more holistic approach that encompasses your systemic well-being.
While there’s nothing wrong with focusing on the respiratory symptoms associated with COPD, there’s an increasing amount of evidence to suggest that it can have equally adverse effects elsewhere in the body. The benefit of viewing COPD as a systemic disease is that it may help pulmonologists detect these symptoms early on and better understand how they are linked to COPD. Early disease detection is almost always associated with better outcomes for their patients. In the following sections, we’ll take a look at just a few of the systemic manifestations of COPD.
Systemic Inflammation
Inflammation is a natural part of your body’s immune response. It’s the way your body reacts to infection or physical injury. Essentially, the body sends white blood cells to the affected area which protect it from foreign invaders. When inflammation occurs it can cause the affected area to become red, itchy, and swollen. Acute inflammation plays an important role in healing the affected area, but if the inflammation persists longer than usual it can become chronic and can begin to cause serious damage to your tissues and organs.
Airborne irritants are one common cause of inflammation in the body. When pathogens are inhaled into the lungs, they become inflamed leading to coughing, chest stiffness, and chest pain. In the case of cigarette smokers who often inhale smoke once or more each day, this inflammation can become chronic and irreversible — this is known as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. In the past, researchers believed this inflammation was localized, however, now there’s reason to believe that it can spread to other areas of the body.
The systemic inflammatory response associated with COPD is not fully understood, but there are a number of theories about how it starts. The first theory is that inflammatory mediators are transferred to the bloodstream from the lungs and are sent to other areas of the body. The idea behind this is that smoking increases the permeability of the pulmonary vessels, thus allowing inflammatory cells that would normally not cross over into the blood. This study found that people with poor pulmonary function experience higher levels of permeability than people with healthy pulmonary function.
Cachexia and Muscle Wasting
According to Medical News Today, about 25 to 40% of people with COPD experience weight loss. While many people are delighted to find out that they’re losing weight, the type of weight loss caused by COPD and other respiratory conditions isn’t usually healthy. The most common cause of this weight loss is a lack of appetite. COPD patients experience higher levels of fatigue and breathlessness than people with healthy lungs both of which can make eating a normal-sized meal exhausting and overwhelming. Oftentimes, respiratory patients reach for foods that provide them with a quick energy boost but likely don’t provide the body with the nutrients it needs.
Another reason for weight loss in COPD is that many people believe that they should be eating less food if they are less active than they used to be before contracting COPD. However, due to impaired lung function, COPD patients are actually expending a lot more energy than they realize because they have to work harder to get oxygen into their lungs and release carbon dioxide. Typically, doctors and dieticians will advise COPD patients to increase their calorie intake by about 430 to 720 each day depending on their weight and size.
One of the biggest problems with weight loss in COPD patients is muscle wasting, also known as muscle atrophy. This is when your muscles begin to deteriorate either due to a poor diet, lack of exercise, or both. This is a particularly dangerous side-effect of COPD because some people are under the impression that they’re losing fat when they’re actually losing muscle. This puts the patient at risk for falls, exacerbations, and other serious accidents.
Cachexia is a more generalized term to describe a state of “ill health” that results from having a chronic condition. If muscle wasting and weight loss occur quickly in a patient, it may cause them to feel sick to their stomach, dizzy, or confused. Your body might also have a difficult time adapting to your new lifestyle whether that involves a new diet, exercise routine, sleep schedule, etc.
Cardiovascular Disease
Cardiovascular disease is the most common cause of death in the United States and globally. This is an umbrella term that describes disorders of the blood vessels and heart. Some common disorders include rheumatic heart disease, cerebrovascular disease, and coronary heart disease. COPD and cardiovascular diseases are often associated because they share similar risk factors and they act synergistically as negative prognostic factors. Pulmonary hypertension and ischemic coronary disease are two common progressions of COPD.
The lungs, heart, and circulatory system all work together to bring oxygen into the body and send it to each organ, so it makes sense that if the lungs aren’t functioning as they should, it’s going to cause problems with your cardiovascular system. One of the ways this can manifest is through hypertension, also known as high blood pressure. Hypertension is common in COPD patients and can worsen during exercise, sleep, or respiratory exacerbation. Combatting this underlying issue may put you at a much lower risk of cardiovascular disease.
Osteoporosis
Your bones play a vital role in the overall construction of your body. In order to keep bone tissue strong, it’s constantly removed and replaced. In an osteoporosis patient, the new tissue doesn’t generate as fast as it’s removed making the bones brittle and weak. This is referred to as low bone mineral density (BMD). Osteoporosis can lead to a number of symptoms such as joint pain and broken bones, but many patients will experience no symptoms at all. Osteoporosis is common in old age, but it’s even more common in people with COPD and other respiratory diseases.
One cause of osteoporosis in COPD patients is the use of corticosteroids. This is a type of drug that’s used to reduce inflammation in the body, which in turn alleviates some of the symptoms associated with COPD. Corticosteroids have been found to affect the way body uses calcium and vitamin D to build bones. To counter this, your doctor may prescribe you a very low dose of corticosteroids. Ideally, it would be enough to treat your symptoms, but not enough to result in serious side effects like osteoporosis.
Anemia
Anemia is a condition in which your body doesn’t have enough healthy red blood cells. The primary function of red blood cells is to transport hemoglobin throughout the body. Hemoglobin is a chemical that carries oxygen molecules. Similar to not receiving enough oxygen in your lungs, anemia leads to feelings of dizziness, fatigue, and confusion. The reason anemia occurs more frequently in COPD patients is likely due to the abnormal immune response. Like we discussed earlier, COPD can lead to the release of inflammatory mediators in the blood. A specific type of inflammation-causing protein called cytokines reduces the lifespan of red blood cells and makes it more difficult for the bone marrow to produce more, thus resulting in fewer red blood cells.
Another way that COPD can cause anemia is through iron deficiency. Iron is an essential mineral that your body needs to create hemoglobin, the chemical that carries oxygen and myoglobin, the protein that provides oxygen to the muscles. COPD patients may become iron deficient if their diets change enough that they exclude foods that are high in iron. This includes things like red meat, seafood, dark green vegetables, and beans. While anyone can develop anemia for a variety of reasons, it is more common in COPD patients. COPD patients with anemia are found to have worse outcomes due to respiratory exacerbations than those who are not anemic.
Anxiety and Depression
According to a study published in Health Psychology Research, not only do people with chronic illness have higher rates of anxiety, but anxiety rates are highest among people with obstructive lung disease as well as cardiovascular diseases. While there are many reasons why this could be the case, it’s likely mainly due to the way COPD affects your breathing. Studies have shown a strong correlation between anxiety and shortness of breath. There’s a negative feedback cycle where breathlessness can increase anxiety and anxiety, which in turn, creates tightness in the chest, causing more breathlessness. COPD patients can break this cycle by practicing breathing exercises. For more information on breathing exercises to reduce anxiety, read through this article.
Depression is another issue associated with COPD. About 40% of COPD patients have depression compared to about 6% of the general population. Depression can result from prolonged anxiety or it can be a completely separate issue. One of the most effective treatment options for depression is cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT). This is a type of psychological intervention that aims to pinpoint and reverse negative or inaccurate thoughts that can lead to anxiety and depression. CBT is being increasingly used by people with chronic conditions as a way to cope with the challenges of their disease. For more information on cognitive behavioral therapy, please read this article.
Conclusion
While on the surface it may seem like COPD is a disease that only affects your breathing, it’s actually far more complex than that. Your respiratory system plays a vital role in your holistic well-being and when you experience chronic inflammation in the lungs and low blood oxygen levels, this can affect your health in more ways than you think. Muscle wasting, cardiovascular disease, osteoporosis, anemia, and anxiety are just a few of the systemic manifestations of COPD.
If you’re concerned about how your COPD is affecting your heart, bones, or mental health, it’s important to address them with your pulmonologist. He/she may be able to perform tests or provide you with additional treatments that can put your mind at ease and ensure that you prevent any systemic conditions from occurring as a result of your COPD. What’s more, you should take care to follow your current treatment plan because this will help you manage your symptoms effectively.
In the meantime, if you’re on the market for a reliable, affordable, and easy-to-manage portable oxygen device, look no further than LPT Medical. We have a wide variety of oxygen concentrators to choose from including pulse dose portable oxygen concentrators, continuous flow portable oxygen concentrators, and stationary oxygen concentrators. We offer some of the latest models including the Inogen One G5, Caire FreeStyle Comfort, and Respironics SImplyGo. If you have any questions for our respiratory specialists, please don’t hesitate to give us a call or reach us by email.
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Mental illness is a growing problem in the United States. According to Mental Health America (MHA), 1.5 million more Americans experienced mental health issues in 2017 than the previous year. What’s more, surveys from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) indicate a sharp increase in self-reported behavioral health symptoms since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic. While there are many possible factors that are contributing to these issues, one of the lesser discussed factors is social isolation.
Social isolation is defined as either a partial or total disconnect from social networks. According to a report from the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine (NASEM), one-third of adults aged 45 and older feel lonely, and nearly one-fourth of adults aged 65 and older are considered to be socially isolated. Additionally, people with chronic illnesses — especially debilitating illnesses like COPD — can lead to a higher risk of social isolation and loneliness.
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COPD is often labeled as an “invisible illness” because it’s not always possible for an outside observer to fully understand what COPD patients are experiencing. While some COPD patients may be able to get around just fine and keep up with their friends, that doesn’t mean they aren’t experiencing adverse physical or psychological symptoms. In this post, we’re going to bring some awareness to social isolation and loneliness in COPD, why it happens, and how it can be prevented.
What are the Effects of Social Isolation?
According to a national survey conducted by Cigna, nearly half of the 20,000 participants reported feeling lonely. These numbers are concerning because there are a number of mental and physical health risks associated with loneliness. A study from Brigham Young University found that social isolation has as many health risks as having an alcohol use disorder or smoking 15 cigarettes a day and that it’s as harmful to mental health as obesity.
While the outlook for people experiencing social isolation and loneliness may seem grim, there is actually a growing amount of awareness surrounding the issue. People are beginning to associate the growing loneliness in society with the excessive use of technology and social media which is taking people away from face-to-face interactions. On the other hand, many people believe that social media is giving people experiencing loneliness an outlet to discuss these issues.
Why Do COPD Patients Experience Social Isolation?
Social isolation isn’t always as clear-cut as many people believe. While you may have an idea of a socially isolated person as someone who lives alone and doesn’t go out to visit people, this is only half of the story. There are many COPD patients who have close family members and belong to close-knit communities, but still, feel socially isolated. In order to understand this, let’s take a look at some of the reasons why COPD patients experience social isolation.
Chronic Pain and Fatigue
Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease affects an estimated 16 million people in the United States alone. However, no two cases of this disease are the same. While some COPD patients may be able to get out and do anything they want, others are held back by symptoms like chronic pain, fatigue, and persistent breathlessness. When this is the case, people often struggle to find the motivation to work through these challenges in order to get out and spend time with friends and family members.
COPD is a disease that develops slowly over the course of many years. So, it’s unlikely that will find yourself suddenly deciding to stay in rather than going out to meet people. Although, in many ways, this can be even worse than the alternative because you might not realize that you’re changing your lifestyle. Some studies estimate that about 70% of COPD cases are undiagnosed meaning millions of people could be experiencing social isolation due to a condition that they’re not even aware of. Oftentimes, the symptoms are shrugged off as a normal sign of aging.
Risk of Exacerbation or Infection
If we’ve learned anything from the past year it’s that viruses can spread quickly and they don’t affect all demographics in the same way. The novel coronavirus (COVID-19) hit the COPD community in a way that nobody could’ve predicted, and even now, over a year later, people are still feeling the effects of it. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) lists COPD as “high risk” for experiencing severe symptoms from COVID-19 and this rings true for many other viruses as well like the flu and viral pneumonia.
Another reason the COPD community has been hit so hard by the virus is due to the average age of people with this disease. It’s estimated that most people are at least 40 years old by the time they start experiencing COPD symptoms. But since COPD develops slowly, many people don’t start experiencing severe symptoms until they’re in their 60s. The CDC also states that people over the age of 65 are at high risk for severe COVID-19 symptoms, so this is a major factor at play too.
On top of the ongoing pandemic, COPD patients also have to worry about air quality. Highly polluted areas or places with a lot of allergens like pollen can result in respiratory exacerbation and even hospitalization. Because of this, it’s recommended that COPD patients plan their day so that they aren’t outside when air pollution is at its worst. Airnow.gov is a great tool if you want to quickly learn about the air quality in your area. Simply input your city or zip code and you will be provided with a number between 0 and 500 with 0 being no pollution and 500 being severely polluted. It’s recommended that COPD patients do not go outside if the air quality index (AQI) is above 100.
A Changing Lifestyle
Being diagnosed with COPD can be a life-changing moment. One day you’re following your normal routine, and the next your doctor is asking you to make a number of lifestyle changes to improve your health. A typical COPD treatment regime involves an improved diet, a pulmonary rehabilitation plan, and supplemental oxygen therapy which helps to keep oxygen levels stable. This can be somewhat overwhelming at first and will take some time to get accustomed to but it’s well worth the effort in the end.
One major lifestyle change that many people are unprepared for is moving into an assisted living facility or receiving in-home care. As COPD patients age, it becomes increasingly more difficult for them to maintain their independence, and oftentimes, friends and family members don’t have the means to be a full-time caretaker. While assisted living can be a convenient option for most people, it leaves open the possibility of social isolation and loneliness.
Social Stigmatization
The term “stigma” is the disapproval of someone based on their perceived characteristics. And although it’s a harsh reality to face, some people view people with chronic conditions as “less capable” even when these claims are completely baseless. The stigma surrounding COPD usually has to do with physical symptoms like coughing or wheezing or medical equipment like oxygen tanks or inhalers. But the bottom line is that it can make people with COPD feel like they don’t belong or aren’t able to keep up with the people around them.
What Can be Done to Prevent Social Isolation in COPD Patients?
Be Open About Your Experiences
The first step to solving problems like isolation and loneliness is to be more open about your experiences with your friends and family members. It’s not always easy putting into words exactly how COPD makes you feel and how it affects your mental health because you may not even be fully aware of how it has. However, by at least trying, you’ll make the people around you more aware of what you’re going through. What’s more, there’s a chance that your friends and family are thinking about the same thing but aren’t quite sure how to ask you about it.
Speak With Your Doctor
Another person you should be open with about your experiences is your doctor or pulmonologist. The reason it’s so important to tell your doctor is that he/she may be able to make adjustments to your treatment plan in order to help you get back on your feet and spend more time with loved ones. At the end of the day, there is no such thing as a “silly question” when it comes to your health. Chances are, many other COPD patients are dealing with a similar situation to yours, so opening up about your social isolation and loneliness will have a positive effect on the COPD community as a whole.
Your doctor might also be able to connect you with a mental health professional who can work with you step-by-step on how to prevent loneliness. Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) is a popular form of psycho-social intervention that aims to pinpoint and correct negative or inaccurate thinking patterns that can lead to loneliness. Of course, if the only thing holding you back is your physical symptoms, CBT won’t do much for you. However, if you feel like it’s mainly your mindset holding you back, CBT can work wonders. Many people around the world with chronic illnesses make use of CBT, so you’re not alone.
Embrace Online Communities
Like we mentioned earlier, there are many downsides to online communities. However, it’s impossible to deny the benefits as well. Older generations of Americans are becoming increasingly proficient with computers and social media which can be a great benefit for someone with COPD. Online communities such as COPD360Social hosted by the COPD Foundation or COPD.net’s help center are great for anyone who wants to share advice with other like-minded COPD patients. You might also consider Facebook groups which are free to join and participate in.
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Make Use of Technology
In this day and age, we’re completely surrounded by technology wherever we go. While this can definitely be overwhelming at times, it can also be extremely beneficial if we take the time to learn how to use it. As a COPD patient, there are many technologies out there that can make your life much easier, it’s usually just a matter of finding what’s right for your lifestyle and budget. Mobility aids are a great example of a technology that can help you get back out and become a member of the community again. Walking canes, manual wheelchairs, electric scooters, and stairlifts all help you get around with more ease and also help prevent you from overexerting yourself and experiencing an exacerbation. Read this post to learn more about mobility aids for COPD.
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Another technology you should consider investing in if you’re a COPD patient is a portable oxygen concentrator. These concentrators work similarly to your supplemental oxygen tank, however, they’re much lighter, smaller, and easier to use. Portable oxygen concentrators are electronic devices so you’ll never need to call an oxygen company to come refill them. You simply need a full battery and you’ll have access to oxygen wherever you go. Another benefit of POCs is that they don’t have the same social stigma attached to them as do oxygen tanks so you’ll feel more confident and secure with your new POC.
Conclusion
COPD is a chronic respiratory disease characterized by breathlessness, chronic pain, and fatigue. It’s the leading cause of morbidity and mortality in the world. Despite this, many people with COPD are suffering from “invisible” symptoms like anxiety, depression, and loneliness. In this article, we took a close look at how social isolation can affect both COPD patient’s mental and physical well-being, as well as offering some insight into how to remedy this. Fortunately, there are many steps that someone can take to prevent loneliness with COPD.
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If you’re looking for more great information that will help you manage the symptoms of your COPD, stay tuned to our blog here at LPT Medical. We try to cover a lot of topics that are under-discussed in the COPD community like the mental health aspects of the disease. If you have any questions or thoughts, feel free to leave them in the comment section below. And in the meantime, if you’re looking for an oxygen device that meets all your needs, take a look at our portable oxygen concentrators. We offer some of the top-rated concentrators on the market including but not limited to the Caire FreeStyle Comfort, Inogen One G5, and Respironics SimplyGo.
If you’d like to speak with an oxygen concentrator specialist please call us or send us an email.
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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.
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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.
Happy Winter Solstice! But for many it is not a “happy” time of year. The winter blues, winter funk, or seasonal affective disorder— Doesn’t matter what you call it, it can be debilitating.
So, while the days in the northern hemisphere are starting to get longer again, there is still a long winter ahead for those of us that live in cold states!
Colder and dark days mean many Americans are beginning to feel the effects of seasonal affective disorder (SAD), and on top of winter, is the ever present pandemic!
SAD can make it more difficult to manage COVID-19 anxiety, and if you also suffer from respiratory diseases including but not limited to COPD (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease), pulmonary fibrosis, pneumonia, severe asthma attack, cystic fibrosis this seasonal depression, the cold weather, the pandemic— it is all piling up.
We created this guide that will give you several coping mechanisms designed to ease symptoms of seasonal affective disorder, COVID-19 anxiety, and respiratory disease.
What is SAD? Do I Have It?
SAD is a type of depression that is brought on by cold temperatures during the fall and winter months. People tend to go outside less frequently which leads to vitamin D deficiency resulting in mood changes and other symptoms of depression.
Here are some of the basic feelings of depression however this can look different from person to person. During these episodes, symptoms occur most of the day, nearly every day and may include:
- Feelings of sadness, tearfulness, emptiness or hopelessness
- Angry outbursts, irritability or frustration, even over small matters
- Loss of interest or pleasure in most or all normal activities
- Sleep disturbances
- Tiredness and lack of energy
- Reduced appetite and weight loss
- Increased cravings for food and weight gain
- Anxiety, agitation or restlessness
- Slowed thinking, speaking or body movements
- Feelings of worthlessness or guilt, fixating on past failures or self-blame
- Trouble thinking, concentrating, making decisions and remembering things
- Frequent or recurrent thoughts of death, suicidal thoughts, suicide attempts or suicide
- Unexplained physical problems, such as back pain or headaches
Mental disorders like anxiety and depression often coincide, these mental disorders are the most common mental illness in the U.S., affecting 40 million adults in the United States.
SAD is categorized differently than depression and anxiety, while the symptoms are very similar, the reason in which you experience these feelings are rooted in the change of seasons. It is important to distinguish the difference between the two.
When distinguishing between a diagnosis of depression and depression with a seasonal pattern, it all comes down to timing!
A person suffering from major depressive disorder with a seasonal pattern would experience the common symptoms listed above common in winter months as opposed to the rest of the year.
Being diagnosed with depression with seasonal pattern or SAD, you would have to experience:
- At least two years of symptoms that become worse during a specific time of the year
- The seasonal depressive episodes must significantly outweigh the nonseasonal episodes
If you are diagnosed with SAD it is likely you will be treated similarly with the same approach to someone who experiences depression. Therapy and the use of anti-depressant medications are commonly prescribed for someone with depression, whether seasonal or not.
It is recommended that people with SAD shouldn’t not go untreated nor wait out the depressive episode until the end of the season.
It's a harmful mentality that someone can endure a depressive episode for a period of several weeks during the winter months. Basic human functions will steadily decline and there is no good reason not to seek professional help to learn helpful skills for a more enjoyable life all year around.
SAD and COVID-19
SAD and COVID-19 are a recipe for depressive episodes and increased anxiety.
As we roll into another pandemic winter, the ever present seasonal affective disorder is being compounded by COVID-19 anxiety for many Americans.
Most Americans are still processing traumatic experiences from the events of the past year and a half, whether you have suffered the loss of a loved one or had a hard time coping with isolation and quarantine, the world in a pandemic can be a cruel and unruly place.
In comparison the United States is in a much better position than last winter with the COVID-19 vaccine availability and current rollout of booster shots, however, the uncertainty of how the pandemic will continue to effect us can make the mental distress persist.
In a vicious cycle, SAD can make it even more difficult to cope with COVID-19 anxiety, and treating SAD can seem impossible under COVID-19 pressures.
Here are some ways to manage both issues simultaneously.
Managing SAD and COVID-19 Anxiety
If you’re feeling the double trouble of seasonal affective disorder and pandemic anxiety, experts recommend the following coping mechanisms that can help ease symptoms of both.
Maintain a routine
It sounds simple but having a semblance of a daily routine is very important, especially when things seem overwhelming. Having a few daily tasks to come back to when you feel overwhelmed gives you a sense of accomplishment.
Write down some small achievable goals to work towards each day. It is common to immediately feel like you're drowning in responsibilities, so begin your day by crossing goals off of your list. This can make a big difference in your attitude moving forward.
One goal you can make is to “make your bed” every morning. Once you’ve done that, acknowledge your accomplishment and continue moving through your day!
Another goal can be to take 10 minutes out of every morning for deep breathing and stretching. Simply checking tasks off of a list can go a long way in reassuring yourself that you are capable.
Try light therapy
Phototherapy, or light therapy, is a recommended treatment for seasonal affective disorder. It involves sitting or working near a light therapy box, which mimics natural outdoor light.
Sunlight is the best source of vitamin D, finding other ways to source this crucial vitamin is essential for your mood and mental health. You can do it with light therapy, foods you eat that are high in vitamin D, and supplements if your doctor approves.
Get moving
Physical activity can improve mental health and overall well-being. Remember that exercise doesn’t have to mean going to the gym or taking a fitness class, just a little physical activity like taking a walk, doing some exercise at home, using a quick YouTube workout video — is all beneficial!
Find your community
Unfortunately the pandemic is making it challenging to connect with people in person safely but you can still surround yourself virtually by people who support you, inspire you, or are just fun to talk online and over the phone.
Look for Facebook Groups or online forums. People are often posting their vulnerabilities to share and connect with others who have similar experiences to you!
Bottling up your emotions is very unhealthy. Use your social circle for support. Sharing how you are feeling with your loved ones can help you, as well as help them, understand what you are going through!
Practice meditation
A proven way to help ease symptoms of depression and anxiety is meditation. The power or mindfulness should not be underestimated, especially when talking about SAD and COVID-19 anxiety. Medications encourage people to slow down their thoughts and breathe deeply.
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Medication sounds easy, but to remain still, breathe, and trying to stay present is harder than it sounds, but as with anything, it just takes a little practice. Start with small goals and understand that medication is not an attempt to turn off your thoughts, but a way to slow down your thoughts and to be aware of your surrounding thoughts so you are more in control of them.
There are a lot of new apps you can download on your smartphone or tablet that will help you get into the practice of mediation!
Create a bucket list
Think about something you enjoy doing, it could be anything, write it down in a journal and make this your new bucket list! Having plans for enjoyable activities can help ease day-to-day stresses.
This could include doing a wine tasting from home, getting around to reading a new book, creating a weekly movie and dinner night, or starting a new hobby that sounds fun.
Beyond these everyday activities and practices to help you ease SAD and COVID-19 anxiety, there are more drastic measures you can take.
Managing episodes of anxiety and depression is possible with support, however some people do require professional help, and that is ok!
Seek professional help
It is very common that people with SAD and anxiety seek a mental health professional and have very positive experiences in doing so! Even if you did not need a to see a therapist before, the pandemic could have shifted a lot for you mentally, and it is never too late to adjust to these changes with the help of a mental health professional.
63 percent of people previously diagnosed with depression and anxiety reported their associated symptoms were “worse” or “much worse” during the COVID-19 pandemic than they were before.
Affording Treatment or Medication
Roughly 20% of people that responded to a GoodRx survey noted that they couldn't afford their medication during the pandemic. Also, 37 percent of respondents reported at least one issue related to administration of their medication, including missing, skipping, or rationing prescriptions; changing pharmacies; or having issues with a pharmacy refilling their prescription.
If you’re unable to afford your anxiety or depression medications, consider the following.
Shop around and look for coupons
Take the time to research different pharmacies around you, prices vary depending on where you pick up your prescriptions.
Contact the pharmaceutical company that makes your medication to ask for coupons or price reduction promo codes. Pharmaceutical companies also offer patient assistance programs to help people that are struggling to afford their medications.
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Request a 90-day supply
Ask your doctor to write a prescription for a 3-month supply rather than a monthly supply. Paying more upfront for your medication may reduce the total cost of the prescription.
Anxiety and Depression Due to Respiratory Illness
On top of all of the covid-19 anxiety and SAD, if you also suffer from a common respiratory disease, you are not alone!
Nearly 37 million Americans live with a chronic lung disease like asthma and COPD, which includes emphysema and chronic bronchitis.
If you require supplemental oxygen therapy, LPT Medical can help you ease the burden of dealing with heavy and cumbersome oxygen tanks. We have a wonderful selection of the newest and most reliable portable oxygen concentrators on the market!
Having a lightweight portable oxygen device can change your way of life by creating opportunities for you to be more independent! Oxygen therapy can be a stressful and invasive form of therapy, so having a device that is compact in size, runs on battery power, makes oxygen therapy more doable!
Adhering to the prescription your doctor gives to you is important to ensure you treat the hypoxia caused by respiratory illness. When your oxygen levels are too low, your mood and mental health can suffer.
Here at LPT Medical, we are continually working to reduce the burden of living with lung disease by offering oxygen therapy products and oxygen therapy accessories that you can rely on for years.
Overview
These next few months will be cold and dark, that doesn’t mean you have to live in a constant state of depression. Seek help and treatment for SAD. Small everyday tasks can bring joy back into your life.
If you are also struggling with COVID-19 anxiety and the pressure of dealing with and managing a respiratory disease, don’t give up. There are social circles available to you online that can help you cope with the very natural feeling you are having.
There is light at the end of the tunnel, seasons will come and go, it is our hope that you consider some of the information within this blog to help you cope with the challenges of winter, COVID, and chronic respiratory disease.
We’ve all experienced what it’s like to be burnt out on something. Whether it’s your job, chores, or health routine, it’s not always easy to find a way to stay on track to meet your goals. What complicates this even further is that everyone experiences this for a different reason. For some people, it’s just a matter of learning how to stick to a routine, but for others, it could be a lack of mental or physical energy that’s holding them back.
Oftentimes, when people are trying to stick to a COPD treatment plan, the latter is true. After all, fatigue is the second most common symptom of COPD with about 50% of patients experiencing it. Knowing this information, it’s not hard to see why it can be difficult to stick to a routine. If you’re hit with a sudden wave of fatigue, grogginess, or breathlessness, it can make simple tasks seem overwhelming. Eventually, your health goals will seem unattainable and unrealistic.
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In this post, we’re going to provide you with some tips for having a fresh perspective on your COPD treatment plan. Regardless of the stage of COPD that you’re in, it’s never too early or too late to hit the reset button and start managing your COPD symptoms proactively. If you have any questions, feel free to leave them in the comment section below and we’ll get back to you.
Change Up Your Exercise Routine
As a COPD patient, you know how important your exercise routine is. While exercise does not magically reverse the effects of lung damage, it improves the efficiency of your body and lungs which inevitably leads to less breathlessness, less chronic pain, and a longer life expectancy. But you know as well as anyone that exercise routines are difficult to stick to, especially if you viewed it as a “chore” in the first place.
More often than not, COPD patients are taught how to exercise through a pulmonary rehabilitation program. These programs are aimed at educating patients about their lungs and disease, then applying exercise techniques that allow them to lead a happier life. Unfortunately, pulmonary rehabilitation programs don’t teach you how to make your exercise routine “interesting” or “engaging.” They simply tell you what needs to be done. As a result, many people find themselves in a situation a year or two down the road where they don’t have the motivation to continue.
At some point, you’re going to want to try new exercises that hold your interest. The important thing to remember is that you still need to follow the guidelines that you learned in pulmonary rehabilitation because this will ensure that you are making the most of your time and avoid injury. For example, if you implement a new exercise, you need to make sure it works the same muscle group and that it’s a similar intensity as your original exercise. If you have any doubts about it, you can always reach out to your doctor with any questions you may have.
Make Adjustments to Your Diet
What you eat also has a major impact on your ability to live a comfortable life with COPD. Unfortunately, your diet is also something that can become mundane if you’re eating the same things every day. Like with exercising, it’s okay to make changes to your diet, you just need to make sure that you’re getting the right nutrients. You also need to ensure that you aren’t increasing or decreasing your caloric intake too much. According to the COPD Foundation, breathing with COPD takes more energy than for a healthy individual, so you need to maintain your caloric intake.
Most COPD patients need a high protein intake. Protein plays an essential role in the structure, function, and regulation of body tissues. Most notably, protein helps you build muscle and counteract muscle atrophy which is common in COPD patients. Maintaining muscle mass is important for respiratory patients because strong muscles take less oxygen to function, thus reducing the burden on your lungs. While you probably get most of your protein through meat, there are many other great sources of protein, including but not limited to fish, eggs, dairy products, nuts, and beans.
You might think of fats as being “unhealthy.” But you may be surprised to find that many COPD patients are prescribed high-fat diets. The problem is that many people don’t know the difference between healthy fats and unhealthy fats. Unhealthy fats like saturated fat or trans fat include things like beef or pork fat, margarine, butter, and shortening. Eating too many of these things can lead to increased blood cholesterol levels and LDL cholesterol levels. Healthy fats, on the other hand, like monounsaturated fats and polyunsaturated fats include avocados, olives, nuts, olive oil, and more. Fatty fish like salmon is also a great source of healthy fats like omega-3.
While it may seem like COPD diets are pretty restricted, this is not necessarily the case. It’s important to avoid foods that are high in added sugars, sodium, and unhealthy fats. However, aside from that, you simply need to meet your minimum caloric intake for the day and any other requirements that your doctor sets. You still have plenty of freedom to choose what you eat and switching up your meals can even keep you on track for meeting your goals by preventing burnout.
Upgrade to a Portable Oxygen Concentrator
After being prescribed oxygen, many people choose the first oxygen device they think of — oxygen tanks. Most people know about oxygen tanks and they’ve seen people use them. But that doesn’t mean they’re the best option for you and your lifestyle. Although oxygen tanks are a popular choice, they tend to be heavy and bulky meaning they are difficult to maneuver. Fortunately, there is an alternative known as portable oxygen concentrators.
A portable oxygen concentrator is unlike an oxygen tank in that it doesn’t hold oxygen within the unit. Rather, it takes in ambient air, removes nitrogen and argon, and puts out medical-grade oxygen. POCs are electronic devices and they run off of powerful lithium-ion batteries, so you simply need to charge the battery via a car or wall outlet and you’ll be on your way. The most notable benefit of this is that you won’t have to keep going out of your way to refill or replace your oxygen tanks when they run out.
Another benefit of portable oxygen concentrators is their lightweight and compact design. Unlike oxygen tanks which are oblong-shaped, POCs are small enough and light enough to be carried on your shoulder. This opens up a world of possibilities and enables you the freedom to live life on your own terms without being defined by your disease. Inevitably, this leads to more options for you and a lower chance of experiencing burnout with your COPD treatment plan.
Reduce the Clutter
Sometimes it’s not our COPD treatment plan itself that’s causing us to feel burnt out, but all the extra clutter around us. The term “clutter” can be defined as anything that complicates our lives and occupies our thoughts but doesn’t provide any real benefit to us. If you live with clutter too long it can really start to become exhausting and you’ll notice yourself losing motivation in other areas of life such as your exercise routine, diet, and making it to doctor’s visits.
For some people, this might imply clutter within the home. For example, having a messy bedroom, bathroom, or kitchen can lead to a lot of discomfort in your daily life, and as a result, you might find yourself too distracted to follow your COPD treatment plan. Eliminating physical clutter like this is as simple as taking the time each day to organize your home and avoid getting to the point where it’s too much to manage. If you’re too busy to clean, you might consider hiring a caretaker who can help out around the home.
Another type of clutter is “mental clutter.” Think of this as the opposite of mental clarity. Instead of being able to concentrate on what you’re doing in the current moment, your thoughts are always wandering to something else. Mental clutter can certainly be caused by things like a messy home, but it’s more likely to be caused by something that takes your focus off of what you’re doing in the present moment. For example, watching the news for too long or spending too much time on social media are both things that can take your focus off the present moment.
Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) is one way of dealing with problems related to mental clarity. This is a type of therapy that’s focused on reversing negative or unproductive thought processes. CBT has become very common among people with chronic conditions like COPD as awareness around mental health problems has increased. During CBT, you will work one-on-one with a certified therapist who will guide you through the process.
Practice Meditation
Meditation comes in many different forms. However, in most cases, the goal is always to achieve a state of mental clarity and well-being. Meditation helps train your mind to think clearly and without distractions. It also promotes emotional well-being while reducing anxiety and in some cases even improving physical well-being. By far the most popular form of meditation for COPD patients is Tai Chi. This practice combines traditional meditation principles with martial arts. It’s popular for COPD patients because it teaches you to control your thoughts, breathing, and balance, all of which are important if you’re trying to improve your health. Read through this post we made about Tai Chi to learn more.
Speak With Your Doctor
Your doctor should be your first point of contact when it comes to anything related to your COPD treatment plan. If you know that you need to make changes, your doctor will be able to tell you what changes are acceptable and which are not. He/she may also be able to provide you with additional resources or direct you to another specialist who can help you deal with issues related to COPD burnout and fatigue. Sometimes burnout is due to poor sleep quality, so he/she may recommend that you get tested for obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) and other sleep disorders.
Another change your doctor may be able to do is make changes to your medication routine. Corticosteroids are one of the most common drugs used to treat COPD because they reduce inflammation in the lungs. However, these drugs are also known to have adverse psychiatric effects such as mania, depression, and cognitive impairments, all of which can contribute to burnout and a negative outlook of your disease. Your doctor may be able to reduce your dosage or prescribe you a different medication altogether.
Conclusion
Being “burnt out” on your COPD routine can be exhausting. On one hand, you may be tempted to revert to your old way of living and entirely forget about your COPD treatment plan. However, on the other hand, you understand that the best way to deal with the symptoms of your disease is through persistence and consistency. If you feel like you’ve reached this point, be sure to try some of the tips above to get back on track.
Ultimately, you will want to consult your doctor if you’re struggling to keep up with your treatment plan. It’s not unusual for someone to struggle, especially if they’ve had COPD for many years. Here at LPT Medical, we strongly believe that a portable oxygen concentrator can help you regain much of the freedom that you lost after being diagnosed with COPD. As a result, you’ll be able to approach your treatment plan from more angles and prevent burnout.
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We sell some of the top-rated portable oxygen concentrators in the industry such as the Caire FreeStyle Comfort, Inogen One G5, and the GCE Zen-O Lite. When you contact one of our oxygen concentrator specialists, they will work with you one-on-one to understand your needs and align you with a concentrator that matches them. We also have many different buying and financing options to help you manage payments in a way that works with your budget. To get started, simply give us a call or send us an email.
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Activities of daily living (ADL) is a term that was first coined by Sidney Katz in 1950. Essentially, it refers to the basic functions that an individual must perform on a daily basis in order to be considered self-sufficient. By better understanding the level of independence of patients with debilitating illnesses like COPD, osteoporosis, or Alzheimer’s Disease, medical professionals are able to make better decisions for their patient’s well-being such as recommending medical equipment or an assisted living facility. Activities of daily living are generally divided into five distinct categories:
Personal Hygiene - bathing, grooming, hair care, and oral health
Continence - using the bathroom
Dressing - the ability to select clothing and dress for different occasions
Feeding - the ability to eat and drink
Ambulating - the ability to walk and move around independently
When it comes to managing your daily life with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), it’s very important to consider how your condition affects your ability to live independently. Studies have shown that ADLs can be very challenging for respiratory patients because they can lead to dyspnea (shortness of breath) and oxygen desaturation, meaning the percentage of oxygen in the blood is lower than what it should be.
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In this post, we’ll take a look at the importance of supplemental oxygen for carrying out activities of daily living. We’ll also show you why portable oxygen concentrators are the best device to use for maintaining your freedom and independence. If you have any questions about these units, please feel free to leave a comment or reach out to our respiratory specialists.
What is a Portable Oxygen Concentrator?
A portable oxygen concentrator is an electronic device used to administer medical-grade oxygen. POCs are the most state-of-the-art oxygen units on the market because they’re extremely lightweight and versatile. Using a POC, you’ll be able to go more places and do more things than if you had a standard compressed oxygen tank or liquid oxygen tank. Since they’re electronic devices, you simply need to have access to a source of power in order to recharge your batteries. You’ll never have the need to reach out to an oxygen company ever again to refill or deliver new tanks to your home!
One of the greatest benefits of owning a portable oxygen concentrator is that they’re approved by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) for in-flight use. What this means is that you can take your POC with you on any commercial flight within the United States. This is a freedom that COPD patients never had in the past because compressed oxygen tanks and liquid oxygen tanks are not allowed on flights for safety reasons. Upgrading your old outdated oxygen device to a portable oxygen concentrator quite literally opens up a world of possibilities! Without further ado, let’s take a look at why activities of daily living are so much easier when you have a portable oxygen concentrator.
Reduced Shortness of Breath
The human body has a complex system for managing breathing rate and breathing depth. Breathing is part of something called the autonomic nervous system which regulates involuntary physiologic processes like heart rate and blood pressure. However, you also have the ability to take control of your lungs through voluntary breathing. Exercises like deep breathing or controlled breathing are great for teaching you how to use your lungs more effectively.
One of the primary factors that affect respiratory rate is how much carbon dioxide is in the blood. When you are unable to expel air from the lungs fully — a problem that’s common among COPD patients — CO2 begins to build up in the bloodstream. This change in CO2 levels is detected by chemoreceptors which send a message to the medulla oblongata (the control center for the lungs) to increase respiratory rate. Other factors that affect respiratory rate and depth include atmospheric pressure, intra-alveolar pressure, and body temperature.
If you have COPD, interstitial lung disease, or any number of other respiratory conditions, the best way to reduce feelings of breathlessness is by increasing the concentration of oxygen in the lungs. By doing so, you will stabilize CO2 levels in your blood and the chemoreceptors will never send a message to your brain that you need to breathe quicker or more heavily. What this means when it comes to activities of daily living is that you won’t need to stop to catch your breath so frequently.
Using a portable oxygen concentrator throughout the day will prevent you from becoming breathless and thus reducing your chance of experience a COPD exacerbation. Many people find it difficult to keep up with their friends or loved ones because they need to stop to rest frequently. But with a portable oxygen concentrator, you can easily adjust the amount of oxygen you’re receiving based on how you’re feeling. It’s important to speak with your doctor, however, who will tell you what oxygen levels are acceptable.
Improved Mental Alertness
Your ability to complete daily tasks like eating, bathing, and cooking is equally reliant on your mental ability as it is your physical ability. When the oxygen levels in your blood are low this may result in brain hypoxia, also known as cerebral hypoxia, or low oxygen levels in the brain. Symptoms of brain hypoxia include temporary memory loss, impaired motor functions, confusion, lightheadedness, and more.
Maintaining a “sharp” mind with age is notoriously difficult and living with a respiratory condition like COPD can make it even more challenging. However, by carrying a portable oxygen concentrator with you wherever you go and keeping your oxygen saturation at a healthy level, you’ll be able to rule out one potential cause of cognitive decline as you go about your daily life. Studies have found that there is a correlation between disease severity and cognitive decline, so the more you can do to slow the progress of COPD, the better off you will be in terms of your mental health as well.
A portable oxygen concentrator will provide you with a convenient and reliable source of oxygen as you go about your day. POCs like the Inogen One G5 and Caire FreeStyle Comfort simply need to be turned on and then you can adjust the flow setting however you need it. Then all you need to do is set it and forget it. Your POC will provide you with a steady supply of oxygen all day allowing you to go about your day with your oxygen needs out of mind. This will afford you the freedom to focus your attention on what you’re trying to accomplish rather than worrying about whether your needs are met.
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Another reason mental alertness is so important is for your safety. People experiencing cognitive decline, more specifically dementia, are at a higher risk of experiencing a fall. Like we discussed in a previous blog post, experiencing a fall, whether it’s inside or outside your home can be dangerous. Studies have also found that dementia patients are at a greater risk for car accidents. Whether you’re driving to the store or just doing chores around the house, maintaining your oxygen levels will keep your mind sharp so that you can navigate safely.
Improved Exercise Tolerance
As you’re likely already aware, a healthy exercise routine is paramount to any COPD treatment plan. While exercise is important for everyone, it’s especially important for people with chronic lung conditions who need their lungs to perform as optimally as possible. Studies show that exercise increases the strength and function of muscles meaning that they require less oxygen. In other words, any form of exercise will benefit you in the long run. But if you want the best exercise routine, speak with your doctor about pulmonary rehabilitation. This is a type of exercise routine that focuses on your lungs and respiratory system as a whole.
When you’re exercising, the rate and depth of your breathing increase because your muscles need more oxygen. What’s more, your heart rate and blood flow increase in order to get that oxygen to the parts of the body that are being worked the most. Not only do your muscles need this oxygen in order to provide them with energy, but oxygenated muscles tend to recover and rebuild faster than muscles that do not get oxygen. So your body will feel more prepared to go through a strenuous exercise the next day.
Without a doubt, portable oxygen concentrators are the best oxygen device for exercising. Most pulse dose concentrators weigh around 5 pounds and are no bigger than a handbag or purse, so taking one with you when you do your exercise routine is hassle-free. Concentrators like the Caire FreeStyle Comfort also have a lot of carrying options available for them so you can find one that works best for the type of workout you’re doing. The custom carrying case, for example, is great for walking or hiking, but if you’re doing something more involved like weight lifting, you might want to go for the FreeStyle Comfort backpack.
Improved Mobility
Mobility is oftentimes one of the most discussed issues when it comes to aging, and for good reason. The older we get, the more likely we are to suffer from debilitating conditions like osteoporosis, arthritis, impaired strength or balance, or dementia. COPD only makes these conditions worse by adding breathlessness, chest pain, and chronic fatigue to the mix. Sometimes, there isn’t one particular way of dealing with these issues, but instead, COPD patients should work with their doctor and loved ones to find the best solution for them.
While portable oxygen concentrators certainly don’t “solve” mobility issues, they can definitely help. Old outdated oxygen devices like oxygen tanks are extremely heavy and awkwardly shaped making it nearly impossible to navigate your home with ease. But when you upgrade to a POC, you’ll have a machine that you can carry around the house all day while completing chores and never feeling the need to set it down for a rest. If you use a mobility aid like a walker, wheelchair, or electric wheelchair, you can easily set your POC on your mobility for even more convenience and comfort.
Another benefit of having a portable oxygen concentrator is that it’s easier to prevent your oxygen tubing from getting tangled or tripping over it as you walk. Whether you carry your POC on your shoulder or your back, you won’t need to use long oxygen tubing. But since oxygen tanks are so heavy, you’ll need to use a rolling cart, meaning you’ll need to use much longer oxygen tubing. Many people find that their oxygen tubing gets tangled and wrapped around things while using an oxygen tank which is not only frustrating but dangerous as well.
Conclusion
Activities of daily living are essential tasks that we need to perform each day in order to be independent. If COPD prevents you from doing one or more of these tasks, then you may need to consider hiring a part-time or full-time caretaker. Alternatively, you could invest in a medical oxygen device like a portable oxygen concentrator which allows you to extend your freedom and independence. Many COPD patients feel like they’re taken back in time when they get their first POC because they are able to do things they never thought would be possible after being diagnosed with COPD.
One important thing to note is that oxygen is a controlled substance in the United States. In other words, you will need to have a prescription for medical oxygen from your doctor in order to purchase a portable oxygen concentrator. Whether you have a prescription or not, your best course of action is to give our respiratory specialists a call here at LPT Medical. If you don’t have the required paperwork to purchase a POC, we can reach out to your doctor for you. We’ll also walk you through the process of choosing a portable oxygen concentrator from start to finish. We’re also happy to announce that we now offer assistance with Medicare and medical financing so you can save as much money as possible on a new, used, or refurbished unit.
Give us a call or email us today for more information!
