Whether you have chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), asthma, cystic fibrosis, or any other type of respiratory ailment, your doctor may prescribe you with a device called a nebulizer. Nebulizers are one of many different types of inhaled therapy devices and can provide you with considerable relief from respiratory symptoms such as shortness of breath, coughing, and wheezing.

While nebulizers are an effective treatment option, they aren’t for everyone. A nebulizer should only be used if and when your doctor prescribes it and should only be used for its intended purposes. Since nebulizers use medication, incorrect usage of the device could pose a serious risk to your health, especially if you’re using it too frequently.

In the following sections, we’re going to provide you with all the information you need to get started with nebulizer therapy like how to use a nebulizer, how to clean it, and other things you should consider before getting started. If you have any questions, feel free to leave them in the comment section or speak with your doctor.

How Do Nebulizers Work?

A nebulizer is a form of inhalation therapy, meaning you’re inhaling medication instead of taking it orally or intravenously. For someone with a respiratory condition, inhalation therapy is considerably more effective than the alternatives because the medication reaches the affected area almost instantaneously. This is especially important for someone experiencing a COPD exacerbation or asthma attack because expedited treatment could have life-saving results.

When you use a nebulizer, liquid medication is transformed into a fine mist called aerosol. The aerosol lingers in the mouthpiece or face mask so you can simply breathe normally to receive the treatment. If someone has severe COPD or asthma, other inhaled therapy like metered-dose inhalers (MDIs) may be ineffective because they require a deep and coordinated inhalation for the medication to reach the lungs. With a nebulizer, however, even shallow breathing will help.

In aerosol therapy, there’s something called the Bernoulli Principle. This principle says that when a pressurized flow of air is directed through a small outlet, its velocity increases creating a jet stream. When this jet stream is created, it makes a sub-atmospheric pressure zone, also known as a vacuum. This vacuum is used to pull the medicine up a capillary tube and into the jet stream which then creates the aerosol that you inhale. This is the same principle that’s used to create jet engines.

Components of a Nebulizer

Unlike inhalers, nebulizers are electronic devices, so they’ll need a source of power in order to operate. Home nebulizers will have a power cord that you can plug into the wall outlet and portable nebulizers will have either replaceable or rechargeable batteries for you to use. While home nebulizers are still rather small and can be transported easily, you may need a portable one if you want to perform inhalation therapy on the go. 

Another component of a nebulizer is the mask or mouthpiece which may be a part of the nebulizer device or attached to it via a tube. You will also have a medication cup and measuring device that’s used to administer the correct dosage of medicine and a filter will be attached that removes contaminants from the air before it’s put through the device. These filters should be replaced every once in a while to ensure the compressor stays clean and that you are inhaling fresh, clean air.   

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Types of Nebulizers

Nebulizers are generally divided into two different categories: jet nebulizers and ultrasonic nebulizers. Each of these units comes with their own pros and cons and each can be purchased in either a home (tabletop) or portable version. While each type of nebulizer is effective, you’ll want to speak with your doctor to decide which one will be best for you. Let’s take a look at each one to see how they work.

Jet Nebulizers

Also known as an atomizer or compressor nebulizer, these are the most common type and are considered the “traditional” nebulizers because they’ve been in use longer. This device uses compressed air at a high velocity in order to turn medicine into an aerosol. While jet nebulizers can be noisy, they’re often used in hospitals for patients with serious cases of respiratory disease.

Pros:

• Wide range of particle sizes
• No restrictions on medication
• Durable and reliable
• Tabletop or portable options available
• Low operational cost

Cons:

• Tend to be very loud
• Tabletop versions are bulky and difficult to move

Ultrasonic Nebulizers

Ultrasonic nebulizers use high-frequency sound waves to turn liquid medicine into an aerosol. In order to create the sound waves, they use a vibrating metal plate at ultrasonic frequencies. Because these sounds are undetectable by the human ear, ultrasonic nebulizers are much quieter and also tend to be easier to move around.

Another technology contributing to the development of ultrasonic nebulizers is called the Vibrating Mesh Technology (VMT). These types of nebulizers have thousands of laser-drilled holes that vibrate in order to produce the mist, which is much more efficient than other ultrasonic nebulizers, however, it tends to produce more heat and liquid waste.

Pros:

• Most technologically advanced nebulizers
• Much quieter than jet nebulizers
• Light and compact

Cons:

• More expensive than other nebulizers

What Medication Do Nebulizers Administer?

Nebulizer medications are divided into two different categories: long-term control medications and quick relief. Long-term medications are used to treat the symptoms of asthma, COPD, and other respiratory ailments, while quick-relief medications are used for emergencies like an asthma attack or COPD exacerbation. Not everyone with a chronic lung condition will be prescribed inhaled medication, but if you are, your doctor may decide that a metered-dose or dry powder inhaler will work better for you.

Depending on the severity of your disease, your age, and the type of condition that you have, your doctor will determine the amount of medication that’s needed. You may also be instructed to mix two different types of medication or to only use it in certain situations. Ensure you follow his/her instructions exactly in order to experience the most relief from your symptoms. Below are just a few of the medications you may be prescribed for nebulizer therapy.

Ipratropium Bromide

This is a type of bronchodilator that can help alleviate acute respiratory symptoms by preventing muscle constriction in the airways. According to the National Institutes of Health (NIH), severe asthma attacks can often be treated with ipratropium in combination with other short-acting drugs like levalbuterol and albuterol, but your doctor may be able to provide you with a premixed combination of these drugs. Potential negative side-effects of ipratropium include an upset stomach, dizziness, and dry mouth. 

Cromolyn Sodium

While not as effective as budesonide, cromolyn sodium has some use as a long-term asthma control medication. Cromolyn sodium is used to prevent the chemical release and activation of inflammatory cells in the airways and lungs. This drug is also commonly used to treat seasonal allergies because it stabilizes mast cells, the cells that release histamine and other inflammatory chemicals. Potential side-effects of this drug include throat irritation and coughing.

Albuterol and Levalbuterol

Both levalbuterol (Xopenex) and albuterol (AccuNeb) are used as a quick-relief drug for asthma. They are labeled as such because they are bronchodilators meaning they open the airways making it easier to breathe during an asthma attack of COPD exacerbation. While there are a number of potential side effects to combining these two drugs, the benefits may outweigh them. Be sure to follow your doctor’s instructions carefully.  

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Budesonide

Budesonide (pulmicort respules) is an inhaled steroid that reduces the number of inflammation-inducing cells in the lungs. It is the only corticosteroid administered through inhalation therapy and has proven extremely useful in reducing asthma symptoms. According to the 2015 Global Initiative for Asthma (GINA) guidelines, budesonide is one of the most effective drugs for long-term asthma control. Potential side-effects of budesonide include oral thrush, a yeast infection in the mouth, and a hoarse throat.  

Acetylcysteine

Mucus is a substance secreted by mucous membranes. It plays an important role in the body by trapping particles like airborne allergens and viruses and keeps them from entering the lungs. Unfortunately, many respiratory diseases lead to an overproduction of mucus which can have negative effects like airway obstruction. Acetylcysteine is a drug that breaks up mucus and makes it less viscous allowing it to be cleared more easily.  

Diseases Treated With Nebulizers

While browsing the web or watching television, you may have noticed that nebulizers are usually advertised towards kids with asthma. While they’re certainly most commonly used by children, many adults and seniors use them as well. What’s more, nebulizers can be used to treat many different respiratory conditions, not just asthma. Children may benefit from nebulizers if they don’t know how to use an inhaler and those with severe lung disease may not be physically capable of inhaling deeply enough to make inhalers an effective option.

Asthma

Asthma is a lifelong lung condition that leads to inflamed and narrowed airways. Symptoms can range from mild to severe and happen frequently or in rare instances. Medication administered through inhalation therapy can help to reduce this inflammation, open up the airways, and help the patient breathe more easily and cough less.   

Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD)

COPD is an umbrella term that includes both chronic bronchitis and emphysema. Chronic bronchitis is similar to asthma in that it’s characterized by inflamed airways, more specifically in the bronchial tubes that lead to the lungs. However, bronchitis is caused by environmental factors like pollution, cigarette smoke, or a virus, whereas asthma is an increased responsiveness of the airways to irritants. This is a subtle difference, but it could mean having an entirely different treatment plan. 

Emphysema, on the other hand, results in inflammation of the alveoli or tiny air sacs that are responsible for the exchange of oxygen and carbon dioxide in the lungs. Emphysema results in coughing, wheezing, increased mucus production, and an increased risk for acute respiratory illness, all of which can be treated with nebulizer therapy.

Cystic Fibrosis

This is a lung disease that causes mucus to be thicker and more viscous than normal. According to Medical News Today, 75 percent of cystic fibrosis cases are diagnosed before the age of 2 making it a significant concern among children. Acetylcysteine is one drug that will help to thin the mucus and make it easier for someone with CF to breathe.

Pneumonia

Nebulizers aren’t just effective in treating chronic lung conditions, they can be helpful for acute illnesses like pneumonia as well. In this disease, the tiny air sacs in the lungs fill with fluid resulting in an infection, chills, and difficulty breathing. In bacterial pneumonia, your doctor may prescribe you antibiotics that can be used through your nebulizer.

How To Properly Use a Nebulizer

The good thing about nebulizers is that they’re very easy to use. While all nebulizers will work slightly differently, they all have the same components and if you have any questions you can easily just consult the user’s manual or speak with your doctor.

1. Clean your hands thoroughly — dirt or dust can damage the nebulizer.
2. Attach the hose to either an air compressor or an oxygen supply
3. Adjust the mouthpiece or mask on your face so that it fits snuggly
4. Breathe normally through your mouth until all the medication has been administered. Usually, this takes around 10 to 15 minutes.
5. Once you’re done, turn off the device, wash the mouthpiece and medicine cup, then leave it to dry.
   
   

How To Clean a Nebulizer

It’s very important that you take the time to clean your nebulizer regularly. If the components aren’t cleaned thoroughly or often enough you may spread bacteria which can lead to sickness. If you have COPD, getting sick could mean experiencing more frequent and severe exacerbations. 

1. Always use your nebulizer in a dust-free and smoke-free area
2. Wash the hose and face mask or mouthpiece after each use and leave it to air dry.
3. Remove the medication cup and rinse it thoroughly
4. After several uses, take a bowl and put in it one part vinegar and three parts water. Soak the mouthpiece in it for 20 minutes then rinse and dry.
5. When storing your nebulizer, always keep it in a bag, case, or covered in a towel to keep it clean.
6. Keep extra filters on hand and check it at least once a month.
   
   

Nebulizers vs Inhalers

The most immediate and obvious difference you’ll notice between an inhaler and a nebulizer is that nebulizers are much bulkier. Even the portable nebulizers are bigger and heavier than inhalers because they have the electrical components, battery, and compressor, whereas inhalers are just the medicine container and a plastic cover to protect it. Some inhalers have something called a spacer that’s attached to the mouthpiece. This makes it a little easier for children or people with impaired lung capacity to inhale the medicine deeply and allow it to enter the lower lungs.

Nebulizer Therapy vs Oxygen Therapy

It’s important to understand the difference between nebulizer therapy and oxygen therapy. Whereas nebulizer therapy is used to administer medication to the lungs, oxygen therapy simply delivers pure oxygen to the lungs. Oxygen therapy is prescribed to patients who have impaired lung function and aren’t able to take in enough air or process oxygen as efficiently as a healthy person’s lungs. If you’re undergoing nebulizer (inhaled) therapy, you won’t necessarily be prescribed medical oxygen and vice versa.

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Oxygen-Driven vs Air-Driven Nebulization

Normally, your nebulizer will be attached to an air compressor. However, depending on the doctor’s specifications, you may need to use a compressed oxygen tank instead. This is usually only beneficial if the patient is already oxygen dependent. For example, they may carry around an oxygen tank or oxygen concentrator to ensure their blood oxygen levels remain normal.. In these instances, doctors typically titrate the oxygen amount, meaning they adjust the amount of oxygen that’s administered through the nebulizer for the best results. However, too much oxygen could be dangerous.

According to a study published by BMC Pulmonary Medicine, high administration of oxygen may lead to hypercapnia (carbon dioxide retention) or increased mortality in patients experiencing an acute COPD exacerbation. Supplemental oxygen is usually adjusted to achieve an oxygen saturation of 88 to 92 percent. 

Conclusion

Hopefully, this guide provided you with some helpful information that you can use to get started with nebulizer therapy. While nebulizers are extremely effective at administering medication for asthma, COPD, and other respiratory patients, it’s important that you also keep up with every other aspect of your treatment plan. 

While respiratory disease is one of the most common afflictions on the planet, each case is unique. Be sure to maintain open lines of communication with your doctor and that you understand exactly when and how you should use your nebulizer in order to have the best results.   

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

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

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

Positivity Promotes Productivity

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

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

Positivity Results in Better Decision Making

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

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

Positivity Prevents Anxiety and Depression

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

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

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

Positivity Improves Systemic Health

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

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

Positivity Leads to More Social Support

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

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

Positivity Helps You Stay in Control

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

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

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

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

How to Increase Positivity in Your Life

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

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

Conclusion

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

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

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

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

It’s been just over two months since we first heard reports of the coronavirus (COVID-19) entering the United States. During this time, we’ve learned an astonishing amount of information about where the virus came from, what it does to the body, and most importantly, how to protect ourselves and our loved ones.

While there’s still no cure in sight and it will likely be some time before medical specialists fully understand COVID-19, we have been given five clear and strict rules by the World Health Organization (WHO) that each and every person should follow. 

• Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds
• Avoid touching your face
• Stay home when possible, especially if you’re sick
• Cover your cough with your shoulder or a kleenex
• Practice social distancing

Unfortunately, the above list does not take into account age, medical conditions, or susceptibility; these are simply guidelines that everyone should follow in order to slow the spread of the coronavirus. So, if you’re someone who’s suffering from a chronic illness that makes you more vulnerable to the effects of the virus, you’ll need to take extra precautions.

In this post, we’ll take a look at seven facts you should know about the coronavirus if you or a loved one is coping with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). COPD is an illness that affects around 15.7 million Americans, so it’s imperative that these people are fully aware of how the COVID-19 pandemic affects them. If you have any questions, be sure to leave them in the comment sections or fill out the contact form so we can reach out to you.

What is the Coronavirus?

SARS-CoV-2 is a type of coronavirus that causes coronavirus disease 2019, also called COVID-19 for short. This new type of coronavirus was first discovered in Wuhan, China, a large city in the province of Hubei last December. Since then, it has gone on to infect more than 1,000,000 people worldwide and is responsible for over 70,000 deaths. Since COVID-19 has spread across the whole world at this point, it has earned the title “pandemic.”

In the past, coronaviruses have only been known to infect animals. However, a few have been known to pass onto humans and these are referred to as “alpha” and “beta” coronaviruses. The term “SARS” in SARS-CoV-2 stands for “severe respiratory distress syndrome” which is the primary symptom of most coronaviruses.

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It’s a “Novel” Disease

One of the most important things to know about COVID-19 is that it is considered “novel.” What this means is that it’s a new type of coronavirus that has never been seen before. In other words, we don’t have the decades of experience dealing with it like we do with influenza and other common diseases.

Another problem with it being a new disease is that we don’t have an immunity built up for it. Your body has two types of immunity that it uses to protect your body from harm; these include natural or “innate” immunity and “adaptive” immunity. Innate immunity is something that you’re born with. An example of this is mucus, a sticky substance that lines your sinuses, throat, and lungs which protects your body from infection.

Adaptive immunity, on the other hand, is immunity that your body develops over the course of your life. At a young age, you’re very vulnerable to infections like strep throat and ear infections, but as you age, your body develops a natural immunity to these things. Unfortunately, since COVID-19 is new to everyone, nobody has had the chance to build up an immunity to it. 

Typically, when there is an outbreak of any type of disease in a particular region, there is enough scientific data from previous outbreaks in order to direct resources and efforts effectively. However, in the case of a new type of disease like COVID-19, it becomes very difficult for medical professionals to make decisions about where and when to divert their resources. We can see this in the United States through the shortage of ventilators and medical face masks which could help to prevent the spread of the virus.

Lastly, the fact that COVID-19 is a new virus means that it’s difficult to accurately depict its severity. While we now know that there are over 370,000 cases and over 12,000 deaths in the United States, back in January when it first entered the country, it would have been impossible to predict just how bad it would get. With that being said, it’s difficult for us to predict how much damage COVID-19 will cause in the near and distant future, so it’s best to be prepared for the worst.

COPD Patients are at a Higher Risk

Since COVID-19 is a respiratory illness, it goes without saying that people who already suffer from a chronic respiratory disease will experience more severe symptoms. Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is primarily caused by smoking and it’s characterized by symptoms such as shortness of breath, chest pain, coughing, and wheezing. Millions of Americans already have COPD but experts estimate that as many as 81% of cases worldwide may be undiagnosed.

One of the primary ways COPD affects a patient’s ability to cope with the novel coronavirus is through lung inflammation and a weakened immune system. Most COPD patients develop a condition called immune dysfunction which puts them at a higher risk for exacerbations and compromises their ability to fight off common lung infections. When it comes to a virus that has never been introduced to the general population like COVID-19, the risk of contracting it is even more pronounced.

COPD News Today advises that patients with chronic lung illnesses take the following precautions in addition to the preventive measures listed by the World Health Organization:

• If you are using any type of medication like corticosteroids, bronchodilators, or methylxanthines, you’ll ideally want to stock up on these as much as possible. The more you can limit leaving the house to refill a prescription, the better. Doctors aren’t always able to prescribe a large quantity of a particular drug, but due to the circumstances, they might make an exception. Prescription deliveries are also becoming more common, so those might be worth considering as well.
• Secondly, COPD News Today advises that all COPD patients avoid unnecessary travel and large crowds. Necessary travel means leaving the house to get food or other essential supplies or to visit a friend or loved one. However, COPD patients should have their groceries delivered if at all possible and practice social distancing when visiting family.
• When it comes to medical treatment, it’s important to seek help as soon as possible and be prepared in case of an emergency. COVID-19 exhibits some of the same symptoms as COPD, so if you notice an unusual flare up or you shouldn’t wait to receive medical attention. Keep a list of emergency contacts on hand at all times.
• Last but certainly not least, you should take care to disinfect your home regularly. According to a study published in the New England Journal of Medicine, SARS-CoV-2 can live on surfaces for several days depending on the surface and the climate. This study found that it can survive 3 hours in the air, 4 hours on copper, 24 hours on cardboard, 48 hours on stainless steel, and 72 hours on plastic. You should take time to disinfect surfaces like door handles, computer keyboards, your cellphone, and tables or counters at least once a day. Also, be sure to use organic cleaners rather than ones filled with chemicals that can exacerbate COPD symptoms.

It’s worth noting that anyone with a chronic health condition is more prone to severe coronavirus disease, not just COPD patients. While there is still limited information on the risk factors of COVID-19, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) warns that people with moderate to severe asthma are more likely to experience an asthma attack, pneumonia, or acute respiratory disease.

The CDC lists several other conditions that could lead to a higher risk of experiencing severe symptoms from COVID-19. They include the following:

• People with serious heart conditions
• People with diabetes
• People with liver or kidney disease
• People with an immunosuppressive condition (many conditions can lead to a compromised immune system)
• People with a body mass index of 40 or higher 

Older Adults Experience More Severe Symptoms

Another risk factor we’ve been told to watch out for is age. According to CDC reports, fatality is highest among people 85 years of age and older, from 10% to 27%. People between the ages of 65 to 85 had between a 1% and 5% fatality rate and people under the age of 65 have under 1% fatality rates.

You’ve likely heard about fatality rates being unusually high in places like Italy, and this is largely due to the fact that the general population is much older than in other parts of the world. Stat News, a health and medicine news website, notes that the median age in Italy is 47 which is the highest in Europe. What’s more, 23% of the population is over the age of 65 and Italy has reported that 7.2% of people who contracted COVID-19 have died. This is significantly higher than the 1.8% to 3.4% fatality rate reported in the United States.

In many instances, fatality among the older population has less to do with their age and more to do with the fact that older people are more likely to have a chronic illness. According to the National Council on Aging, about 80% of older adults have at least one chronic disease and 77% of older adults have at least two chronic diseases. What’s more, four illnesses cause two-thirds of all deaths in any given year — diabetes, stroke, cancer, and heart disease. When you look at these numbers, it’s not hard to see why COVID-19 is such a significant threat to older generations.

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Safety Compliance is Important Regardless of Age

Despite the fact that COVID-19 is more severe in older adults with chronic illnesses, that doesn’t change the fact that slowing the progression of the virus is the responsibility of everyone. While you may have heard individual cases of younger people contracting the virus and not experiencing any symptoms, these people are definitely the minority, so people of all ages and health conditions should take it seriously.

In addition to COVID-19 being a threat to younger generations, contracting the virus could mean passing it on to older generations, because the majority of cases are passed from person-to-person rather than from objects to people. Hospitals and nursing homes are particularly vulnerable to outbreaks so if younger people want to visit their parents or grandparents, it’s best to do so through video conference programs like Skype or Facetime.

Your COPD Treatment Plan is Still Important

We understand that times like these can be stressful and filled with uncertainty. And even when we don’t have a pandemic to deal with, it can be challenging to keep up with everything in your COPD treatment plan including pulmonary rehabilitation, an improved diet, and oxygen therapy. However, if history has taught us anything, it’s that we can achieve better outcomes if we focus on a healthy daily routine.

If your pulmonologist has already set you up with a COPD treatment plan, it’s best to stick with it unless he/she tells you to make adjustments. The reason it’s so important to do this is because it gives you the best odds of coping with COVID-19 if you were to contract it. It’s important to note, however, that simply following your COPD treatment plan won’t prevent the virus; you’ll still need to follow all the safety precautions listed above to prevent getting sick.

Pulmonary rehabilitation is the backbone of any good COPD treatment plan. Most often, your pulmonologist will set you up with a one-on-one exercise training course with a physical therapist. However, due to the current circumstances, it’s unlikely that you will be set up with an in-person pulmonary rehab program. Instead, you will likely be offered some type of online pulmonary rehab like Thrive eLearning where you’ll have access to important information for managing your disease. You’ll also be able to speak with respiratory therapists wherever and whenever you need.

Another aspect of your COPD treatment plan, your diet, can be very difficult to maintain with the spread of COVID-19. Grocery stores are a bad place to be right now because they are full of people and it’s difficult to maintain good social distancing practices. What’s more, grocery stores are on low supply of a lot of foods, so it can be difficult to find exactly what you’re looking for. Sites like Fresh Direct are great options for anyone with a chronic health condition like COPD because you can have groceries delivered directly to your door. If online grocery shopping is not an option, you may want to get a friend or loved one to go shopping for you.

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Last but certainly not least, you’re going to want to continue with your oxygen therapy treatment program as advised by your pulmonologist. Oxygen therapy helps to keep your respiratory condition stable, reduce feelings of breathlessness, and most importantly, helps prevent exacerbations and hospitalization due to COPD symptoms. There are many types of oxygen generator on the market, but most doctors recommend portable oxygen concentrators like the Inogen One G5, because they’re lightweight, easy to use, and provide a high oxygen output.

Pay Attention to the News

Whenever there’s a pandemic or any other type of national emergency, you often get two different types of people: the ones who have the news on 24/7 and the ones who try to avoid the news as much as possible in order to avoid anxiety. While we certainly don’t want anyone to sit at their TV all day and stress about the current circumstances, it is important to keep up with what’s going on and understand what the recommended safety guidelines are for dealing with COVID-19.

If you don’t want to tune into the news everyday, that’s understandable. However, be sure to bookmark these pages by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the World Health Organization. Check these sites regularly and they will provide you with up-to-date information about COVID-19 prevention, travel guidance, as well as correcting some misinformation that’s out there in the public.

Conclusion

For many people, these are difficult times. The novel coronavirus has taken a pretty large toll not just on the health of the public but on the economy as well. It’s imperative that everyone — young or old, healthy or not — does their part to limit its spread. This means practicing good hygiene, keeping at least 6 feet of space between you and the nearest person, and staying home as much as possible.

As a COPD patient, you’ll need to take some additional precautions like stocking up on medical supplies, disinfecting your home regularly, and avoiding any form of unnecessary travel. You should continue to follow your COPD treatment plan unless otherwise advised by your pulmonologist. 

One of the things that makes COPD so dangerous is the fact that it makes your body more vulnerable to disease. It not only makes you more likely to get sick, but it makes it harder to recover from illnesses, too.

For people with COPD, any sickness—even a common cold—can be serious or, in some cases, even life-threatening. Even worse are respiratory infections like pneumonia, which can cause permanent damage to lungs affected by COPD.

Because of this, it is imperative for every person with COPD to take good care of their immune system. Because your immune system is so closely linked with all of your body's other systems, that means making healthy choices when it comes to your diet, sleeping habits, personal hygiene, and even your mental health.

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In this guide, we're going to tell you everything you need to know about how to keep your immune system in the best shape possible while managing your COPD. Using the practical tips in this article, you can make sure you are giving your body everything it needs to protect itself from illnesses and infections.

Because you never know when sickness will strike, it's important to make your immune system's health a priority now, and not put it off for the future. By building healthy immune habits early and continuing to be diligent, you may be able to prevent a number of illnesses that could worsen your COPD.

In this Guide:

• What Works and What Doesn't
• How Your Immune System Works
• How COPD Affects Your Immune System
• Practical Tips You Can Use to Boost Your Immune System the Right Way
• Vitamins and Nutrients You Need for a Healthy Immune System
• The Anti-Inflammation Diet
• Things that Don't Help Your Immune System

What Works and What Doesn't

The world around us is full of products that make lofty claims about boosting your immune system and staving off disease. You've probably seen them advertised on TV, in magazines, health food stores, and even your local supermarket.

Unfortunately, these products are usually nothing more than glorified snacks that won't boost your immune system in any way. So far, scientists haven't been able to confirm that any health food or supplement on its own will reliably improve your resistance to illness.

However, researchers have identified a variety of healthy habits and nutrients that support your immune system and keep it running smoothly. On their own, they are unlikely to make much of a difference, but putting them all together will help you build a healthier lifestyle that boosts your body's ability to fight off infection and disease.

It's important to know that keeping your immune system healthy isn't about taking a certain supplement or miracle vitamin; it's about giving your immune system everything it needs to stay strong. It's also about avoiding activities and habits that weaken your immune system's ability to respond to threats.

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In these next sections, we're going to tell you all about all the nutrients, healthy habits, and other treatments like vaccines that you need to keep your immune system primed and ready to fight disease. While none of these things are miracle cures, they are the most effective, proven ways to keep your immune system strong and working as effectively and efficiently as possible.

How Your Immune System Works

The immune system is a very complex system that protects your body in a variety of different ways. It not only fights off pathogens, like viruses and bacteria, that make you sick, but it also helps your body destroy harmful toxins and misbehaving cells like cancer cells.

Your immune system is made up of many different tissues, cells, and molecules that are spread all throughout your body. But in general, your immune system can be categorized into two main parts: the innate immune response and the adaptive immune response.

The Innate Immune Response

The first step of your body's immune response is often referred to as the “innate” immune response. This is a broad, generalized immune reaction that gets triggered whenever you are sick, injured, or your body detects pathogens or irritation.

The innate immune response is quick, and its goal is to destroy any bacteria, viruses, parasites, or other harmful pathogens that enter your body. It does so by mobilizing pathogen-destroying cells (called leukocytes) and triggering inflammation.

Inflammation causes changes in your body that allow your immune system to heal the injury more quickly. It also triggers reactions like fever, runny nose, coughing, and sneezing that help your body flush pathogens out of your body more quickly.

In some cases, your innate immune response can become over-sensitive and react to things that are not harmful, causing it to trigger the inflammatory response when it is not needed. This can lead to chronic inflammation, which is linked to a variety of chronic diseases, including heart disease and COPD.

One of the most important parts of the innate immune system is a category of cells called leukocytes, also known as white blood cells. Leukocytes are one of the most important parts of the immune system and they come in a variety of different types.

The primary responsibility of leukocytes is to track down and destroy all kinds of viruses, bacteria, and other pathogens, and each type of leukocyte has its own pathogen-hunting specialty. For example, phagocytes, which make up one category of leukocytes, kill pathogens by surrounding them and dissolving them with a cocktail of toxic chemicals.

Leukocytes lie in wait in many different places throughout your body, ready to spring into action as soon as they detect a pathogen to destroy. They can also travel around in your bloodstream, which allows them to quickly get to any place in the body where they are needed.

The Adaptive Immune Response

One of the most incredible talents of the immune system is its ability to learn and adapt to its environment. This is the job of the second main part of your immune system, the “adaptive” immune response.

Unlike the innate immune system, which fights pathogens in general, the adaptive immune system is responsible for tracking down and killing specific pathogens. It does this by creating antibodies whenever it encounters a new type of pathogen that it hasn't seen before.

Antibodies are molecules that can only stick to one specific type of pathogen, such as a specific type of virus or a particular bacteria species. When an antibody encounters the matching pathogen, it binds, or sticks, itself to the pathogen's surface.

This tag alerts leukocytes to the pathogen's presence and marks it for destruction. As a result, your immune system will recognize the pathogen much more quickly than it would if there were no antibodies around to help.

In this way, antibodies act as a sort of “memory” that allows your immune system to quickly identify viruses and bacteria that it has encountered before. This helps your immune system respond more rapidly and effectively to threats, reducing your chance of getting sick.

How COPD Affects Your Immune System

COPD has long been known to weaken the immune system and make patients more prone to disease. While researchers still do not fully understand why this happens, the link between COPD and poor immune system function is clear.

One reason for this is chronic inflammation, which afflicts the vast majority of patients with COPD. Studies show that chronic inflammation has a detrimental effect on the immune system, reducing its ability to fight disease.

Usually, inflammation triggers your immune system to act and neutralize whatever caused the inflammation. But in the case of chronic inflammation, your immune system overreacts when there is no real physical threat to neutralize.

As a result, the inflammation continues indefinitely and your immune system stays perpetually preoccupied with the imaginary threat. This unchecked inflammation puts a great deal of stress on your body (including your lungs) and makes your immune system less effective at countering real threats.

As the Cleveland Clinic puts it, “sustained, high levels of inflammation point to an overworked, over-tired immune system that can't properly protect you.” Unfortunately, chronic inflammation is a reality for the majority of people with COPD.

This has led some researchers to believe that COPD may be, at least in part, an autoimmune disease. An autoimmune disease is a disease that causes your body's immune system to mistakenly attack your body's own healthy cells.

The immune systems of people with COPD tend to overreact to minor irritants that you breathe in, causing inflammation in the lungs. Instead of attacking just the irritant, the immune system may end up attacking healthy lung tissue, resulting in permanent damage to the lungs that researchers believe may both cause and worsen COPD.

Chronic inflammation in the lungs can also make the lung tissue more susceptible to bacteria that cause respiratory illnesses and infections. Another problem is constant airway blockage from excess mucus and airway constriction, which makes it easier for infections to take hold in your lungs and airways.

It is also very common for COPD patients to suffer from anxiety, stress, and depression, which are known to weaken your immune system. COPD also impairs many patients ability to sleep, and lack of sleep is also linked to poor immune system function.

Other immune system problems faced by patients are indirectly caused by the symptoms of COPD itself. For instance, patients who get short of breath easily often struggle to keep up with healthy habits that are necessary for a healthy immune system, including exercising and eating a healthy diet.

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However, probably the most important reason that COPD patients have to take extra good care of their immune systems is to avoid COPD exacerbations. Exacerbations can be triggered by even mild illnesses and infections, and a healthy immune system is your first line of defense against getting sick.

Exacerbations make your COPD symptoms much worse and they can last for weeks or longer, which makes it very difficult to stay active and live a healthy lifestyle. Serious exacerbations can be even more devastating, causing permanent lung damage, sending you to the hospital, or even leading to respiratory failure and death.

Practical Tips You Can Use to Boost Your Immune System the Right Way

Because the immune system is so complex and varied, there is no one, definitive way to “boost” it. However, that doesn't mean that that your lifestyle and behaviors don't affect how your immune system works.

Lots of factors, including your nutrition, exercise habits, mental health, and more can have a significant effect on how efficiently your immune system functions. Luckily, that means that there are many things you can do in your daily life to keep your immune system healthy.

Stop Smoking

Smoking tobacco is bad for your immune system and makes your more prone to getting sick. Because most people who have COPD are smokers or former smokers, this is a common problem among COPD patients.

Smoking negatively affects the leukocytes in your body and suppresses your immune response. It also causes inflammation in your lungs that can make your COPD symptoms much worse.

Smoking also causes damage to other cells all throughout your body, which triggers a chronic state of inflammation. This inflammation increases your risk for infections, heart disease, and other serious health conditions.

However, if you quit smoking, your immune system can and will recover. If you have COPD and you still smoke, then it is absolutely imperative that you quit.

Quitting smoking is one of the best things you can do to improve your health and your overall quality of life with COPD. If you need help, visit the CDC's website to learn about a variety of quit smoking resources that can help you succeed.

It's never too late to stop smoking. Doing so will not only help your immune system, but it can also improve your COPD symptoms and prevent other serious diseases.

Don't Drink Too Much

While there's nothing wrong with a drink now and then, too much alcohol can hurt your immune system. It does this by suppressing the activity of leukocytes and reducing your immune system's ability to recognize and respond to threats.

Any kind of excessive drinking, including binge drinking and chronic alcohol use, can weaken your immune system. In fact, studies show that alcohol effects your immune system within twenty minutes of taking a drink, and that just one instance of binge drinking can significantly increase your risk for infection for days after you've sobered up.

This leaves your body more vulnerable to illnesses, infection, and other diseases like cancer. In combination with the already present immune-suppressing effects of COPD, excessive drinking can be particularly dangerous for COPD patients.

That's why, if you have COPD, you should be especially careful to avoid alcohol or at least drink in moderation. US guidelines for alcohol use recommend that you drink no more than seven standard drinks per week.

If you struggle with alcohol abuse or need help quitting or reducing your drinking, visit the Alcohol Rehab Guide to learn about a variety of resources that can help.

Stay Active

If you have COPD, then you know that staying active is important for keeping your heart and lungs healthy. However, physical activity is just as important for your immune system, as well.

Researchers aren't sure exactly why, but getting regular exercise improves your immune system's ability to fight off disease. One study showed that just twenty minutes of physical activity every day can reduce inflammation and help your immune system function more effectively.

Even though COPD can make exercise difficult, it's important to find some physical activities that you find engaging and fun. Even if you have to start small, you can improve your physical strength and endurance with time.

If you need help working out a feasible exercise plan, don't be afraid to ask your doctor for advice. If your COPD symptoms are preventing you from exercising, your doctor may be able to recommend another treatment, like pulmonary rehabilitation or supplemental oxygen, that can help you stay active.

Getting regular exercise can be as simple taking daily walks, bicycling, or doing aerobic exercises at home. For more tips on how to stay active with COPD, visit our guide to exercising at home with COPD here.

Vaccination

Vaccination is the only targeted treatment scientists have found that can reliably and significantly boost the immune system on its own. That's why doctors often urge COPD patients to get vaccinated as a first line of defense against illnesses like the flu and pneumonia.

Vaccines work by exposing your body to a tiny amount of a disease-causing pathogen that has been weakened or killed. The vaccine doesn't contain enough of the pathogen to get you sick, but it contains just enough for your immune system to recognize it and respond.

Your immune system reacts to the vaccine by making specific antibodies that target the pathogen in the vaccine. Then, if you are ever exposed to the pathogen in the future, your immune system will be primed and ready to destroy it before it has a chance to get you sick.

Here are the vaccines typically recommended for people with COPD:

• The Influenza Vaccine: Get vaccinated every year to protect yourself before flu season.
• Td Vaccine: Get vaccinated once every ten years to protect yourself from tetanus.
• Pneumococcal Vaccine: Get vaccinated once before the age of 65, and then twice again after the age of 65 to protect yourself from bacterial pneumonia

If you are not sure if you are up to date on these or any other vaccines, talk to your doctor. He can review your records and tell you what vaccines could be beneficial for you.

Reduce Stress

Chronic stress and other mental disorders like depression are well-known triggers for inflammation and immune system distress. Because of this, keeping stress at a minimum and treating anxiety and depression are important for keeping your immune system in good shape.

For instance, a variety of studies have found that people who experience chronic stress are more likely to contract a common cold. Chronic stress can also reduce your body's ability to heal itself, fight cancer, and gain immunity from vaccines.

Depression has also been linked to chronic inflammation and reduced immune system function. While researchers are still trying to understand exactly why this happens, they do have some idea of how it works.

Stress increases the amount of a “stress chemical” known as cortisol, which triggers inflammation. It also reduces the number of leukocytes in your body, making it harder for your immune system to fight off disease.

Unfortunately, chronic stress, anxiety, and depression are very common among people with COPD. Fortunately, there are many different things you can do to reduce your stress, treat depression, and improve your mental and emotional health.

Check out these guides for managing stress, anxiety, and depression:

• How to Treat Depression When You Have COPD
• How to Treat Anxiety and Panic Attacks When You Have COPD

Get Good Sleep

Sleep is an incredibly undervalued activity in the modern world. Despite the fact that it's necessary for survival, many people don't sleep enough and don't understand the importance of high quality sleep.

Many studies have shown that you are more likely to get sick when you don't get proper sleep. Being sleep deprived can also hamper your ability to recover from illnesses and infections, causing you to stay sick for longer.

Poor sleep has particularly serious consequences for people with COPD and can significantly increase their chances of experiencing a COPD exacerbation. Some studies have also found that sleep deprivation significantly impairs COPD patients' ability to breathe.

That's why it's so important to make sleep an important priority in your life. Most adults need at least 7-8 hours every single night, and any less can significantly affect your quality of life.

Unfortunately, COPD patients in particular often struggle to sleep because of their disease. This is partially because many COPD symptoms, including breathlessness, airway blockage, and chest discomfort, get worse for many patients in bed at night.

Fortunately, there are many things you can do to improve your sleep quality and your ability to fall sleep at night. It's all about establishing a consistent, relaxing nighttime routine and making sure you have a comfortable sleeping environment.

Here are some tips for improving your sleep when you have COPD:

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

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

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

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

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

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

New Respiratory Drug Discoveries 

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

Medication - TASR5 Bitter Taste Receptor for COPD Patients 2021 

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

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

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

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

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

Zephyr Valve for COPD Patients in 2021 

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Stem Cell Therapy for COPD in 2021

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

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

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

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

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

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

Cost of Stem cell therapy for COPD

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

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

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

Currently Available Treatments for COPD 

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

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

Supplemental Oxygen Therapy 

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

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

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

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

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

Pulmonary Rehabilitation 

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

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

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

Overview 

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

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

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

If you have COPD it is important to take care of your body and your lungs, people do this by quitting smoking, exercising whenever possible, taking medication, and adhering to a strict treatment plan. Beyond these measures, it is important to also pay mind to your mental health, in doing so people with COPD become more motivated and cultivate a positive mind set.

When people's COPD symptoms begin to worsen is when their mental health also deteriorates and subsequently influences people to pay less attention to their COPD treatment thereby negatively effecting their health and well being. This is whats known as a negative feedback loop, which is a reaction that causes a decrease in function. So, creating a healthy environment to live in, by keeping your home clean and irritate free, is so crucial for these patients in order to find "homeostasis" which is essentially a state of normalcy.  

In this article we are going to discuss how you can create a healthy living space mentally while living with COPD, but we are also going to give you ways to make your physical living space inside your home more COPD friendly. 

Creating a healthy living space inside your mind

We wrote an entire article about the mental health of COPD patients and how this disease can influence depressive and anxious feelings, you can read that article by clicking here.

Now we are going to go over a few ways you can cultivate a more positive mindset while living with COPD, with a following section about living in a healthy environment physically with COPD. 

Social connections

Connection is an important part of dealing with COPD and the mental stress and confusion that often comes with the territory. While it is not something your doctor would prescribe, connecting with others is something you doctor should or likely has already recommended. It is also important to maintain a healthy relationship with the people who were in your life before you were diagnosed. It can be challenging to rely on the people in your everyday life more than you had before, so finding a sense of independence is critical here.

In this section we are going to talk about connecting with new people, fostering relationships with your caregivers, and finding your own independence in order to maintain these healthy relationships with others.

One of the easiest and most beneficial ways to connect with other people who have COPD is to enroll in pulmonary rehabilitation. Your doctor should be able to refer you to a program in your area. For example, if you live in Florida in the Boca Raton area you are assured quality care at their South Miami Hospital Pulmonary Rehabilitation program. They have licensed, certified respiratory and physical therapists trained and certified by the National Board of Respiratory Care.

In a pulmonary rehab course, you will work closely with a team of professionals including:

Physicians

Exercise physiologists

Respiratory therapists

Dietitians

Psychologists

and sometimes other clinical experts as needed

With the help of all of these experts, you will learn about multiple facets of your life. You will learn about your medical condition, how to exercise properly and within your capabilities, respiratory advice and management, managing eating habits and mental stress, all while connecting with others who are suffering from COPD as well.

While all of these aspects of pulmonary rehab are important, but the social component is so valuable for your mental state of mind. Seeing and hearing other people’s hardships throughout their diagnosis can help you feel less “alone”. Feeling alone is one of the main reasons people with COPD struggle to stay positive, thereby neglecting their treatment regimen and their mental health.

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So cultivating relationships with people in your pulmonary rehab program who have similar medical conditions, is a great way to connect and feel less alone.

The other way you can create new relationships within a community that you can relate to on a medical level is joining facebook support groups. This is as simple as searching LPT Medical COPD & Respiratory Support Group on facebook and requesting to be added to the group. Once the admin has accepted you, say hello by posting a comment about something you want to talk about.

Even though you are sharing with others online, these people are real, and connecting via the internet is one of the safest ways to relate to people right now amidst a global pandemic.

When it comes to fostering old relationships with your loved ones through the duration of your disease, we could write an entire blog post, so we did, you can read it by clicking here

The main points of this article are as follows:

1. Learn how to communicate effectively
2. Learn as much about your disease together as possible, education is key in the management and treatment process, the more you know the more comfortable you will both feel
3. Destress in any way you can that works for you, such as , exercise, alone time, breathing exercises, medication, or gardening.
4. Find independence where you can get it

Point number 4. brings us into the final part of this section: Finding independence. Your independence is so important for your mental health, the current relationships you have, and future ones as well.

Independence

Before you were diagnosed with COPD, you could shower, walk to get the mail, do yard work, without thinking twice about it. Now, you might have to ask for help more often than you are used to because you are unable to do these chores on your own anymore. Many people find asking for help to be frustrating, and if this is not something you are used to, you must find ways to cope, but also find ways in which you can regain your independence.

If you are an oxygen user, your oxygen device may get in the way of you doing things that you could once do on your own. If your oxygen device is too heavy, not portable, or you do not enjoy using your oxygen device, it may be time for an upgrade.

There are modern forms of oxygen therapy that allow you to get back to doing more things you want to do. By buying a portable oxygen concentrator you will be able to travel alone, carrying your device on your own, and feel more confident managing your oxygen therapy on your own.

Depending on the model of portable oxygen concentrator they range from 4 - 18 pounds based on the flow settings and battery life. Having a device that runs on battery life is essential for independence because you will not have to rely on an oxygen refill company to deliver your oxygen tanks every week. Instead you will be responsible for charging your unit or keeping an extra battery on you.

Depending on your oxygen prescription, the right portable oxygen concentrator should have flow setting well above what your are prescribed. For example, it your Doctor writes you a prescription for 630 ml/min of oxygen, the Inogen One G3 could be the perfect oxygen device for you, because it has the capability to run at 1050 ml/min of oxygen so if you ever need to increase your oxygen output in your oxygen device, you will not have to return the device for a new one, you can simply adjust the setting. 

As an established oxygen supply company in Denver, CO we have access to the top tier oxygen equipment on the market, but we also have over 10 years experience working with oxygen patients in all levels of their diagnosis. Of the many things we have learned in our experience, one of the most important is to focus one everyone's individual oxygen requirements but also their lifestyle. 

Portability and accessibility are two of the main reason oxygen patients decide to switch from traditional oxygen tanks to portable oxygen concentrators, but there are other factors to think about when deciding on your oxygen equipment. 

Click here to read about oxygen therapy equipment and how they all compare. 

The next part of encouraging a positive mindset is learning how to enjoy the little things.

The little things

We have all heard the saying “enjoy the little things” and while it sounds like a clique, there are a lot of benefits to finding simple pleasures, especially if you have COPD. As a COPD patient, you are still capable of enjoying life, and similarly to the way you once did before you ever started experiencing symptoms.

But if there are aspects of your life, you won’t get back due to your disease, this is the perfect opportunity to try new things. And if you change your perspective this way, there is nothing that can stop you.

Examples of the little things would include family time, reading, movie marathons, gardening, walking, cooking, or any hobby of your choosing. You can start by setting goals; if you don't have a hobby, make a list of new activities or hobbies you want to try.  Then make a list of the tools or motivation you would need to start doing said hobby. 

Simply looking forward to something is a form of enjoying the little things. Spending more time in your day being active and having something to do will also give your mind something else to focus on besides your COPD symptoms. 

Making you physical living space COPD friendly

When you have a disease like COPD, it's vital to breathe air that is clean and healthy as often as possible. Respiratory diseases cause your lungs and airways to be extra sensitive to irritation and inflammation, and even the smallest amounts of airborne contaminates can worsen COPD symptoms and even cause exacerbations.

Air filters 

Many people underestimate the importance of using a high quality air filter and neglect their house's ventilation system. Choosing a quality air filter is just another choice the is over-saturated with brands and models so you may not know what to look for or how to choose a kind that's effective and meets your individual needs.


Additionally, there are many different portable and small-space air purifiers you can find, as well as dedicated whole-house air purification systems that hook up to your HVAC system. However, it can be difficult to understand all of these different options, how they work, and how to know if you need one for your home. SO, we wrote an entire blog post about this! 

You can read it by clicking here!

Temperature 

The next thing you should try to do in your home, is adjust your heating in order to keep your home at a temperature between 19 and 21°C. Cold temperatures may influence your COPD symptoms making you feel worse.

Home renovations 

It is also crucial that you avoid using strong chemical products such as polish and paints when or if you ever do home renovations or basic house work. These products can irritate your airways causing you to experience worse symptoms.

Cleanliness 

The cleanliness of your home is one of the major factors in determining the indoor air quality. Therefore, cleaning with the intention to maintain good air quality is crucial to avoid COPD flare-ups.

Dust and dust mites, pets, smoking indoors, cleaning solutions, room fresheners and candles, are a few of the irritates that can spark a COPD exacerbation progressing your COPD faster into a more severe state. This is because when you breathe in irritates, they can cause problems like increased mucus production, making it difficult for you to clear your airways, or your airways begin to spasm, making it very hard for you to catch your breath even doing the most simple tasks.

Neglecting to clean your home of dust, allergens, pet dander, smoke and other respiratory irritates can cause major damage to your lungs, but it can also make your life a lot more chaotic than it needs to be. If your home environment is toxic to your lungs you will find yourself visiting the emergency room all the time, and once you’ve recovered from the exacerbation in the hospital and go home, the cycle will continue.

Cleaning products 

So you should keep your house clean, but you also need to be aware of the cleaning product you are using because they can be harmful to inhale, and for someone with COPD, this can cause exasperated symptoms. Having a low or no scent home is a good rule to follow. Fresh lemons (or lemon concentrate), baking soda, water, simple dish washing detergent, vinegar, and rubbing alcohol can be used in various combinations to clean most things.

If you ever need to use bleach, try to leave the house or go into a different room while someone else in your household cleans with bleach.

Smoking 

It is exceptionally important to keep your home a smoke free environment, meaning no cigarettes or e-cigarettes, and it is best to avoid vape products as well.

Smoke particles are often microscopic, that are byproducts of burning substances or other chemical processes, which can be inhaled into the lungs and cause irritation.

You should not only quit smoking yourself, you should not allow others to smoke inside you home. There are no good ways of getting rid of smoke entirely, and it’s harmful to have in your home for multiple reasons. It not only creates a lot of these microscopic particles that can live in your walls, carpets, and decor, it makes up gases and toxins that are truly lethal.

Natural gas 

You might not realize it at first, but if you have a gas stove, or gas fireplace, you have to be cautious about the exposure to nitrogen dioxide emissions. These emissions can come from natural gas. In order to avoid these irritates, adequate ventilation in your kitchen is the best way to remedy this.

Pets

If you have any pets that shed, pet dander isn’t necessarily an issue for all people living with COPD. If you have even mild allergies this may cause exacerbated COPD symptoms. Regularly vacuuming and wiping surfaces, cleaning furniture, and linens in your home can help reduce pet dander.

Dust and carpets 

It is so important to dust often in your home. Dust can be especially irritating to people with COPD who have allergies. In addition to keeping home surfaces free from dust, experts also recommend minimizing carpeting in your home.

If it is possible you should remove carpet from your home because dust mites will get into your carpet and live there, making it difficult to remove. Hardwood floor is much easier to manage, and does not hold pet dander or dust like carpet does, making your living environment more manageable with less irritates in the air. If it’s not possible to get rid of your carpet, use a vacuum cleaner with a built in air filter to bring up the dust mites and other irritants found in carpet.

Bedding

Dust mites are also found in bed linens. So you should try to keep them clean as much as possible. This is as simple as washing your sheets using hot water and replacing pillows more frequently.

Humidity 

Depending on your body and your COPD, the humidity level in your home could be another irritant in and of itself. Keeping the humidity at a manageable so it is easier to breathe is great, but also keeping the humidity below 50 percent in your home is a good way of helping to control mold and dust mites. Dust mites grow fast when there is a humid environment. Be sure to always use the exhaust ventilation in your bathroom during and after you shower, provided that the vent sends damp air outside of the home and doesn’t simply recirculate it. If you don’t have ventilation in your bathroom, you may want to consider installing it.

Oxygen 

It is so important that you follow your oxygen prescription to a T, so having oxygen equipment that you can carry with your throughout your house with ease is very helpful. Even "heavier" devices compares to the lightweight Caire Freestyle Comfort should still be maneuverable. The Respironics SImplyGo weighs 10 pounds, and stands 10" H x 6" D x 11.5" W meaning your SimplyGo will easily fit underneath the seat in front of you on the airplane, you can store it on the floor of your car or in the passenger seat as you drive,, and while this device may be heavier than other pulse flow devices, the SimplyGo is one of the smallest and lightest continuous flow portables available! You will be able to bring it with you wherever you go and you will have no problem finding a place to store it.

The SimplyGo includes a custom carrying case and a wheeled travel cart so you have the option to carry it over your shoulder or you can pull it behind you on the travel cart and it will make it around the house with you and . 

If you need oxygen 24/7 is it helpful to own your own portable oxygen concentrator that is designed to run day and night. The Respironics SimplyGo is CPAP/BiPAP compatible and it even offers sleep mode technology! When you are relaxing in your chair at home, and you feel yourself dozing off, you can turn sleep mode technology on to ensure your oxygen gets delivered while you are sleeping. The sleep mode technology on your SimplyGo increases its sensitivity to detect your breath and it softens the pulse flow delivery so it doesn’t wake you up. 

Overview 

Living with COPD is all about balance, and creating good habits while overcoming bad ones. The goal is to create positive feedback loops that promote function in your mind and in your body. 

Believe it or not, the way your body feels influences the way your mind reacts, feels, and makes decisions, and vise versa. The decisions you make and your emotions will directly effect how you body feels physically. 

If you can keep your home clean and free from irritates your COPD are less likely to get worse overtime and your body will feel better allowing your emotions to be more positive and capable of making good decisions. Creating a healthy living space in your home is just one example of the many actions you can take in order to live a longer and healthier life with COPD.

We covered a lot of information in this article, and if you made it this far, leave a comment, let us know how you find inner peace both in your mind and your home!