Everyone needs a hobby, and that's especially true for people with chronic diseases like COPD. Living with COPD can be stressful and difficult, and it's important to find activities you enjoy to brighten up your days.

Even though the symptoms of COPD can make some activities difficult, there are countless hobbies and activities you can still enjoy. Even if you suffer from severe shortness of breath, you can still find many fun ways to keep your body and mind active.

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The best kinds of hobbies are those that stimulate your brain or get your body moving. It's also helpful to have a quiet, relaxing hobby for times when you need to unwind and de-stress.

In this article, we're going to look at a variety of different hobbies that are both COPD-friendly and good for your health. We'll give you ideas for activities to get you outdoors, to get you more active, and to help you cope with the anxiety and other emotional aspects of living with COPD.

Too many people with COPD get discouraged because of their disease and give up on many of the hobbies and activities they used to enjoy. We want to prove to you in this post that you can still enjoy a wide variety of fulfilling activities even with the limitations of COPD.

How Healthy Hobbies Can Improve COPD

Finding hobbies you enjoy is certainly a matter of fun, but it is also a matter of physical and mental health. Having regular hobbies can be a great way to improve your body's strength, your mental well-being, and even your COPD.

First, hobbies can help you take your mind off your disease and focus on the things in life that matter. It's important to not let COPD grind your life to a halt, and to continue enjoying the activities in life that make you happy.

Second, hobbies can help you get out of the house and have new experiences. They can help you meet new people and visit new places that you would never have experienced before.

Many COPD patients experience feelings of depression and isolation and avoid going out or seeing other people. But having a hobby away from home gives you something to look forward to and can help you find the motivation to leave your comfort zone and socialize.

Hobbies can also help you get more exercise and stay active, which is vital for staying healthy with COPD. Even if you dread physical activity because of your COPD symptoms, having a regular, active hobby can help you stick to your exercise goals and even make it fun.

Finally, hobby activities give you an opportunity to learn new things, practice new skills, and keep your mental faculties sharp. Hobbies can stimulate your brain and body by giving you new experiences and something positive to focus your mental energy on.

Picking up a new hobby isn't always easy, and it can take awhile to build the habits and skills that will help you see it through. That's why it's so important to find an activity that you actually enjoy and look forward to doing on a regular basis.

Here is a list of some of potential benefits that hobbies can have for people with COPD:

• Reduced anxiety and depression
• Decreased boredom
• Opportunities to get out of the house
• Opportunities to spend time outdoors and in nature
• Make physical activities and exercise fun
• Add enjoyment and interest to your days
• Opportunities for social interaction
• Opportunities to meet new people and have new experiences
• Provide a break from the stress and bustle of work and other responsibilities
• Personal discovery and improvement
• Help you cope with stress
• Help you structure your time
• Increased motivation
• Increased satisfaction with life
• Improved self-esteem
• Improved physical fitness and endurance
• Reduced feelings of isolation and loneliness
• Opportunities to build your knowledge and skills
• Opportunities for creativity and exploration

Is it Safe to Have Active Hobbies with COPD?

It's important to realize that exercising and participating in hobbies is not only possible, but very healthy, even if you suffer from severe COPD. You shouldn't let breathlessness and other COPD symptoms stop you from doing the things that keep you healthy and happy.

While you may have some difficulties because of your disease, it is still perfectly healthy to exercise, go out, and enjoy life. While it's important to know your limitations, don't let your disease hold you back from living an active and fulfilling life.

If you are worried about how a new hobby or activity may affect your disease, don't hesitate to talk to your doctor. You doctor can tell you what kinds of activities are safe and even give you tips for managing your symptoms in different situations.

When you do anything active, always listen to your body and take as many breaks and rests as you need to keep your breathing under control. Take the time to stretch and warm up before doing something physical and keep your rescue medicine with you at all times.

If you do a hobby outdoors, it's important to be cautious about where and when you go outside. On certain days and in certain places, the outdoor air may be full of respiratory irritants that can make your COPD worse.

Things like smog, pollen, dust, and even extreme temperatures and humidity can make it harder to breathe and even trigger a COPD exacerbation. You are also more likely to get exposed to dust and smog near construction sites, busy roadways, and dense urban areas.

To make sure the air outside is safe for your lungs, take the time to check your local air pollution, weather, and allergy forecasts before planning activities outdoors. When the air quality is poor or the weather conditions are extreme, keep your lungs healthy by staying indoors and waiting until conditions improve.

If you are experiencing or getting over a COPD exacerbation, you may need to put off physical or outdoor activities until you recover completely. If you follow your COPD action plan and take it easy when you're symptoms flare-up, then you'll sooner get better and be able to return to your normal routine.

Overall, most hobbies are safe to do as long as you take basic precautions and don't push your body too hard. There's no reason to let your COPD limit your life any more than necessary, and there's every reason to enjoy life to the fullest.

The Best Hobbies for COPD

 Because of your disease, you may have limited mobility or struggle to do physical activities for long periods of time. That's why, in this article, we've tried our best to only include activities that are light and easy for people with limited strength and endurance to do.

At the same time, we've tried to choose a variety of different hobbies to suit a variety of different tastes and activity levels. However, we've still stuck with hobbies that are oxygen-friendly and less likely to make you feel short of breath.

In the next sections, we'll explore a diverse set of healthy, COPD-friendly activities to help you find a hobby that works for you. We've even included a variety of tips and tricks for getting started and for making tasks easier when you struggle with breathlessness and fatigue.

If you are looking for ways to improve your life with COPD, take some time to look through and learn more about the hobbies listed below. It can be encouraging to see the wide variety of options you have and to know how they can improve your life.

For the sake of this article, we're going to split hobbies into three main groups: outdoor hobbies, indoor hobbies, and hobbies that relax or stimulate your brain. While this is not an exhaustive list, it may give you the inspiration and motivation you need to find another fulfilling hobby that works for you.

Outdoor Hobby Activities for COPD

There's something that's deeply refreshing about getting fresh air and spending time outdoors. In fact, studies show that being outdoors can reduce anxiety, boost creativity, and even improve your concentration.

However, some people with COPD find it difficult to motivate themselves to go outside. Because of COPD symptoms, depression, or simply the stresses of everyday life, many COPD patients end up avoiding activities that take effort or require leaving their homes.

However, getting outdoors is important for both your physical and mental health. It's gives you the opportunity to be more active, experience the tranquility of nature, and take a break from the confines of daily life.

Sunlight is also the best source of vitamin D, which is an important nutrient for your bones and for your mental well-being. And, because people with COPD are disproportionately affected by bone problems like osteoporosis, it's especially important to get enough vitamin D to keep your bones healthy and strong.

That's why it's so beneficial to have a hobby that gets you out of your house and into the sun. Even if you tend to avoid the outdoors, you'll feel much more motivated to get out when you have a fun activity to look forward to and a reason to go outside.

Many outdoor hobbies are also sources of exercise that can help you keep your body strong and toned. If you're looking to increase your physical activity, there are a variety of fun hobbies that will help you get light to moderate levels of exercise outdoors.

As the writer and conservationist John Burroughs wrote, "I go to nature to be soothed and healed, and to have my senses put in order." No matter how you do it, spending time outside and in nature will help you live a more full and meaningful life with COPD.

Walking

Activity Level: Light

Oxygen Therapy-Friendly: Yes

Walking is a wonderful activity for people with COPD because it is light, steady, and slow-paced, while still getting your heart rate up. It helps strengthen your heart, your skeletal muscles and the muscles you use to breathe.

Walking is a great way to ease into exercise and practice controlling your breathing as you work out. It is relatively easy to time your breathes with your steps as you walk, and you can slow down or take breaks as often as you need to.

If walking sounds boring at first, just think about all of the amazing sights you could see while out on a stroll. You could see new people, new places, and even spot birds and wildlife just about anywhere you go.

You can spice up your walks by leaving your neighborhood for a stroll around a local park, shopping area, waterway or hiking trail. If the weather is too hot, too cold, or you just need a change of pace, you could even take a walk in a large indoor place like a convention center or mall.

Walking is not only a great way to get exercise and improve your physical health, but it's a great opportunity to get outside and reconnect with nature. You can take long walks to get away from the bustle of modern life for awhile, or take short, quick walks during the day to clear your head and get some fresh air.

Wherever you go, walking is bound to improve your physical endurance and may even help you improve your shortness of breath when you do other light activities. It also gives you a reason to get out of the house and spend some time in the sun.

Golfing

Activity Level: Light

Oxygen Therapy-Friendly: Yes

Golfing is a fantastic sport for relaxing and enjoying the outdoors if you have COPD. It also gives you the opportunity for some light physical activity through walking, swinging, and spending time on your feet.

Golfing is also oxygen therapy-friendly, since it's usually simple to tote your oxygen along with your other supplies. Using a golf cart also means you won't have to wheel your oxygen tank too far, although using a portable oxygen concentrator would be even more convenient.

The main downsides to golfing are that games can be long, the weather can be hot, and it can be pricey to play. If you cannot afford to rent or buy the supplies, or if being in the sun all day worsens your symptoms, you might be better off finding a less expensive or less lengthy outdoor hobby to enjoy.

Gardening

Activity Level: Light

Oxygen Therapy-Friendly: Yes

While gardening isn't for everyone, it's a great way to spend time outside without ever having to go far from home. It's relaxing, fun, tactile, and allows you to enjoy nature in a close and intimate way.

Even if you don't have a green thumb, gardening is a great way to learn more about plants and get some practice keeping them alive. Even though there are always struggles, there is something unique and magical about the experience of growing living plants and bringing seeds to life.

Working in the garden is also a great way to get some extra exercise while getting to play in the dirt. Between planting, weeding, digging, and watering, there are plenty of opportunities for light cardio and strength-building tasks.

If you have trouble kneeling and crouching, you can use garden knee pads or stools to make planting and weeding more comfortable. It is also much easier to garden in raised beds, which are easier to reach and provide a variety of benefits for plants.

One of the best things about gardening is enjoying the fruits of your labor, whether it's fresh veggies and herbs to eat or simply beautifying your home. Bringing beautiful plants and blooms to life is a reward in and of itself, whatever kind of gardening you do.

You don't even need a large yard or space to start your own garden; just a small garden bed, raised bed, or even some large pots will do. There are countless resources online about small space gardening for people with little or no lawn space, such as apartment and urban city dwellers.

There are many different ways to plan a garden, and what you choose will depend on your individual plant preferences and the space you have to work with. You could even cultivate an indoor garden if you have enough sunny window space or don't mind investing in indoor grow lights and other supplies.

Here is a variety of ideas for different types of gardening you could try as a new hobby:

• Plant a classic vegetable and herb garden
• Try square-foot gardening for the best yield in small spaces
• Use a raised bed to allow easier access and a healthier environment for your plants
• Start a window box or container herb garden
• Built a succulent plant collection
• Try container gardening and grow all your plants in indoor or outdoor pots and containers
• Learn the art of raising bonsai trees
• Join a community garden in your local area
• Take a gardening class at your local library or community center

Fishing

Activity Level: Very Light

Oxygen Therapy-Friendly: Yes

Fishing is a slow-paced, yet delightful activity and a satisfying way to spend extended amounts of time outdoors. It's also a great opportunity to get out of your house and away from all the technology and distractions of modern life.

Unlike outdoor activities that you do in your own neighborhood or backyard, fishing gives you the opportunity to delve a little deeper into nature. It's a great excuse to explore your local parks and waterways or travel to far-away lakes and reservoirs on more distant fishing trips.

Fishing is also great for people with COPD who have severe symptoms or limited strength and mobility. While it usually requires a bit of walking, it is overall an extremely light and easy activity to do.

Fishing is also oxygen-friendly, as long as you have a sufficiently portable oxygen device or go to an easily-accessible stretch of water. You can also reduce the difficulty of hauling bait and supplies by enlisting a friend to help or using a wheeled container to carry your things.

Just make sure you pack light and take plenty of water along with you to avoid dehydration. If you use supplemental oxygen, it's also a good idea to stay on dry land to protect your equipment and ensure you can quickly go and get help if needed.

Fishing is relatively inexpensive once you have the right supplies, although you may need to pay for a permit or pass to fish in some places. With any luck, however, you'll have dinner covered by the fish you catch by the end of the day!

Bird Watching

Activity Level: Light

Oxygen Therapy-Friendly: Yes

Bird watching, or “birding” as it is affectionately called by avid hobbyists, is an incredibly simple, yet fascinating hobby. It's a wildly popular activity; at least 85 million people in the US participate in some sort of bird watching, and all you need is a field guide to get started.

Birding is a great hobby for people with COPD because it is light, relaxing, and totally oxygen-friendly. You can enjoy bird watching while standing, hiking, or sitting completely still, and you can choose your activity level based on your personal goals, symptoms, and how you feel on a particular day.

Birding is also relatively inexpensive; while you may need to spend about $100 on a pair of binoculars to start, it's a one-time purchase that can last you a lifetime (and they're not strictly necessary if you don't have the funds). The rest you can get for free, including bird identification field guides, which you can rent from your local library, and the bird-viewing areas themselves.

The beauty of the natural world is not something that is limited to a certain age group, and the inclusiveness of the outdoor community knows no limits. No matter where you spent most of your life, whether you are a home-body or a born nomad, there is no better time to get out into nature than in your senior years.

If you are skeptical about how you would enjoy a hiking adventure while managing the obstacles that come with older age, please continue reading.

This article will guide you through everything you need to know as a senior on how to navigate trails safely, how to use technology to find which trails are best for you and your capabilities, tips for gear and clothing, and more.

Consult with your doctors if hiking is right for you

There are certain medical precautions you must take before exposing yourself to new terrain. And if you are looking to expand your horizons when it comes to longer-distance hiking or more challenging trails, you should still discuss with your doctor what may limit your ability to accomplish your goals and if there are ways around those limitations, such as; quitting smoking, investing in a portable oxygen concentrator, pulmonary rehabilitation programs, a new diet plan etc.

If you struggle with common age related health issues you might find valuable resources online that will help you maintain vitality 

Common age related health issues that may affect your ability to hike develop in your bones, heart, and lungs. If you experience any of these complications, it does not mean that this is the end to your hiking endeavors. All this means is that you are going to start your uphill battle before hitting the trail.

Health issues that make it too difficult to hike  

COPD is one of the most common lung aliments and it will progress into a very serious condition if gone untreated.

That being said, we do understand the reality that some people's health conditions does inhibit their ability to hike safely and comfortably. However, walking is one of best things you can do for COPD, and other health complications like osteoporosis, or heart failure. 

Try pushing yourself to walk around your house once a day: walk to get the mail, or go up and down the stairs. From there your lungs, bones, and heart will begin to strengthen and hopefully your energy levels will increase allowing you to go further everyday, and potentially get outside on a trail someday.

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Begin a hiking training program at home

If you are healthy and ready to start mapping out your next adventure, skip to the next section! Otherwise, begin implementing a strict exercise, weight management, and diet plan into your daily routine. Start your training by walking daily for a week and write down in a journal your route, distance, amount of time, and details about how you felt and anything you noticed about your body or experience.

You can try to share your stats and observations with your future hiking buddies or family to reinforce your efforts. Keeping a record can be very self gratifying because hiking can become addictive!

You should also enforce a strict diet plan that is high in nutrients your body craves. Talk to a nutritionist about foods you can start incorporating into your diet, so you are more capable of building strength and endurance for the trail. 

Strengthen your core

To walk for hours at a time, do not be fooled, you’ll need more than just strong legs. Distance walking has been proven to compress your spine, causing backaches. One way to minimize back pain or aches while hiking or long distance walking is to focus on building core strength.

While you are walking, always try lengthening your spine by keeping your shoulders down, abdomen (stomach) contracted into your spine, keep your head held high, and avoid staring straight down at the ground. You can also try swimming, water aerobics, pilates and yoga to help build your core and keep you limber.

It is completely normal to lose muscle mass as you age, but you are able to tone the muscle you do have by incorporating cross training exercise with your hiking and long distance walks such as: Downward dogs and planks from yoga, Cardio from water jogging and aerobics, and crunches and even gardening for extra core work.

Download the AllTrails app on your apple or android smartphone

AllTrails will act as your guide if you do not want to hire a guide or go hiking with a tour group. While the latter options are great, some individuals value independence on the trail and in the wilderness.

This app is simple and easy to use, you can find trailheads near your area and far beyond, and you can use the app while you are hiking as a map so you stay on the trail and don't get lost.

You are able to use GSP and find hikes near you, or input a nearby town or mountain range you are looking to explore. You can filter the results by the “Best Match”, “Most Popular”, or the “Closet”, and you can choose ''Easy”, “Moderate”, to “Difficult” trails.

The app will also only show you the trails that are a specified distance, so if you only want to go 1.5 miles one day, you are capable of finding a trail that's perfect for you.

AllTrails will also inform you of the hiking trails that offer mountain biking, dog, horseback riding, or motorized vehicles, so you will be aware of all the faster moving obstacles you might encounter.

The most useful AllTrails feature for seniors or people with disabilities or health conditions is the option to filter trail results that are wheelchair friendly and paved or partially paved. Also by being able to input elevation gain, you can find flat trails that you can wheel your continuous flow oxygen concentrator or feel confident carrying a portable oxygen concentrator with ease.

Choose the trail that is right for you

Now that you have an essential application (AllTrails) for choosing the right trail, it is time to be honest with yourself, and decide what hike is within your capabilities. It is perfectly normal to start small: Take a short 0.7 mile hike, that is partially paved, and close by your home.

Hiking trails that are good for seniors who do not normally hike are typically flatter and wider. If you are a beginner stick to a trail with a smooth walking surface that is better for balance and try to avoid trails with higher elevation gain.

Hiking uphill can be strenuous for your lungs, while hiking downhill can be rough on your knees.

Once you begin to feel more comfortable on the trails, you can start poking around your comfort zone, but never feel obligated to be uncomfortable, hiking should be a stress reliever, and if you are feeling dread or fear over a hike you planned, it is not the best option for you at that time.

Check the weather in the nearby town or area

If you are about to embark on your adventure in the woods, along the beach, through the plains, or along foothills be sure to check the weather in the nearby town before you go. Be aware that the weather at higher elevation tends to change rapidly and with little to no warning.

Know as much as you can about the weather patterns in the area before you go so that you can pack all of the essentials: rain coat, wind breaker, sunscreen, sun hat, or insulated jacket.

Dress for the weather

The best advice for hiking clothing is to wear or bring multiple layers. Going up hill you may feel warm, and going down hill you might get chilly. Weather will also change through out the day so you are able to de-layer or add layers whenever necessary for your ultimate comfort. Here are some ideas for outerwear options in different weather conditions:

Early morning hike in the middle of July:

• Light/ medium jacket: The morning air may be chilly especially if you are in the mountains or exploring in higher elevations
  
  
• Breathable hiking pants: While it may be chilly in the mornings, towards the middle and end of your hike the sun will kick in and having breathable pants will make a world difference. You will want to avoid wearing shorts to limit bug bites and exposure to harmful UV sun rays
  
  
• Sun hat: Invest in a hat that covers your forehead, ears, and neck. Even by applying sunscreen to these areas, your forehead and neck will likely sweat during the hike and if you forget to reapply sunscreen the sun damage can be irreversible.
  
  

Afternoon hike to see the leaves changing at the beginning of Autumn:

• Base layer: Your base layer should not be cotton fabric. You will likely sweat on the way up the trail, and rather than wicking away perspirant, cotton will trap moisture keeping you cold and wet on the way down.
  
  
• Insulated rain coat: Even if there is no rain in the forecast, an insulated raincoat will keep you warm all the way up and down the trail, and if an unexpected afternoon storm rolls in you’ll be prepared.
  
  
• Hiking pants: Hiking pants that are comfortable yet warm will be perfect for an Autumn hike. If you walk at a steady pace, you don't want to get too hot by wearing an extra base layer.
  
  

A sunny but wintery hike for a chance to get outside before the next storm rolls in

• Base layer: Your base layer should not be cotton fabric. You will likely sweat on the way up the trail, and rather than wicking away perspirant cotton trap moisture, keeping you cold and wet on the way down.
  
  
• Breathable sweater: A mild sweater will keep you warm if you are too warm wearing the puffy coat and you want to de-layer
  
  
• Puffy coat: The best way to stay warm in cold temperatures is to have a down or synthetic down puffy coat. These will also fold down small enough to stuff in your backpack when you start to warm up and need to de-layer.
  
  
• Base layer pants: water wicking pants with some insulation will keep your extremities warm through, snow, wind, and cold temperatures.
  
  
• Hiking pants: Wearing thick hiking pants will protect you against cold winds while still allowing maneuverability
  
  

A hike across the valley to see the annual spring blooms

• Base layer: Your base layer should not be cotton fabric. You will likely sweat on the way up the trail, and rather than wicking away perspirant, cotton trap moisture keeping you cold and wet on the way down.
  
  
• Light rain jacket: A light rain jacket will keep you dry if there are any showers but won’t insulate heat so you won’t get too hot.
  
  
• Hiking pants: Pants are always the best options for protection against rain, wind, and sun.

Use trekking/hiking poles

Hiking poles are a great option for hikers of all ages because they help immensely with balance. Poles can be used to lighten your steps, ease your knees, help propel you forward, help you detect a path’s surface, and test wobbly rocks.

You should train to use your trekking poles before you get on the trail to develop efficiency and to gain arm strength. When you are buying trekking/hiking poles, remember that most hiking poles are adjustable so you are able to shorten the poles for the hike up and lengthen them for the way down.

Drink plenty of water

Having enough water is the key to enjoying physical activities, especially outdoors while hiking. One trick to getting enough water and staying hydrated is to drink plenty of water a couple of days before you plan to go hiking so your body is already fueled and hydrated before your hike.

If you are going on a longer hike, bring a camelback backpack, and a water pump to filter running water in case you run out. This should on be necessary for very experienced hikers going very far distances upwards of 6-10 miles, with high-levels of elevation gain.

A 24 fl oz water bottle should do the trick for a mile long hike, unless it's mid-day, June-August, and hot, you should bring at least two water bottles and place them in the side pockets of your backpack.

If carrying water is too heavy, hydrate a lot the week before you go hiking, drink a full bottle of water on the drive to the hike, carry a smaller light weight water bottle for sipping during the hike, and leave an entire water bottle full in the car for afterwards.

Pack a first aid or emergency kit

Even if you are just going for a short hike, you should always bring a first aid kit especially if you have any health conditions. This can be a makeshift first aid kit, with all of your personal essentials like an inhaler or nebulizer, or if you do not have any health condition, you can find a small first kit at any general store.

If you are embarking on a longer more strenuous journey, pack an emergency kit with an outdoor first aid kit, extra food and water, a way to start a fire (like waterproof matchers or a lighter), and always bring a headlamp or flashlight.

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Hike with a group

Some people enjoy the isolation of being out in nature alone, but if you have any underlying health conditions, it is important to have people who can help you if something goes astray.

Try finding a buddy or two who enjoy the outdoors, and are willing or able to maintain your hiking pace. It is not always fun leaving your group behind or feeling rushed and overwhelmed being in the back of the group.

There is nothing wrong with finding your pace, and sticking to it, but a healthy group dynamic while hiking keeps morale high.

Enjoy the views

We hope that everyone can find some outdoor adventure that suits their needs, and we hope to give you the tools to navigate the outdoors with ease and confidence going forward.

If you enjoyed this article keep following us for upcoming posts about outdoor recreation for seniors or anyone with a health condition that might feel limited in their ability to do outdoor activities. 

If you would be interested in hearing about hikes near you, please leave a comment below and a note about your capabilities so we can research ideas for your next adventure and write about it in out next blog post.

Remember there is no right or wrong way to hike, as long as you are safe responsible and enjoying your time outdoors! 

All medication prescribed to patients in the United States is approved by the Center for Drug Evaluation and Research (CDER), a branch of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). This program acts as a watchdog for all genetic and biological therapeutic drugs being tested throughout the country, ensuring that only safe and effective ones are administered to the general public.

Contrary to the name, however, the CDER doesn’t spend a lot of time researching new drugs. Instead, the organization receives applications from drug makers and evaluates their efficacy through a four-phase approval process. Once the phases are complete, the drug is considered “FDA approved” and is distributed to pharmacies throughout the country. If the side-effects or risks posed by the drug ever outweigh the benefits, the FDA may recall a drug that has already been distributed.

As a patient, this drug approval process provides you with a unique opportunity called a clinical trial. These clinical trials play a crucial role in evaluating the safety and effectiveness of a drug and may be the perfect opportunity for you to seek relief from your respiratory symptoms — but they’re not for everyone.

In the following sections, we’ll take a look at what clinical trials are, how they work, and why you may want to consider participating in one. As always, if you have any questions about your current treatment plan, clinical trials, or any other COPD-related concern, be sure to consult your doctor as soon as possible.

What is Clinical Research?

In medical terms, the word “clinical” refers to the observation and treatment of real patients as opposed to theoretical or laboratory studies. They act as a sort of real world experiment for medication without the risks associated with immediately releasing it to the public. Generally, clinical research is divided into two categories: observational studies and clinical trials.

Observational Studies

During an observational study, researchers observe people in a normal setting. Through medical exams, questionnaires or other tests, they can help reveal common health trends throughout a community and provide new opportunities for clinical trials.

Clinical Trials

Clinical trials are similar to observational studies, but instead of taking a hands-off approach, they aim to test a specific medical, surgical, or behavioral intervention. While a drug may work in theory or in practice in a petri dish or on animals, a clinical trial allows researchers to test their effects on actual patients. Because clinical trials are completed by sponsors and not the FDA, there are certain criteria that need to be met before a drug can be tested and drug sponsors need to submit an Investigational New Drug (IND) application that outlines the results of their testing, the composition of the drug, and a plan for its development — this is called the pre-clinical stage.

All clinical trials have a purpose which can be part of one of the following categories:

Diagnostic - finding new procedures, techniques, and methods for diagnosing diseases more effectively or sooner.

Screening - testing different methods for improving screening procedures that could reveal signs of a disease.

Prevention - examining vaccines, vitamins, medicines, minerals, or lifestyle changes that could prevent the development or recurrence of disease.

Treatment - testing new drugs, combinations of drugs, surgery, or therapy that reduces the effects of a disease.

Supportive Care - Evaluating the effectiveness of procedures used to increase the comfort and quality of life of a patient.

Health Services - Examines the financial aspects of health care, access to care, organization, and delivery methods.

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The Four Phases of a Clinical Trial

Phase 1 

20-80 participants

The first phase of the clinical trial process is focused on safety. Most drugs, regardless of how effective they are, have some form of negative side effect associated with them. The goal of the first phase is to test the way the drug is metabolized and processed by the body. Typically, phase 1 is performed on healthy recipients without an illness. 

Phase 2

100’s of participants

Unlike phase 1, phase 2 is all about effectiveness. As a result, this stage usually requires participants with a condition the researchers are trying to treat. Researchers may also compare the effects of these drugs to other similar drugs that are being used to treat their condition. Phase 2 won’t begin until the perceived benefits are greater than the risks uncovered in phase 1.    

Phase 3

1000’s of participants

Phase 3 studies both safety and efficacy further. Researchers may study different demographics, dosages, or using it in combination with other drugs. Participants may be divided into different groups so the results can be compared. Oftentimes, phase 3 clinical trials can last several years depending on the type of drug that’s being studied.

Phase 4 

Post-approval risk assessment   

At phase 4, the drug has been approved by the FDA and doctors can begin administering it to patients. However, in certain cases, the sponsor may need to continue studying the effects of the drug. This is especially the case if the sponsor wants to be able to sell the medication for a new purpose such as treating a different disease.

The Clinical Trial Process

For many people, the most intimidating part of clinical trials is the process. First and foremost, you should know that you will never be a part of a clinical trial without your knowledge. In order to be a part of one, you’ll need to first sign an informed consent form. This differs from a regular consent form in the following ways.

• Participants must be given the necessary information to make an informed decision about their involvement in the trial.
• Participants must be allotted an adequate amount of time to discuss the clinical trial with friends and family.
• Researchers must be open and honest about all questions regarding the clinical investigation.
• Researchers continue to provide information about the trial as it progresses. 

After meeting with the staff and signing an informed consent form, you will be screened to ensure you qualify for the trial. This is done through what’s called a “baseline” visit where researchers will conduct both physical and cognitive tests.

Once all the consent and qualification processes have been completed, you will be assigned to a control group and given specific instructions like when you need to come in for a checkup. If there are any forms that you need to fill out daily or weekly, they will go over this with you to ensure you understand what needs to be done. Note that you should continue to visit your regular primary care physician throughout this process and keep them updated with information about the clinical trial.

Who Can Participate?

Because clinical trials are used to study a specific group of people, it’s not unusual for an application to be declined. Criteria will differ from study to study, however, the age of the patient, disease stage, gender, genetic profile, and family history could all play a role. Your ability to participate could also be affected by other medications you are currently taking that may interfere with the study.

Diversity of test subjects is very important when conducting clinical trials. The objective is to find drugs that are effective for a wide group of people, so the more people that are involved, the better idea researchers will get of the potential risks and benefits. If you think you’ll get turned down because of a specific condition you have or your age, it’s best to contact them anyways because you may be just the person they’re looking for.

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Benefits of Clinical Trials

For some COPD patients, clinical trials are a great option, allowing them to receive treatment for their condition outside the traditional means of doing so. However, for others, it may add an extra burden to their healthcare routine that’s unwanted and unneeded. It’s important to take your time and determine if it’s something worth pursuing. 

Access to New Medication

Possibly the most common reason people join a clinical trial is that they get access to medication that’s not yet available to the general public. This is especially beneficial to people who don’t like the side-effects of medication they’re currently taking or they’re simply interested in trying something new. 

Assisting in Research

Another common reason for participating in clinical trials is to assist in the process of researching new solutions for your disease. While it may sound like you’re playing a small role, researchers would not be able to test their medication without the help of people who have the condition they’re trying to treat.

Back Out at Any Time

One common misconception about clinical trials is that once you sign up, you won’t be able to back out. Fortunately, this is not the case.

Anyone who signs up for a clinical trial can back out at any time and for any reason. It is, however, recommended that you notify the research company of your decision and consult with your doctor immediately to get back on your regular treatment plan.

Potentially Reduced Costs

While you or your insurance company will still need to pay for the medication you receive, many costs associated with clinical trials like checkups and evaluations are paid for by the company that is performing the test. So, you may be getting some additional checkups or medical services for free that you would normally be paying for with your primary care physician.

Disadvantages of Clinical Trials

Medication is Not Approved by FDA

While there are many benefits to being part of a clinical trial, there are several downsides as well, one of which is that the drug likely hasn’t been approved by the FDA yet. If you refer back to the list of phases above, you’ll see that only one phase, the 4th, is FDA approved. So, if you’re part of a clinical trial that’s in the first, second, or third phase, you’ll be using medication that hasn’t been fully tested yet.

Fortunately, the FDA maintains regulations for clinical trials that protect patients’ safety and security, you can view the full list of regulations on their website. In short, however, these documents require researchers to take a number of precautions when it comes to your safety and notify you about every detail of the procedure. 

Frequent Checkups 

Another thing that may be seen as a disadvantage to clinical trials is that you have more frequent checkups and more responsibilities. During a clinical trial you may be required to go to the testing center weekly to check your progress and document the effect of the medication on your body. Additionally, you may be asked to fill out forms or questionnaires that ask about your symptoms. All of this takes extra time, so if your goal is to save time, you may want to avoid clinical trials.

Placebo-Controlled Studies

Last, but certainly not least, placebo-controlled studies may be seen as a disadvantage to clinical studies depending on what your goals are.

When researchers start a clinical trial, they want to do everything they possibly can to ensure the results of the study are accurate and have a very low margin of error. As a result, they may use something called a “placebo” or an inactive substance that’s designed to look exactly like the actual medication. Oftentimes, even the person administering the medication doesn’t know whether the medication is real or a placebo; this is known as a double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial.

Placebos are used to account for the “placebo effect.” In other words, if you tell someone that they’re receiving medication for their condition, they may perceive that they benefited from the drug even if there was no actual benefit. When researchers divided test subjects into placebo and non-placebo groups, it allows them to account for this psychological effect.

Generally, placebos can be seen as a negative because you won’t know whether or not you’re actually receiving treatment for your condition. Although researchers are required to notify you if placebos are a part of the trial, they won’t tell won’t tell you as an individual that you’ll be given placebos.  

Insurance Coverage for Clinical Trials

Fortunately, most health insurance companies are required to offer coverage for clinical trials under federal law. However, the coverage you receive will depends on three things:

• You must be approved and eligible for the trial
• The trial must be approved
• Out-of-network doctors or hospitals will not be covered unless otherwise stated in your plan
  
  

Approved Clinical Trials

An approved clinical trial is one that includes the following:

• It tests ways to treat, detect, or prevent life-threatening conditions
• It’s been approved by the FDA by submitting an IND application is not required to submit one.
  
  

What Costs are Covered?

Some of the costs your insurance will cover include:

• Lab tests
• Office visits
• Procedures and services needed in trial
• Supportive care drugs
  
  

Costs that are typically not covered include:

• Data collection used for the trial
• The cost of the procedure or treatment studied by the clinical trial

Before you commit to a clinical trial it’s important that you understand what your insurance does and does not cover. If the research team has out-of-network doctors or facilities, you may be liable for these costs. Costs such as data collection and treatment may be covered by the research company, however, unless specifically stated, it’s best to assume they aren’t.
  

Current Clinical Trials for COPD

If you’re a patient who is currently undergoing treatment for COPD, you may want to consider being part of a clinical trial. Clinical trials for COPD help researchers understand better ways to prevent, screen for, and treat symptoms of the disease. Remember, however, that your ability to participate in a trial will depend on your current health condition, age, gender, ethnic profile, and a variety of other conditions. What’s more, there may or may not be a clinical trial in your area for you to apply to.

COPD Patient-Powered Research Network

The COPD PPRN is a network of 75,000 COPD patients that’s designed to connect them with researchers who perform clinical trials. According to the COPD Foundation, while COPD is the 3rd leading cause of death, there are only 780 clinical trials, a small fraction of the nearly 41,000 trials taking place for cancer research. The COPD PPRN is not a clinical trial in and of itself, but it is a directory that can provide you with more information on finding local clinical trials for COPD. 

ACRC Clinical Trials for COPD

The Airways Clinical Research Centers (ACRC) is run by the American Lung Association and is dedicated to researching both asthma and COPD. Around 6,900 patients have participated in clinical trials in 15 clinical research centers throughout the country. There are several clinical trials currently underway including an asthma BMI baseline study, anxiety andd COPD evaluation, losartan effects, and much more. You can view a full list of current studies and their stages here. 

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Conclusion

Clinical trials are a crucial component of medical research. They afford researchers all over the country an opportunity to test the safety and efficacy of their medication while allowing patients to make a difference as well. There are many benefits to being a part of a clinical trial, but there are also several disadvantages. 

If being a part of a clinical trial interests you, it’s best to start by speaking with your doctor and signing up for one of the research networks listed above. If you decide it’s not for you, there are still a number of ways you can get involved like attending events, providing health information, or recruiting friends to a research program. Click the links below for more information on clinical trials for COPD.

Finding a Clinical Trial

COPD Patient-Powered Research Network

Airways Clinical Research Centers (ACRC)

CenterWatch COPD Clinical Trials

Other Resources

Questions to Ask Your Doctor about Clinical Trials

Myths about clinical trials

Medicare Clinical Trial Policies

Studies show that people with COPD are about twice as likely to experience chronic pain compared to people with no chronic disease. In fact, researchers found that the pain experienced by many COPD patients is severe enough to rival arthritis pain and often requires opiate medications to manage.

If you have COPD it's important to understand that the disease doesn't just affect your lungs; it has many direct and indirect effects on the body. COPD can spawn several types of temporary and chronic pain, including pain in your chest, spine, muscles, joints, and even your bones.

Some chronic pains are the result of respiratory strain and lung damage, while others are caused by poor exercise, malnutrition, and even medication. Many COPD patients struggle to eat enough and get enough physical activity, and neglecting these vital habits is a common reason for chronic muscle and joint pain.

If you or someone you love has COPD, then you'll need to know what kinds of pains COPD can cause and how to treat them. More than 45% of COPD patients are plagued by chronic pain, and some of those pains can be relieved with professional support, proper diet, exercise, and other at-home therapies.

COPD is a difficult disease to manage, and it's even harder when you have to deal with chronic aches and pains. That's why, in this article, we're going to help you understand how COPD causes pain in different parts of the body and what you can do to manage and relieve these pains.

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What Kinds of Chronic Pains are Caused by COPD?

COPD can cause many different types of pain, and every patient's experience with chronic pain is different. However, there are a few particularly prominent causes of chronic pain that affect a large percentage of COPD patients.

Disuse Syndrome

Photo by Kristina on Flickr

COPD symptoms like coughing, wheezing, and shortness of breath can be very hard on your body. These symptoms are unpleasant on their own, but they can also cause a variety of chronic and acute pains.

Struggling for air during exercise or bouts of breathlessness is a common cause of chest pain and tightness for COPD patients. Coughing, especially a chronic cough, can also cause serious chest pain and strain the muscles in your shoulders, neck, and back.

However, the most damaging effect of these symptoms is that they make physical activity challenging and uncomfortable. Breathlessness, coughing, and chronic pains all discourage people with COPD from exercising, practicing breathing exercises, and participating in other forms of physical therapy.

Unfortunately, these physical activities are necessary to reduce COPD-related pain and improve patients' ability to breathe. Avoiding exercise only accelerates muscle wasting, loss of mobility, and serious physical decline.

What's worse, inactivity on its own causes even more chronic pain and discomfort due to a phenomenon known as disuse syndrome. Disuse syndrome refers to a variety of chronic pains, illnesses, and even mental disorders that result from a lack of physical activity.

Disuse syndrome occurs as a result of muscle wasting, cardiovascular disease, and nervous system changes that happen when you live a sedentary lifestyle and don't use your body enough. Luckily, disuse syndrome can be reversed with regular exercise and a healthy lifestyle.

Osteoporosis

At least 20 percent of people with COPD also suffer from osteoporosis, a condition that occurs when your bones become thin, weak, and prone to breaking. This is a result of a variety of COPD-related factors, including malnutrition, lack of exercise, chronic inflammation, and even corticosteroid medications.

Your bones are made of living tissue that is constantly being worn down and built back up again, but age and illness can hurt their ability to fully regenerate. Osteoporosis occurs when your body lacks the nutrients it needs to build up your bones at the same rate as old bone tissue is broken down.

Often osteoporosis is “silent,” having no outward signs or symptoms. Many people don't realize that their bones are weakened until they get a minor injury that fractures a bone.

However, once osteoporosis becomes severe it can lead to frequent injuries that cause chronic aches and pains. People with osteoporosis are particularly prone to spinal compression fractures, which can cause severe back pain and spine disfigurement.

If you have osteoporosis even minor actions like twisting, lifting, or minor falls can cause bone fractures that take months or longer to mend. Until they heal, fractures cause chronic pain that often requires prescription pain medication to manage.

Osteoporosis is more common than usual in all subsets of the COPD patient population, but it becomes more likely with age and in the later stages of the disease. COPD patients who have had many exacerbations, have a history of smoking, or who take inhaled or oral corticosteroids are most at risk than others for osteoporosis.

Chest Pain

Moderate to severe chest pain is common ailment that affects COPD patients, especially emphysema patients, day after day.

Emphysema is a common form of COPD that results from damage to the air sacs (alveoli) in the lungs. Over time, emphysema causes your lungs to balloon and over-inflate, which hurts their ability to push all of the air out when you exhale.

Emphysema patients' lungs can become so large that they press on their rib cage and diaphragm, which causes  severe pain. The pain can strike at any time and can be triggered by activities as light as walking.

Although lung over-inflation is one of the most common reasons for chest pain, another common cause is muscle tightness and fatigue. COPD symptoms like coughing and shortness of breath over-exert the muscles in your chest that you use to breathe, making them tired and sore.

Chronic coughing and gasping for air can also strain the muscles in your neck, shoulders, and back. Luckily, chronic chest, neck, and back pain can often be lessened with regular exercise, good posture, breathing techniques, and proper symptom management. 

Muscle Cramps and Soreness

Muscle soreness and cramps are also common pains that affect people with COPD. These pains can result from a variety of COPD-related conditions, including malnutrition and a sedentary lifestyle.

Because COPD is an age-related disease, many patients are elderly with muscles that can't stand up to the same amount of activity and strain that they used to. This puts COPD patients at a much greater risk for muscle weakness, cramps, and pain, especially when combined with a greater risk of muscle wasting due to the disease.

Muscle cramps can also be caused by poor blood circulation, which can occur along with other cardiovascular complications in the later stages of the disease. And since COPD makes it very difficult to exercise, many patients avoid physical activity, which makes muscle weakness and pain even worse.

What's more, certain medications like corticosteroids can cause vitamin and mineral imbalances in your body that starve your muscles of the nutrients they need to function. This can lead to severe muscle cramping and weakness, adding yet another risk factor for muscle problems in people with COPD.

While muscle cramps tend to be sudden, acute pains, rather than chronic pains, they can come as an indirect consequence of chronic pain. It happens like this:

• Chronic muscle soreness and weakness makes it difficult to exercise, leading to inactivity.
  
  
• Lack of physical activity and stretching exercises causes your muscles to get even more stiff and painful to move.
  
  
• You then become even more prone to getting additional muscle injuries and pains, including cramps, because your muscles are stiff and under-used.
  
  
• This can then lead to even more exercise avoidance out of fear that you will experience more painful muscle cramps and soreness.

Muscle pains are very important to treat because they make it more difficult to exercise, leading to an even more unhealthy and sedentary lifestyle. This compounds the problem, making your muscles and joints even more stiff and cramped from inactivity.

In fact, strengthening your leg muscles and treating chronic pains that make it difficult to move around are some of the most important things you can do for your COPD. Any intervention that makes your body stronger and improves your capacity for exercise has the potential to significantly improve COPD symptoms and even delay the progression of the disease.

Treatment for muscle cramps and soreness usually includes pain relievers, gentle stretching, and physical activity to reduce stiffness and improve limb mobility. We'll go into these treatments in more detail in the next sections so you can learn how to treat muscle pains and stay active with COPD.

General Treatments for Pains Caused by COPD

Over the Counter Pain Relievers

Photo by Briana Jones

Over-the-counter pain relievers like Ibuprofen and Aspirin aren't usually strong enough for severe pains, but they can be very effective for minor ailments. If you experience muscle cramps, chest pain, sore joints, or other small pains, these non-prescription medications could help.

For example, you could use mild pain relievers to treat sore muscles after a workout or a particularly active day. You could also use them to reduce mild chronic joint pains and muscle cramps so that you can exercise and perform daily activities without significant discomfort.

If you have COPD, you should always talk to your doctor before taking any new medication, even over-the-counter medications. Your doctor can ensure that they won't interfere with any of your other prescriptions or treatments and warn you about any side effects or complications you should look out for.

Mental Health Support

It's well-known that people who are anxious and depressed experience more aches and physical pains than people with good mental health. Therefore, one way to reduce chronic physical pain is to treat the emotional pain that amplifies it.

It's not difficult to understand why mental health support is so important for people living with COPD. A COPD diagnosis is extremely distressing to receive and can cause a great deal of fear, anxiety, sadness, and regret. Most people need as much extra support as they can get, both practical and emotional, to get through this difficult time.

Even after the initial diagnosis, people with COPD have to devote a significant amount of time and mental effort to managing their disease and its symptoms, which can cause even more worry and stress. Without professional help, the severe anxiety and emotional distress that many COPD patients feel can develop into more serious conditions like chronic anxiety and clinical depression.

If you feel depressed, anxious, or are struggling with increased chronic pain, don't hesitate to seek help from a therapist or psychiatrist. They can give you emotional support, help you manage negative thoughts and emotions, and prescribe you medication like antidepressants if you need them.

Once you take care of your mental health, you will likely notice that your chronic aches and pains have lessened as well. And without the burden of chronic emotional distress, it is much easier to stick to an exercise schedule and treatment plan to properly manage your disease.

Pulmonary Rehabilitation

Pulmonary rehabilitation is a special class designed to help people with respiratory diseases like COPD take charge of their health. It includes instruction on how to exercise right, breathe better, and use medications effectively, along with a variety of other practical advice for managing chronic lung diseases.

Pulmonary rehab is a great opportunity to practice effective exercise techniques and breathing exercises that can improve your endurance for physical activity. It includes COPD-specific physical therapy lessons and tailored exercise classes that can help you reduce a variety of chronic pains, especially chest and muscle pain.

Pulmonary rehab also teaches you to strengthen the muscles in your chest and abdomen that you use to breathe, which can reduce chest tightness and pain that comes from over-inflated lungs and struggling to breathe. You can reduce muscle strain, cramps, and joint aches over the course of pulmonary rehab by learning exercise techniques that strengthen your muscles and joints.

Physical Therapy

Photo by Tech. Sgt. Kristopher Levasseur

If aches and pains in your muscles and joints are preventing you from exercising, you might need some physical therapy before you start working out on your own. Especially if you've been sedentary for awhile, your body might not be ready to jump into action just yet.

That's what physical therapy is good for; it helps you work with and around any physical conditions that limit your ability to move. A good physical therapist will teach you how to safely stretch and move the parts of your body that ache and help you recover from injuries and pains.

Through physical therapy, you can improve your muscle strength, flexibility, and overall range of motion. In many cases, this is enough to significantly reduce aches and pains in your muscles and joints and make it much easier to tolerate exercise and daily activities.

If you're suffering from any of the chronic aches, pains, or mental effects of disuse syndrome, physical therapy is one of the best ways to jump-start your recovery. Anything that makes it easier to exercise and move your body, like physical therapy and pulmonary rehab, can help you fight chronic pains and other symptoms caused by COPD.

Massage

There's no doubt that massages are relaxing and feel wonderful, but research shows that it's an effective treatment for muscle and joint pain, too.

Massage therapy is great for COPD because it helps relax sore muscles, limber up stiff joints, and reduce chronic pain. It can also help improve your range of motion, which makes it easier to exercise and do other everyday activities.

If you suffer from chronic pain in your muscles and joints, consider getting a massage once or twice a month. Depending on your insurance provider, your policy might even cover some of the expense. Just make sure to tell your massage therapist about any and all of your health conditions so that you can have a safe and pleasant experience.

Better Posture

Poor sitting, standing and sleeping posture can lead to a variety of chronic aches and pains. If you have COPD, it's especially important to practice a healthy, straight posture to keep your spine, muscles, bones, and joints healthy.

Bad posture leads to muscle and tendon strain that can severely limit your mobility and physical endurance. Since people with COPD are especially prone to sedentary living and exercise avoidance, they are also more prone to bad posture and the negative consequences that come with it. These negative effects include muscle wasting, stiffness, chronic pain, and permanent changes to the shape and curvature of the spine.

To practice good posture, you should always keep your back straight, your chin up, and your shoulders parallel with your hips. This will prevent you from leaning, slouching, and hunching, which put enormous strain on your spine, shoulders, and neck.

To learn more about how posture affects your COPD, visit our previous article here. It will show you in more detail what good posture looks like and give you a variety of tips and advice for building better postural habits.

Targeted Treatments for Pains Caused by COPD

Now that you've read some general tips for reducing chronic pains and keeping your body strong, we're going to introduce you to some targeted treatments and techniques for treating specific aches and pains. We'll show you techniques for relieving a variety of common COPD pains, including chest pain, joint aches, and muscle cramps.

Breathing Exercises

One of the best ways to prevent COPD-related chest pain is to strengthen the muscles in your chest and improve your breathing efficiency. Exercise is the most effective way to do this, but breathing exercises can help, too.

There are a variety of breathing exercises designed to help people with COPD and other respiratory illnesses breathe easier and more efficiently. Some of the most common are pursed lips breathing and diaphragmic breathing, which you can read about in more detail here.

Practicing these breathing exercises every day can help you change how you breathe on a daily basis and help you better control other respiratory symptoms like breathlessness and wheezing. Both techniques also reduce the amount of strain that breathing puts on your chest muscles, reducing chest pain and making it easier to breathe

Mucus Clearance Techniques

A chronic cough is a major source of chest pain for people with COPD. If you find yourself sore because of a chronic cough, especially if your cough usually brings up mucus, there are a variety of mucus clearance techniques that can help.

Although it may seem counter-intuitive at first, taking the time to cough intentionally can actually prevent more painful, more exhausting coughing fits later. Controlled coughing and huffing techniques clear the same mucus out of your lungs that is often the culprit behind a chronic cough. This allows you to breathe better and exercise better without worrying about excess phlegm triggering another coughing fit.

Common mucus clearance techniques include huff coughing, chest physiotherapy, and the active cycle of breathing technique. You can also use medical devices like positive expiratory pressure (PEP) devices, high-frequency chest wall oscillation, and lung flutes.

To learn about these and other ways to reduce mucus in your lungs and airways, visit our article on mucus clearance techniques here.

Heat Therapy

Heat therapy is a favorite home remedy used to treat a variety of aches and pains. It's one of the most simple ways to reduce bone and joint pain, and it works on stiff and sore muscles, too.

Heat therapy works by increasing blood flow to the affected bone or joint, which allows the body to transport extra oxygen and nutrients to the area. This can help the injury heal faster and also provides a soothing, warming sensation that temporarily reduces pain.

To apply this treatment, you'll first need a convenient, portable source of heat, such as a hot water bottle. Then, wrap your heat source in a towel to protect your skin from the extreme temperature. Next, press the hot pack on to the affected muscle, bone, or joint for up to thirty minutes at a time. With any luck, you should experience pain relief after only fifteen or twenty minutes.

What makes heat therapy so great is that it is simple, convenient, and has an immediate soothing effect. And if you don't have a heat pack at home, you can easily make one with items around the house.

Here are some ideas for heat sources you can use to relieve pain in your muscles, bones, and joints:

• Electric heating pad
• Hot water bottle
• Single-use heat packs (e.g. Hot Hands packets)
• A hot shower or bath
• Fill a sock or other fabric pouch with rice, then microwave for a couple minutes until hot.

Increase Calcium and Vitamin D in Your Diet

A major contributor to osteoporosis is a lack of calcium in your diet. It can also be caused by too little Vitamin D, which your body requires in order to absorb and utilize the calcium your eat.

While extra calcium is not a cure for osteoporosis, it can help prevent osteoporosis and reduce bone density loss. If you have COPD, you are at a very high risk for osteoporosis and you should be especially careful to get the recommended amount of calcium in your diet, which is usually about 500-1000 mg.

Here are some good sources of calcium you can add to your diet to protect against osteoporosis:

• Dairy (e.g. milk, cheese, and yogurt)
• Collard greens
• Kale
• Salmon
• Sardines
• Foods fortified with calcium (e.g. tofu, orange juice, cereal, and almond, rice, or soy milk)

Here ar

If you are new to the world of oxygen equipment this article is a great place to start. If you are an experienced oxygen user but have been thinking about changing your oxygen device, this is also a great article for you!

Oxygen therapy has been used to treat respiratory illnesses such as pneumonia as early as 1885. Fast forward to 1970, industrial gas suppliers were delivering oxygen tanks and cylinders to oxygen users, and later in the 1970’s, home oxygen concentrators were developed. Concentrators were designed to pull air from the surrounding areas so the oxygen user did not have to re-fill their tanks, so while this was a step in the right direction, both of these methods of oxygen therapy posed an important issue: lack of mobility.

It was only in 2013 when a more portable and efficient form of oxygen therapy was developed and readily available, called portable oxygen concentrators. These devices have the mobility of oxygen canisters, but never need to be refilled similar to a home oxygen concentrator.

Many oxygen users have the option: They can choose between a traditional oxygen tanks or a modern portable oxygen concentrator (POC). If they decide to go with a POC, subsequent decisions about which brand, make, and model they want to go with must be made. Which is where LPT medical comes in.

LPT Medical became one of the most reputable oxygen supply companies in Boca Raton, FL, Denver, CO, and now nationwide because we carry the most efficient and affordable oxygen equipment on the market.

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Since 2013, there have been model after model, and new manufacturers popping up, selling portable oxygen devices, so the market has become saturated with "top of the line" equipment, making it difficult and overwhelming for the everyday oxygen patient to find the right device for their needs. Shopping for a portable oxygen concentrator is not for the faint of heart, it is a tedious task and something that takes up a lot of time and research.

This article is square one. We will tell you what factors to look for while shopping for a portable oxygen concentrator; things like battery life, weight, and flow settings are 3 of the most important factors to understand, and beyond that you should also take into consideration the sound level, if it is CPAP and biPAP compatible, if there is a warranty, and how you will afford a new or used POC.

The 3 most important factors to look out for when shopping for a POC

Battery Life

Battery life is probably one of the most important factors you should consider while shopping for a POC, after all, this is one of the main components that will influence oxygen users to ultimately decide on switching from traditional forms of oxygen therapy like an oxygen tank or canister.

Having an oxygen device that runs off of batteries and never runs out of oxygen is the ultimate freedom! Freedom from dealing with oxygen re-supply companies every week, and freedom from the fear of running out of oxygen should you leave the house with a small canister of oxygen for over a few hours.

So the next step is choosing an oxygen device with battery life that will fit into your daily schedule. For instance, if you work from home, or if you spend a lot of time at home, there is no reason for you to spend extra money on a double battery when you have the option to get a device with a single battery. On the other hand, if you like to travel, have a high oxygen output prescription, or enjoy exercising, opting for a double battery device is going to be worth the extra money spent.

These are the kind of questions our respiratory specialist in Denver, Colorado and our other respiratory specialist in Boca Raton, Florida will ask you over the phone in order to help us determine which POC they should recommend for, not only your oxygen prescription but also your lifestyle.

Depending on the brand, make, and model of your portable oxygen concentrator, the batteries will drain energy differently. For example: A reliable model like the Inogen One G4 Portable Concentrator offers two different battery types, 8 cell and 16 cell also known as a single or a double battery, to meet your different oxygen supply requirements.

One thing you should keep in mind, is that the life of your POC all depends on your oxygen prescription, so how much oxygen you need per minute and therefore the setting your POC is set to. For example, if you need a high oxygen output, and your POC is set to level 4 out of 6, the battery will drain faster than if it were set to level 2 out of 6.

Pulse dose concentrators deliver oxygen only when you inhale, and so they stop when you exhale. This pause during your exhale is essentially a break for you POC, and the reduced demand for power saves energy from the battery as compared to a continuous flow mode concentrator. Continuous flow oxygen concentrators is exactly what it sounds like; they offer a constant flow of oxygen regardless of when you inhale or exhale. Because the oxygen device never gets a “break” and it is continually flowing, this type of POC will require more battery power, and they are notably heavier devices.

This brings us into the next section about the flow settings of you POC

Flow settings: continuous and pulse dose

Flow setting is the most obvious factor that will go into your decision while shopping for a POC. But it is also the easiest to narrow down, and not totally in your control.

Your pulmonary physician or you doctor will prescribe you a dosage of oxygen per minute and this is required to buy a portable oxygen concentrators from a licensed distributor. It is then the oxygen supply company’s job to adhere to the prescription and ensure you will be capable of fulfilling your prescription using the POC we recommend to you. Therefore the “flow settings” is not something you get to decide on, but it is something you should know and be fully aware of, because it can change.

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COPD is a progressive disease, meaning it gets worse over time. So, if you ever feel short of breath or notice that your COPD symptoms are worsening and you are taking you oxygen therapy as it is prescribed, you should go and see you doctor and see if you need to change your oxygen prescription.

There are POCs that allow you to switch from pulse flow settings to continuously flow settings, like the Respironics SimplyGo. The SimplyGo is the very lightest continuous flow POC on the market, and its battery can actually outlast a lot of other reputable machines out there. This is because it can operate while using one or two batteries. One battery will be perfect for things like exercising, running quick errands, and doing things around your home, while using two batteries is ideal for traveling, road trips, and extended trips away from your home!

Weight

How much a device weighs is the other important factor that you should consider when purchasing a portable oxygen concentrator. Most of the time, people are looking for the most lightweight design, and in this case we suggest looking at the Caire Freestyle Comfort (5 pounds), or the Inogen One G5 (4.7 pounds), or the Respironics SimplyGo Mini Portable Oxygen Concentrator (5 pounds). And while the Inogen One G4 (2.8 pounds) is even lighter, the One G5 and Freestyle Comfort are powerful enough to accommodate mostly every oxygen patient with pulse dose oxygen needs, whereas the One G4 covers a few oxygen patients with a specific oxygen prescription.

And while there are devices that are powerful and lightweight, some people’s oxygen needs a greater than what these particular machines are capable of.

If this is you, you should not shy away from the “heavier” POCs because even though they are not extremely lightweight, they are designed to be portable and easy to maneuver, unlike the restrictive nature of even the lightest weight oxygen tank. For instance, the SeQual Eclipse 5 Portable Oxygen Concentrator is 18.4 pounds.

This is a continuous flow POC, and the SeQual Eclipse 5 is one of the most, if not the most, popular continuous flow portable oxygen concentrators on the market. It has a notable long-standing track record for being durable and reliable because it was designed and approved by the U.S. Military.

So even though the Eclipse is heavier than the pulse flow concentrators, standing 19.3” H x 12.3” W x 7.1” L, the SeQual Eclipse 5 is still easy to travel with, easily fitting underneath the seat in front of you! It comes with a wheeled travel cart that makes pulling your concentrator behind you seem effortless.

The travel cart is equipped with oversized wheels, an elevated platform, and a telescopic handle. The oversized wheels and elevated platform make going up curbs and stairs a breeze. They also help protect your concentrator from water when you have to go over puddles or if you live in Denver, Colorado and you have to worry about walking through snow in October through May.

The Respironics SimplyGo is the lightest continuous flow POC on the market, and it only weighs 10 pounds. This device comes with a carrying cart, or a strap to carry it over your shoulder, but 10 pounds tend to be too heavy to carry in that way. Most folks would opt for the cart to pull behind them.

Other factors

Sound level

The noise you POC makes is a personal preference, and something you should consider if noise tends to bother you. Newer models and pulse flow devices tend to be quieter because of the more modern technology available and the pulse flow machines do not need to be as powerful as a continuous flow device.

Some devices make noises similar to a fan or running water, it is a constant noise that some people would consider “white noise” and can even be relaxing, and can notably reduce anxiety. There are times where customers reach out to us and let us know that their device is making an obvious clicking noise from time to time. Most people will reach out because they are worried their POC is broken, but it is actually perfectly normal. And because the clicking noise is not constant most people do not pay any mind to this once they know it is not an issue with their POC.

Some devices are quieter than others, so if noise is a component of your priorities that you want to take into account when shopping for a POC, be sure to let your respiratory specialist know this when you speak with them over the phone at 1-(800)-946-1201. They will have a list of recommendations that they will be able to narrow down knowing how much you value silence or vise versa.

CPAP and BiPAP compatibility

Every device that we sell is CPAP and BiPAP compatible. However whether or not you should use your POC at night should be discussed in depth with your doctor and it will be a part of your oxygen prescription. So depending on the hours per day you need oxygen, and the flow setting at which it needs to be administered throughout the day and night, will greatly influence which device we end up selling you.

If you have sleep apnea and you need a CPAP or BiPAP device while you sleep, you may also need oxygen as well. This is important for us to know beforehand, because if you are intending on using your POC while you sleep, then we must be sure that it has the capabilities of administering the oxygen you need while you sleep and not just the oxygen you need during the day.

Sleeping with oxygen can be challenging to get used, both at night and even resting throughout the day. We wrote a blog post recently about the challenges of sleeping while using oxygen and how you can overcome them and get back to a regular sleep schedule.

Click here to read The Complete Guide to Sleeping With Supplemental Oxygen

Warranty

If you are buying something new, it is always smart to go with the company that will give you a warranty. Warranty will cover expenses associated with the device should anything malfunction. At LPT Medical, we cover every new device that we sell for 3 years, and we even warranty our used machines on a case by case basis.

Affording a new or used POC

Many people will shy away from shopping for portable oxygen concentrators because they will see on google that the prices can range from $1,000 to $3,000, so without contacting anyone about these prices, they dismiss the idea of ever owning their own POC. The simple truth is that our devices never cost as much as they are being advertised online, but we are obligated to post certain prices online that align with our manufacturer’s policies. In order to speak with a respiratory specialist about the real prices for the POC you're interested in, just call us at 1-(800)-946-1201.

So not only are you not able to see the promotional deals online, but we offer a lot of alternatives would allow you to have your own POC without breaking the bank. We are able to offer you a payment plan in order t pay for your POC, we will set this up together so you do not have to pay a large sum up front. You also have the option to buy a used and refurbished unit that will be a lot less expensive than a brand new unit.

Still on the fence?

It is understandable to be unsure about whether a POC is the best option for you. The bottom line is that even if you like to stay at home most of the day or be active as much as possible, modern oxygen therapy technology will offer benefits in many facets of your life, and this is something you should seriously consider.

Technology is constantly updating with expectations to make people’s lives easier. So if you have a serious pulmonary disease, having the most modern oxygen therapy equipment is the one of the best ways to treat your disease, and the easier you can do that, the better.

The most important aspect of oxygen therapy you do not want to have to worry about, is running low on oxygen. With a POC you will never have to worry about that, because the device extracts the surrounding air and compresses it into medical grade oxygen.

POCs nowadays are designed to be portable, no matter your flow setting. Even if you need a larger device in order to provide the oxygen you need, they are easy to maneuver. Every year, our manufactures are working on new designs, with the intentions of making the most portable lightweight oxygen device that is powerful enough to meet any oxygen users' needs. Which is one of the reasons we offer a buyback program. You are able to sell your device back to us if you become interested in a different unit in the future.

We work with every customer on a case by case basis, so if you are unsure about whether or not you want to buy a portable oxygen concentrator the best way to make the decision is to reach out to us so we can help determine if a POC is right for you and your lifestyle, and how we can work with you to afford it.

Please leave a comment or email us at info@LPTmedical.com and we will gladly connect you with someone to answer any and all of your questions.

COPD is an umbrella term for a group of lung diseases, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. Emphysema and chronic bronchitis are the most common conditions that contribute to COPD. Despite how wide spread the disease is and the invasive nature of its effects on people, little is known about a cure. That being said, there are many treatments that work to fight off symptoms so you can lead an active and health lifestyle.

In this article we will convey what COPD is and how if effects people, and why there is no cure. We will also discuss, that while there is no cure, how oxygen therapy has been proven to give people with COPD longer

Living with COPD is progressive, and the damage to the lungs from COPD cannot be reversed or cured, only slowed down. COPD patients experience symptoms which include shortness of breath, wheezing, or a chronic cough.  If you experience any of these symptoms regularly you should see you doctor and asked to be tested for COPD. 

Testing and treatment 

Your doctor will most likely preform spirometry test, because it is the most effective and common method for diagnosing COPD. It’s also known as a pulmonary function test. It is an easy, painless test measures lung function and capacity, so they is no reason to avoid the test. Knowing you have COPD can be a life changing diagnosis, in a good way! 

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Once you have been diagnosis, your doctor will work with you to set up a treatment plan, that is right for your lifestyle, and fits your oxygen needs. This includes the types of medications you needs both daily and in the case of an emergency. oxygen therapy if you qualify for it, along with other lifestyle changes. 

Medication like rescue inhalers and inhaled or oral steroids can help control symptoms and minimize further damage. Oxygen therapy is utilized when COPD patients have hypoxia, meaning they have low blood oxygen saturation levels. Some people need oxygen at different rates, and COPD patients also need oxygen at different times, either during the day, night, during exercise, or 24/7.

COPD causes

The main cause of COPD in the United States is tobacco smoking but there are other factors that would contribute to a person developing COPD, for example, people with asthma will often develop COPD, people who are exposed to pollutants and certain chemicals for long periods of time, and genetics.

Today, it is estimated that chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) affects more than 600 million people worldwide. Furthermore, COPD is predicted to become the third leading cause of death by 2020. It should be clear that COPD is a global problem, and one that affects many of us or someone we know. Although there are many forms of treatment available for COPD, with the high prevalence of COPD around the world, the first question for those who suffer from COPD is typically, “why is there a cure?”.

Here is the science

A cure is typically defined as a substance or procedure that ends a medical condition such as a medication, a surgical operation, a change in lifestyle, or even a philosophical mindset, all of which can be defined as a cure. So a “cure” isa treatment's ability to end a medical health condition, and while there are “treatments for COPD, they do not end the condition.

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For example, a notable cure could be antibiotics used to treat a bacterial infection or a heart transplant to cure heart failure. However, in the case of COPD where lung tissues are beginning to break down within the lungs (emphysema), a way to stop this degeneration and fix the damage has yet to be found.

We hear a lot about how COPD is connected to smoking and lung irritants, however the development of COPD isn’t always a result of smoking and can sometimes even be genetic.

Even though that may be the case, your body will often respond to smoke and other irritants in the air with an inflammatory response and the lungs will subsequently develop COPD. COPD can be a result of inflammation because as your body’s immune system goes to work this means white blood cells rush into the area of your lungs where there is irritation, this leads to the destruction of the connective tissue in your lungs. A process known as emphysema.

Emphysema obstructs airflow and causes poor oxygen absorption and release of respiratory gasses, so your body is no longer able to exchange gases like it once had. If you continue to smoke, airways in your lungs continue to be inflamed, they begin to narrow and exhibit scarring. Soon, you will be incapable of breathing out fully.

All of this information about COPD can seem overwhelming, but we are here to help you get over the hopelessness feeling and begin on the path to living a longer higher-quality life.

No cure does not mean you should give up 

The first thing you should do, is find a treatment that addresses your disease head-on, this can be done by communicating with your doctor because every case of COPD is different. Therefore, your treatment might look differently than someone else you know with COPD, or people's stories you read online

Your doctor will likely tell you to change your diet and consistently exercise because these are among the best lifestyle changes one can do aside from quitting smoking.

However, if you’re COPD already deters you from exercising and your oxygen levels are already so low that you cannot even consider walking around anymore than you already do, it is time to deal with COPD directly, and it may be time to move on to the second step, and consider oxygen therapy.

Supplemental Oxygen Therapy

When dealing with a disease like COPD, the challenges and obstacles are seemingly endless. Your oxygen supply should be the simplest and most reliable aspect of your day. This means that if you feel stationary or lack enthusiasm in aspects of your life you once enjoyed, you are probably not using the best form of oxygen therapy for your lifestyle.  

There are multiple options when it comes to choosing an oxygen device, for instance, you can rely on a liquid oxygen tank or a compressed oxygen canister, or a portable oxygen concentrator.  

The most modern and affordable option is an oxygen concentrator, and it is also the simplest and most reliable option. In order to find the right oxygen device for your lifestyle, there are a few things you cannot skimp out on! 

For example: 

If you enjoy long walks outdoors, you needs a portable oxygen concentrator that has long lasting battery life, like that Inogen One G5. This device, only weighs 4.7 pounds and it can last up to 13 hours on a pulse flow setting 2. So  not only will you be able to walk around without having to worry about running out of oxygen, you will also have the physical capability to bring it with you anywhere you go because it is so light weight and easily portable. 

So, this is one simple example of matching your oxygen device to you everyday activities along with your oxygen requirements. 

So before you decided on any oxygen device, it is important to speak with someone who can match you with the best device, like a cupid but for oxygen! Because there are so many options when it comes to choosing a portable oxygen concentrator, it can be hard to even narrow it down to a few options. 

You can start by filling out the blue box to the right of your screen, from there, you can call 1-800-946-1201, so that you can convey you desires to a respiratory specialist who will be capable of matching you with the right breathing device.  

One of the best ways to deal with COPD is addressing all of your wants and needs before you purchase an oxygen device to ensure your daily life is filled with the things you still love to do rather than worrying about your oxygen supply.

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Oxygen therapy is not a cure for COPD, but it one of the only known treatments that has been proven to extend the life expectancy in people with hypoxia (low blood-saturation levels). One of the best ways to deal with COPD is finding a way to live your life to the fullest, just because there is no cure does not mean you don't have life left to live!

In a study directed by the Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, research found that when people with COPD who receive long-term oxygen therapy without meeting prescription criteria  had reduced survival. This means that you must be prescribed oxygen by your doctor, and you should never administer oxygen to yourself without the proper medical equipment and prescription.

You should also be sure to buy your oxygen concentrator from a licensed distributer. LPT Medical is one of the most trusted names in the world of oxygen therapy products offering home oxygen concentrators, portable oxygen concentrators, CPAP and BiPAP machines, and all the accessories you need to make the most of them.