If you tuned into our blog earlier this month, you know that we discussed COPD as a “systemic disease.” In other words, it’s a disease that affects every part of the body, not just the lungs. This is an important distinction to make because it enables both patients and medical professionals to detect systemic manifestations earlier on and treat them more effectively. One of the systemic manifestations that we mentioned in this post is osteoporosis, a disease that affects the density of the bones.

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Osteoporosis is a common comorbidity of COPD, meaning the two conditions often exist side-by-side. Because of the nature of the two diseases, there are many complications that arise as a result of having them both. For example, both COPD and osteoporosis increase the patient’s risk of experiencing a fall as well as getting seriously injured from a fall. In this post, we’re going to take a closer look at the connection between COPD and osteoporosis, how they’re related, and how to cope with each. If you have any questions or concerns, be sure to leave them in the comment section below so that we can get back to you.

What is Osteoporosis?

Your bones are in a constant state of repair. Cells called osteoblasts synthesize bone material and assist in the mineralization of bone tissue. Simultaneously, cells called osteoclasts degrade old bone tissue and send calcium back into the blood. After a year, your body has regenerated about 10 percent of its bone tissue. The reason your body does this is that bone tissue does not last forever. It needs to be replaced regularly in order for your bones to be strong enough to support the weight of your body.

It’s natural for bone remodeling to occur more slowly the older we get. However, if the rate at which bone is produced is much slower than it’s being removed, or it’s being removed much quicker than it’s being replaced, this is known as osteoporosis, a disease that affects around 10 million Americans. Osteoporosis is more common in women over the age of 50, but anyone can get it at any age.

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Osteoporosis usually develops very slowly and people are at a higher risk if they have a lower “peak bone mass.” Most people reach this point when they’re in their mid-twenties to thirties, so osteoporosis can sometimes (but not always) be predicted. Oftentimes, there are no warning signs of osteoporosis until the patient experiences a fracture. However, some people will experience joint pain, back pain, or a stooped posture. One instance where you may receive an early diagnosis of osteoporosis is if your doctor believes you are at high risk for this condition.

Bone fractures in the hip or spine are some of the most serious complications of osteoporosis because they impair the patient’s mobility. Falls are the most common cause of these types of injury but in severe cases, bones can fracture from simply bumping into something, bending over, or coughing. While there is no cure for osteoporosis there are many treatment options available that can help boost the rate of bone growth in your body, thus helping to prevent fractures and chronic pain.

How is Osteoporosis Diagnosed?

The main test used to diagnose osteoporosis is called a bone mineral density (BMD) test. It uses a type of low-energy X-ray called Dexa-Scan (dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry or DXA) to calculate the density of bone in the spine and hip. Your bone mineral density (BMD) is compared to the mean BMD for your age to determine if you have either osteoporosis or osteopenia. This is a condition that simply means you have low bone mineral density, it doesn’t necessarily mean that you will develop osteoporosis in the future or that you’re at risk of experiencing a fracture. If your BMD is less than one standard deviation below the mean, your bones are normal. Between -1 and -2.5 standard deviations is considered osteopenia and more than -2.5 is osteoporosis.  

There are many other tests that can be performed to assist health professionals to determine if you have osteoporosis. Computerized tomography (CT) scans, X-rays, ultrasounds, and body composition analysis which shows the percentage of body weight due to bone, fat, muscle, and water. There are also many blood tests that can assist in diagnosing osteoporosis including blood calcium tests, vitamin D tests, thyroid tests, and testosterone tests. Be sure to ask your doctor if you’re not sure which test you need to take.

What’s the Link Between COPD and Osteoporosis?

At first glance, you might notice a lot of similarities between COPD and osteoporosis. Both conditions are more common in older adults, more common in women, and they can’t be cured. However, they’re both highly treatable. In other words, you’re at a higher risk of contracting COPD and osteoporosis based on your age and gender alone. But when you take a closer look, you’ll notice that there are many common side-effects of COPD that put you at a higher risk of osteoporosis in old age. 

According to a study published by the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) which included 14,828 subjects over the age of 45, there was an 8.5% prevalence of osteoporosis in non-COPD patients, but there was a prevalence of 16.9% in COPD patients. Let’s take a look at some of the side effects of COPD that may lead to osteoporosis.

A History of Smoking

Smoking is the most common preventable cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide. Smoking has countless systemic effects ranging from lung cancer to heart disease. Studies have also shown for decades that tobacco use has extremely adverse effects on bone health, not least of which is decreased bone density. According to UCI Health, there are several reasons why smoking is so bad for bone health. Firstly, it reduces the flow of blood to your bones by causing your blood vessels to constrict. This means your bones are being deprived of vital resources including osteoblasts, the bone-producing cells. Smoking has also been shown to hamper the resorption of calcium meaning it can’t be replaced in the bones.

There isn’t much to say about smoking and COPD that hasn’t already been said. According to the American Lung Association, about 85 to 90 percent of COPD cases are caused by cigarette smoking. What’s more, about 38 percent of people with COPD continue to smoke after receiving a diagnosis. It goes without saying that, if you’re a current smoker, the sooner you quit, the better. The respiratory effects of smoking are bad enough on their own, but when they’re combined with chronic pain and an increased risk of fractures, these issues are exacerbated.

Diet

Your body needs a large variety of vitamins and minerals in order to maintain every bodily function from digestion to blood flow. But when you develop a chronic condition, you often need to adjust your diet to accommodate for certain deficiencies that you may develop. In COPD and many other respiratory diseases, vitamin D deficiency is very common. Vitamin D is essential for everyone because it plays a vital role in helping your body absorb calcium which is the main support structure for your bones. Without it, your bones will become weak and brittle.

One of the main reasons respiratory patients are vitamin D deficient is that they oftentimes aren’t exposed to as much sunlight as their healthy counterparts. Sunlight is the most important natural source of vitamin D, but many COPD patients are immobilized by symptoms like fatigue, breathlessness, and chronic pain. One way to combat this is to simply sit by a window where you’re receiving direct sunlight. If you live in an area that doesn’t receive sunlight for prolonged parts of the year, you can supplement your diet with vitamin D-rich foods like oily fish, red meat, or egg yolks.

Body Mass Index (BMI)

Body mass index is derived from your body weight and height. Anything between a BMI of 18.5 and 24.9 is normal, but if you dip below this or go above it, it may be cause for concern. While the United States suffers from an obesity epidemic, COPD patients often suffer from the opposite problem — being underweight. According to the Lung Institute, COPD patients burn an average of 10 times as many calories while breathing as their healthy counterparts do. This is why many doctors recommend that COPD patients increase their caloric intake after being diagnosed. According to Healthline, about 25 to 40 percent of people with COPD have low body weight. 

Having a BMI under 21 is also a risk factor for low bone mineral density (BMD) and osteoporosis. Studies have shown that BMI inversely correlates with BMD, so the lower your body weight is in comparison to your height, the more at risk you are for developing weak bones. As a COPD patient, the best thing you can do to prevent this is to ensure that you are eating enough and that you are following your doctor’s advice on what to eat. If you experience exhaustion from consuming large meals, try eating smaller meals all throughout the day in order to meet the calorie requirement that your doctor has set. This also helps your body out with digestion and prevents feelings of fatigue and bloating after eating.  

Physical Activity

Exercise is one of the key components of an effective COPD treatment regime. Exercise keeps the lungs strong and healthy, reducing symptoms of breathlessness and chest pain. Strong muscles also use oxygen more effectively meaning you’ll be able to stay out of the house and stay active longer without taking a break. And while exercise can’t reverse COPD, it can improve your life expectancy and quality of life. Be sure to discuss with your doctor which exercise program will be best for you. Most health specialists recommend pulmonary rehabilitation which involves lung education, strength training, and endurance training.

According to Orthoinfor.aaos.org, exercise affects bones similar to how it affects muscle — it makes it stronger. Bone is living tissue and when stress is applied to it, it reacts by building more tissue. So, it goes without saying that, by exercising regularly, you can keep your bones in good condition and prevent osteoporosis. Unfortunately, due to the respiratory symptoms of COPD, many people are left feeling unmotivated or unable to exercise, and in turn, their bone health begins to suffer. You should aim to exercise at least 3 to 4 times per week and since hip and spinal fractures are most common in osteoporosis, be sure to get on your feet and work your whole body, not just your arms. Exercise also strengthens your stabilizer muscles, helping to improve balance and prevent falls. 

COPD Medication

One final way that COPD affects your bones is through your medication. Your medication is a vital part of your treatment plan, but you have to be careful with it because, like any medication, it has both short- and long-term side effects. Most of the side effects should be listed on the container of the medication, but for more specific information, be sure to consult your doctor. The main COPD medication of concern when it comes to bone health is corticosteroids. These drugs are used by COPD patients to reduce inflammation which can prevent flare-ups and exacerbations. Corticosteroids are usually inhaled via an inhaler or nebulizer in order to reach the lungs more quickly.

The way that corticosteroids affect the bones is by altering the way the body uses vitamin D and calcium. Oftentimes, corticosteroids increase the rate at which bone breaks down and reduces its ability to absorb calcium. If corticosteroids are used heavily, this could lead to rapid bone deterioration, so it’s important to use them only as they’re prescribed. If you’re still concerned about bone loss even while taking the normal dosage, be sure to ask your doctor if there are any alternative medications that you can take without this side effect.  

Conclusion

COPD is one of the most common chronic illnesses in the world. However, many people are unaware of the many systemic manifestations of this disease. About 36 to 60 percent of COPD patients have osteoporosis which is higher than the general population. The good news is that just a few lifestyle changes can significantly reduce your risk of experiencing low bone mineral density and osteoporosis. Immediate smoking cessation, a revised diet, regular physical activity, and careful use of your COPD medication are just a few of the most important.  

If you’re a COPD patient who’s struggling to get on your feet and maintain an exercise routine, consider upgrading your obsolete oxygen device to a portable oxygen concentrator. POCs are much smaller and lighter than a standard oxygen tank meaning you won’t feel out of breath after a short walk. Portable oxygen concentrators like the Inogen One G5 and Caire FreeStyle Comfort have taken the oxygen industry by storm with a simple, easy-to-use interface, sleek design, and high oxygen output. If you’d like to learn more about these devices and all that they have to offer, don’t hesitate to reach out to our oxygen concentrator specialists here at LPT Medical.    

If you grew up hearing the phrase “an apple a day keeps the doctor away,” then you’ve probably spent your life trying to eat healthy foods. However, “eating healthy” isn’t necessarily just about eating healthy food; it’s about getting the right balance of nutrients that your body needs.

If you eat an apple every morning, that’s great! Apples are perfect for a quick energy boost, they help with weight loss, and they’re a heart healthy snack. But they also lack many of the vitamins and minerals that lead to optimal health.

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Another thing many people don’t consider is that nutritional needs are different for everyone. Whereas everyone needs the same nutrients to stay healthy, diets need to be adjusted and adapted to each individual’s needs at any given time.

Although eating right may sound like a simple concept, it can be complicated by things like changing tastes as we age and medical conditions that affect the way food is processed in the body. Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is just one condition that often has this effect on the body.

How COPD Affects Your Appetite and Sense of Taste

You may be wondering, “how can a disease that affects the lungs affect your appetite?” This is a valid question and one that can’t be answered easily. However, a good place to start is by remembering that everything you put in your body affects every aspect of your health in some way or another — whether directly or indirectly.

And when it comes to COPD specifically, your respiratory health is linked to your diet in one key way: metabolism. Metabolism is the process through which your body breaks down the food you eat and converts it into usable energy. Whether you’re at the gym exercising or you’re in bed sleeping, your body is always using energy, and thus your body always needs a source to draw energy from.

In the metabolic process, there are three main components that your body uses: the food and drink that you consume and the oxygen that you breathe. After consuming a food or drink, it goes to your stomach where it is broken down with digestive juices. The contents move to the small intestines which absorb the nutrients and transport them to your bloodstream.

Meanwhile, the air that you breathe passes over the alveoli in your lungs. A red blood cell protein called hemoglobin moves this oxygen into the bloodstream. Once these nutrients and oxygen are in the blood, it begins a process called cellular respiration where the oxygen breaks down glucose and stores energy in the cells. Nitrogenous wastes like CO₂  are also released through this process.

Because oxygen is such a crucial component in converting the food you eat into usable energy, a chronic lung condition like COPD can have an immense impact on your appetite, sense of taste, and general eating habits. Although the most common effect of COPD is weight loss, it can also lead to weight gain in some cases. 

Weight Loss in COPD Patients

In a country where 70 percent of people are classified as either overweight or obese, it may come as a surprise that some people suffer with the opposite problem — weight loss. However, according to the Lung Institute, an estimated 40 to 70 percent of COPD patients report losing weight unintentionally.

For a COPD patient, just the act of breathing takes significantly more effort than those without the condition. The Cleveland Clinic reports that breathing can burn up to 10 times as many calories for someone with COPD which can become more severe as the disease progresses. And without an increase in caloric intake, this will inevitably lead to weight loss.

Unintentional and rapid weight loss can be a serious problem and lead to symptoms like muscle loss, loss of energy, and an increased risk of injury and illness. You should visit a doctor regularly to ensure that you are maintaining a healthy weight and aren’t losing weight too quickly as a result of your respiratory condition. 

Pulmonary Cachexia

Although weight loss is generally perceived as a good thing for most people, not all weight loss is healthy, even in someone who may be considered overweight. Pulmonary cachexia is one side-effect of COPD that can lead to the unhealthy loss of both muscle and fat tissue. In severe cases, cachexia may result in the loss of a significant amount of muscle function.

Although the exact cause of cachexia is not known, studies have shown that intracellular mechanisms like myonuclear and protein turnover may be the primary cause. In other words, even people who eat enough and get all the proper nutrients through their diet may still experience a loss in body mass index (BMI). 

According to Physiology.org, cachexia is a common side-effect of COPD with about 20 to 40 percent of COPD patients affected. Although this condition occurs gradually in most people it’s likely accelerated during acute exacerbations, so it’s important to keep up with the treatment plan your doctor has set for you. 

Inflammation 

Inflammation in the lungs is the primary cause of COPD and potentially one of the leading causes of weight loss in COPD as well. Both emphysema and bronchitis — the two main types of COPD — result in inflammation in the lungs. Bronchitis is an inflammation of the bronchial tubes which bring air to the alveoli. Emphysema on the other hand, is the result of inflammation on the alveoli, usually due to exposure to irritants like cigarette smoke.  

Studies have shown that 85 percent of people experience at least one digestive problem with COPD like bloating which can make it difficult to eat. Although there are a number of things that could potentially be causing this, many COPD patients suffer from hyperinflated lungs due to inflammation and too much air getting trapped in the lungs when breathing. This can put stress on the rib cage, diaphragm, and stomach, especially while eating. 

Hormonal Changes

The adrenal glands sit on top of the kidneys and are responsible for a number of important roles in the body. First, and most importantly, they produce hormones that are essential for the normal function of your body. This includes things like regulating your body’s reaction to stress, regulation of blood pressure, and metabolism. There are a number of disorders that can result if the production of hormones is out of balance.

According to COPD News Today, inhaled corticosteroids used to treat COPD and asthma may be at fault for an increased risk of adrenal gland suppression. It’s often difficult to diagnose corticosteroid-induced adrenal suppression because the symptoms can vary widely from something as simple as tiredness to something as serious as a life-threatening illness. 

Fortunately, only a small number of people have experienced this issue with inhaled corticosteroids and COPD patients should not quit taking them before speaking with their doctor first. 

Anxiety

Anxiety can lead to complications when it comes to weight regulation. One of the primary characteristics of stress and anxiety is an increased release of adrenaline and cortisol in the body. This initiates the “fight or flight” response in your body that can increase your metabolism and cause you to lose weight more quickly. What’s more, anxiety can lead to decreased serotonin and dopamine (the feel good hormone) in the brain. This means you’ll likely feel less enjoyment from eating and you may avoid it as a result. 

It’s not uncommon for those coping with COPD to experience anxiety. As symptoms of breathlessness, coughing, and fatigue increase, it’s easy to feel trapped and uncomfortable in your own body. They also may feel stress about being reliant on a loved one for daily tasks or stressed about going somewhere that may cause an exacerbation. For more information on managing anxiety with COPD, read our blog titled COPD and Anxiety: How to Find Peace of Mind.

Weight Gain in COPD Patients

Although it’s significantly less common for someone with a chronic respiratory disease to experience weight gain, it is certainly possible and learning how to keep unnecessary weight off is just as important when it comes to preventing serious COPD exacerbations. 

One of the serious threats of being overweight with COPD is the increased risk of obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). According to WebMD, more than half of people with OSA are either overweight or obese. Since sleep apnea causes disruptions in breathing at night, it can be a potentially life-threatening condition for someone who is also suffering with COPD. 

Inactivity

Possibly the most common cause of weight gain with COPD is inactivity. As COPD progresses, lung function is reduced significantly. Using a spirometry test, pulmonologists are able to determine both your forced expiratory volume (FEV1) and your forced vital capacity (FVC). Below are the levels of lung function you can expect with each stage of COPD.

• Mild COPD (grade 1) - 80 percent or higher FEV1

• Moderate COPD (grade 2) - 50 to 79 percent FEV1

• Severe COPD (grade 3) - 30 to 49 percent FEV1

• Very severe COPD (grade 4) - Under 30 percent FEV1

It goes without saying that as someone progresses through these stages of COPD, their ability to perform physical tasks will diminish. Many people find that they aren’t able to exercise or perform chores around the house like they used to. Fortunately, pulmonary rehabilitation is an effective method for reducing symptoms of COPD and helping people to regulate their weight more easily while coping with the condition.

Lifestyle Changes

Being diagnosed with COPD means making a lot of lifestyle changes that you may not be prepared to make. Although most people eventually adapt and adjust to a new way of life, some people may find it difficult to cope at first.

It’s easy to fall into bad habits like eating unhealthy food or skipping out on breathing exercises or pulmonary rehabilitation classes. However, these are likely all things that your doctor has recommended as part of your treatment plan and you should take care to follow them as best as possible. You might also be on a strict diet regimen that focuses on providing you with nutrients that you need to improve lung function and reduce COPD symptoms. Although it may seem different at first, stick with it until it becomes routine.

Steroids

Steroids are one of the many medications used to treat acute COPD exacerbations and can be either taken orally or inhaled. These steroids help to fight inflammation in the lungs, reduce swelling, and suppress the immune system so that your body doesn’t attack healthy cells. 

Unfortunately, these benefits don’t come without side-effects. Many people who take steroids for COPD experience an increased appetite, fluid retention, and a change in where the body stores fat. This added weight usually appears in the neck, abdomen, and face. And generally, the longer you’re on the steroid and the higher the dose, the more likely you are to experience these symptoms.

Fluid Retention

One thing many people don’t consider when it comes to weight gain is that much of it could be caused by increased fluid retention in their body. Fluid retention is when your body stores water instead of using it. This can be caused by a number of things like pain relievers, antidepressants, and other medications, but one of the most common causes of fluid retention is a high sodium diet and lack of exercise.

Loss of Taste Plays a Role in Weight Management

Aside from the risk factors above, loss of taste or taste dysfunctions can make it difficult to regulate weight and follow a strict dietary routine required for COPD treatment. There are a number of potential causes for this, however, most people tend to experience it more with age, after taking medication, and after smoking. And let’s face it, if you’re not enjoying the food that you’re eating, it’s going to be a lot less likely that you are able to continue eating it.

Medication

Prednisolone is a steroid that can be used to regulate inflammation, metabolism, mineral balance, and the immune system. It’s commonly prescribed by doctors to treat COPD symptoms such as chest tightness, chest pain, and breathlessness. However, some patients report experiencing a metallic taste in their mouth after taking it. 

Other drugs like inhaled corticosteroids used to treat asthma and COPD can leave a strange taste in your mouth after using them. Although the taste tends to go away after an hour or two, it can certainly have an impact on your diet, especially if you take medication right before eating. 

Age

Taste loss is natural as you age. Over time, taste buds will shrink and be less sensitive to food, especially salty, sweet, or bitter flavors. Since COPD is much more common in old age, it’s imperative that you avoid adding salt or sugar to the food that you eat. Sodium causes your body to retain water, leading to weight gain and increasing your chance of experiencing breathlessness and sleep apnea. Sugar, on the other hand, will also lead to weight gain and leave you feeling fatigued.

Before adding anything to your diet, you should speak with your doctor who may be able to recommend seasonings that won’t add any additional side effects. Also, be sure to look up recipes for low-sodium meals.

Dry Mouth

Dry mouth is just what it sounds like — dry mouth due to a lack of saliva production. COPD patients often experience dry mouth when undergoing oxygen therapy because the air that’s processed through their machine is not humidified. Having dry mouth frequently can lead to taste loss and difficulty eating.

Fortunately, there are solutions to this problem. Whether you’re using a CPAP machine for sleeping, a home oxygen concentrator, or a portable oxygen concentrator, you can purchase a humidifier that either attaches to the device or you can use a regular home humidifier. 

What You Can Do To Manage Your Weight

Weight management doesn’t just help you feel better, it’s crucial for preventing serious COPD exacerbations. If you’re overweight, you’ll be more likely to develop sleep apnea which can result in more exacerbations. On the other hand, if you’re underweight, you may start losing muscle mass rather than fat which makes it more difficult to breathe.

Routine Doctor Visits

The best way to manage your weight with COPD is to ensure that you always visit your doctor routinely. Unfortunately, visiting your doctor once a year is not enough for him/her to be able to notice what is actually causing the weight loss or weight gain, so you’ll need to see them regularly to make sure you’re on the right track.  

As we mentioned earlier, maintaining your weight isn’t just about eating right. Your doctor will need to adjust your diet regularly to ensure you’re getting the right nutrients.

Stay Active

It’s normal for someone with COPD to experience declining physical abilities, but in the grand scheme of things, any form of exercise you can manage will help, no matter how insignificant it may seem. 

Pulmonary rehabilitation is a type of exercise routine that’s designed specifically for those coping with a chronic respiratory condition. It teaches COPD patients the best way to exercise, what exercises benefit the lungs the most, as well as breathing exercises that will help you feel less fatigued. Not only will pulmonary rehabilitation help you keep off unnecessary weight but it can help you retain your muscle mass.

Reduce Salt Intake

The average American diet is very high in salt which is known to increase blood pressure and cause weight gain, especially through water retention. Although it’s healthy to have some sodium in your diet, it’s best to get it naturally through your food rather than through added salt. Since your sense of taste tends to decline with age, you should try to avoid adding additional salt to every meal and use other seasonings to add flavor instead. 

Oxygen Therapy

One of the most effective and common treatment options for COPD is oxygen therapy. And the good news is that keeping up with your oxygen therapy treatment will also help you manage your weight. Like we mentioned before, taking a breath can burn as much as 10 times as many calories for someone with a chronic respiratory disease. However, when you use an oxygen therapy device you won’t be exerting any extra energy to breathe.

If you are on the go frequently and want an oxygen therapy device to match that lifestyle, portable oxygen concentrators will help you achieve that. Since oxygen concentrators draw ambient air, you won’t need to carry a heavy and bulky oxygen tank around with you.

Ask For Help

After being diagnosed with a condition like COPD, there’s always the question of how much independence you should maintain. Independence can be great for self-esteem and to help you lead a more fulfilling life. However, simultaneously, you should never be afraid to ask for help when you need it. 

Chances are, you know what it takes to maintain a healthy weight, but if you don’t have the energy to cook like you used to or maintain a healthy lifestyle, you may find it more difficult to manage your weight. A little help from a friend or a loved one can go a long way towards improving your health and you’ll become closer in your relationship as a result.

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Conclusion

Maintaining a healthy weight while coping with COPD isn’t all about your diet. There are a number of complications that COPD patients need to deal with in order to avoid unintentional weight loss or weight gain. While a healthy diet should be the foundation of your COPD treatment plan, you should take into consideration all of the above in order to achieve optimal results.

While it’s great to make changes to your routine in order to improve your health, it’s best to consult a doctor or pulmonary specialist first. What may be beneficial for one person could be detrimental for another and having a clear treatment plan to follow is key to your success.

One of the most common questions we hear COPD patients ask is, “how can I clear my airways when they get congested?” As a COPD patient, you’re likely to experience coughing fits that are brought on by the buildup of mucus and sputum in the airways and lungs. And sometimes, no matter how hard you try, you feel like you can’t clear them in order to catch a breath of fresh air. This is far more common than you might expect and it can be a frustrating and sometimes even scary experience.

Another thing that many people don’t realize is that airway clearance can be a lot more complicated than learning how to cough correctly. There are many different techniques that can be applied, and it’s also helpful to know why your airways are becoming congested in the first place. In this post, we’ll help you understand some of these concepts and provide you with a step-by-step guide on how to clear your airways safely.

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As always, it’s imperative that you speak to your doctor if you experience ongoing issues with coughing, wheezing, or shortness of breath. These symptoms tend to get worse over time unless the root cause is dealt with. What’s more, coughing fits can lead to flare-ups and exacerbations which can put you in the hospital.

Why does COPD Make it Difficult to Clear Your Airways?

There are two different types of chronic lung disease: obstructive and restrictive. A restrictive lung disease like pulmonary fibrosis or interstitial lung disease is one that affects the lungs’ ability to expand. An obstructive lung disease like COPD or bronchiectasis, however, prevents you from fully expelling air from the lungs. This is especially problematic when the patient tries to cough because they may not have the force necessary to clear mucus and other substances from the airways.

Another reason that COPD makes it more difficult to clear your airways is that this disease is associated with changes in the way that mucus and sputum are produced in the body. In a healthy individual, mucus plays a vital role in the body’s immune function. The body carefully regulates the mucus lining the airways and lungs so that there is enough to trap bacteria but not so much that you choke or can’t breathe naturally. However, in COPD patients, there is usually an overproduction of mucus due to oversized mucus glands and an overabundance of goblet cells. 

If you’re a current smoker, this could be another reason that you’re experiencing issues with airway obstruction. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), as many as 38 percent of COPD patients are current smokers. This study published in the Karger medical journal found that moderate and heavy smokers have a higher impairment in mucociliary clearance than their non-smoking counterparts. One of the key ways that smoking affects airway clearance is by damaging and killing cilia. These are tiny hair-like organelles that help to push mucus and other debris out of the airways. 

Since there are so many different causes of airway obstruction in COPD, it’s important to have a comprehensive treatment plan to deal with these symptoms. Airway clearance therapy can and should be used, but it won’t be as effective if you aren’t following all other aspects of your treatment plan that your doctor has designed for you. Ideally, if you’re following your treatment plan carefully, you won’t experience mucus buildup as frequently and you’ll only need to use airway clearance techniques in rare circumstances. 

What is Airway Clearance Therapy (ACT)

Airway clearance therapy, or sometimes called airway clearance techniques, is a group of scientifically backed methods used for clearing mucus from the airways. These techniques were developed as a more controlled version of our body’s natural airway clearance techniques like coughing and wheezing. A chronic and persistent cough or episodes of wheezing can be extremely unhealthy, especially if they lead to you losing sleep or feeling lightheaded or fatigued. Airway clearance techniques aim to not only make COPD patients more aware of how they’re coughing, but also provide them with some entirely new methods that may be more effective.

Generally speaking, airway clearance techniques are divided into seven different categories. Everyone has a slightly different way of practicing these techniques, so don’t be alarmed if your pulmonologist tells you something that differs from what you have read here. Our goal is simply to provide you with an overview so that you can better understand how airway clearance therapy works.

1.) Controlled Coughing 

Like we mentioned before, uncontrolled coughing is problematic in COPD patients. Without understanding how your lungs, airways, and mucus work, simply expelling air in an attempt to dislodge any obstruction can be more effort than it’s worth. One of the biggest problems associated with normal coughing or wheezing is that it often causes the airways to collapse, meaning that no matter how hard you cough, the mucus will be stuck. If you hear a wheezing or whistling noise when you cough, this is a sure sign that your airways collapse when you cough.  Controlled coughing is focused on keeping the airways open so that you’re not wasting valuable energy and oxygen.

The first rule of controlled coughing is to avoid inhaling sharply through your mouth. This can send mucus back down the airways and be very counterproductive. Instead, inhale slowly but deeply through your nose. This way you have enough oxygen to cough correctly. It’s best to practice controlled coughing while sitting down and you should try to relax as much as possible. Especially try to eliminate the tension in your shoulders and chest because this can contribute to the airways becoming narrow.

Once you’re seated, lean forward slightly and place your hands on your abdomen. You’re going to cough three times and you should really focus on the quality of each one to ensure that the mucus is moving out of your airways rather than back down into your lungs. Be sure to take a deep breath through your nose between each cough to ensure that you move enough air. If you need to take a moment to relax between each cough, this can be helpful.

Another technique that’s similar to controlled coughing is huff coughing. For the most part, you will follow the same steps as you would for controlled coughing. However, instead of coughing, you’re going to be forcing air through your airways similar to how you would fog up a mirror or how you would clean a phone screen or your glasses. In other words, you’re expelling air out your mouth without creating any vibrations in your chest or throat.

2.) Autogenic Drainage (AD)

The aim of autogenic drainage is to move mucus from the smaller airways into the larger airways (peripheral airways into central airways). By doing this, it is much easier to dislodge the mucus because it’s all in one area. The rationale for autogenic drainage is based on a principle of solid mechanics called shear force. This is when unaligned forces are applied to an object causing it to bend in two different directions. In the case of autogenic drainage, the mucus and other secretions in the airways are the object that’s being manipulated. This is done through a series of carefully monitored breathing techniques.

3.) Postural Drainage and Percussion (PDP)

Postural drainage and percussion, also known as chest physical therapy (CPT), is a technique that involves using your hands to assist with airway drainage. While you can do PDP on your own, it’s often recommended that you have someone assist you with it, whether it’s a friend, loved one, or your physical therapist. Like autogenic drainage, PDP is a technique that will take some time to perfect so it helps to be patient as you learn the ins and outs of this method.

The reason this method is called “postural” drainage is that you are going to use different positions that leverage gravity in order to drain the mucus from your airways. The general rule of thumb is that your hips should be higher than your chest. Whether this means laying on your back, side, or stomach, you can do whatever is most comfortable for you. Many people prefer to use pillows or blankets to elevate their hips. 

Once you’ve found a comfortable position you can begin the percussion. Most specialists recommend cupping your hand and placing it palm down on your chest. This will allow you to break up the mucus in your chest without hurting yourself. The percussion can also be done on your back but it’s best to have a partner to help you out with this.  

4.) Positive Expiratory Pressure (PEP) Therapy

Essentially, the term positive expiratory pressure means experiencing greater resistance when you’re exhaling than when you’re inhaling. This is done with a PEP device which you hold to your mouth and breath into. The device allows you to inhale normally, but when you go to exhale, you experience resistance about four times greater than what you would normally experience. What this does is keeps your airways open as you exhale and allow the force of your air to get behind the mucus and push it out of the airways.

5.) Oscillating Positive Expiratory Pressure

Oscillating positive expiratory pressure therapy is very similar to the method above. However, an oscillating PEP device uses high-frequency oscillations that break up mucus as you exhale. Oscillating PEP devices look similar to traditional PEP devices but they have a ball inside that rattles around as you exhale. This is what creates the vibrations in your upper chest. After blowing into the device several times, you can take a break to clear out any mucus that the device brought up. Then simply repeat the process.

6.) High-Frequency Oscillating Vest

A high-frequency oscillating vest is another tool that can be used for airway clearance. This is an inflatable device that looks a lot like a life vest. The oscillating vest is connected to an air compressor via two hoses. Once it’s turned on, the vest inflates and deflates in rapid succession. The basic principle is that it uses positive and negative pressure changes in the chest to augment peripheral and tracheal mucus movement towards the airway opening. After a set period of time, the device is stopped and the patient can cough to bring up the mucus.

While high-frequency oscillating vests are very effective, they aren’t without disadvantages. These vests can be very expensive to purchase and maintain. What’s more, they’re not very portable in comparison to the PEP devices which we discussed earlier. If you’re someone who travels a lot you might find that high-frequency oscillating vests are more trouble than they’re worth.   

7.) Active Cycle of Breathing Technique (ACBT)

The active cycle of breathing technique is an airway clearance method that combines positioning, breathing, and coughing. Since this is the most complex airway clearance technique it’s also the most flexible when it comes to being adapted to fit a variety of patient’s needs. The goals of ACBT include improving the effectiveness of your coughs, improving lung ventilation, and clearing secretions from the lungs. Below are the three different phases of ACBT:

Phase 1 - Breathing Control and Relaxation

The first step in ACBT is to bring your breathing under control and completely relax your body. The majority of the tension in your body will be located in your shoulders, chest, and back, and many people are unaware of how much this can affect the way you breathe. Start by closing your eyes and placing your hands on your stomach. Sit with your back straight and begin to practice pursed lips breathing. This is where you inhale slowly through your nose and exhale fully through pursed lips.

Phase 2 - Thoracic Expansion Exercises

As the title suggests, the aim of phase 2 in the active cycle of breathing technique is to expand the chest. During this step, you will take 3 to 5 deep breaths in through your nose and out through your mouth while keeping your shoulders and chest relaxed. At the peak of each inspiration, you will hold your breath for 2 to 3 seconds. After the allotted time, simply release the air rather than trying to force it out.

Phase 3 - Forced Expiratory Technique (FET)

The forced expiratory technique is another way of saying “huff” cough. Like we described under the “controlled coughing” section, a huff cough is a way of clearing mucus without allowing the airways to collapse. You’re simply pushing air out the lungs but putting more air behind it than you would with a normal breath. You should repeat this after each thoracic expansion that you do.

Other Ways to Prevent Airway Obstruction With COPD

Drink Plenty of Water

Your ability to prevent airway obstruction depends heavily on your level of hydration. Mucus is made up of about 97 percent water. However, slight variations in this can cause it to become extremely thick and difficult to clear from the airways. Since every organ in your body uses water, it’s imperative that you aren’t starving yourself of this vital resource. According to COPD.net, the average COPD patient should drink between 8 and 12 glasses of water every day.

As you work to increase your water intake, it’s also important to reduce your intake of other types of fluid. Milk, and dairy products in general, are known for thickening your mucus so you’re going to want to avoid these as much as possible. Much like salt, sugar has the ability to dehydrate you, so you should avoid sugary sodas, fruit juices, or sweetened tea. If you absolutely have to drink something other than water, try unsweetened hot green tea which will not only thin your mucus but has a number of other health benefits as well.

Maintain a Balanced Diet

Healthy eating is all about getting the right balance of nutrients that your body needs to stay healthy. For COPD patients and people with other respiratory illnesses, this could mean consuming less sodium and salt which contributes to problems like airway obstruction. You should also avoid highly processed foods which can contribute to bloating and thus making it more difficult to breathe. Most COPD patients tend to do better with a diet that is high in protein and healthy fat which is easy to digest and will support healthy lung function.  

Use COPD Medications Effectively

Depending on how severe your COPD is, your doctor has likely prescribed you some medication for coping with your symptoms. One of the most common medications for COPD is called bronchodilators. These medications open up the airways so that you can breathe easier and they can make it easier for you to perform the airway clearance techniques listed above. Ask your doctor about changing up your treatment schedule to assist with airway clearance. 

Another medication that can help with airway clearance is a class of drugs called expectorants. These are medications are designed to thin the mucus in your airways making it easier to clear. Expectorants aren’t designed specifically for COPD patients because they’re also used to treat congestion associated with the common cold and the flu. While expectorants are available for over-the-counter purchase, you should be sure to ask your doctor before using them because they may have adverse interactions with the COPD medications you already take.

Pulmonary Rehabilitation

Pulmonary rehabilitation (PR) is an exercise and education program focused on improving lung strength and function. COPD patients should begin pulmonary rehabilitation right after they’re diagnosed so that they learn the best way to take care of their lungs and slow the progression of COPD. Another benefit of PR that many people don’t realize is that it can help with airway clearance. According to a study published in the European Respiratory Journal, exercise improves mucosal clearance in the small airways by releasing moderators that increase fluid secretion and stimulate cilia beat frequency. What’s more, PR increases lung strength and endurance which can help you perform the airway clearance techniques listed above.

Get More Restful Sleep

Getting restful sleep is a problem that many people face for their whole lives. According to the Sleep Association, around 50 to 70 million people suffer from a sleep disorder in the United States. So, as you can imagine, there is a lot of overlap between people suffering from COPD and people suffering from sleep disorders. If you’ve never been diagnosed with a sleep disorder or provided with treatment for your sleep disorder, now is the best time to seek help. Addressing your sleep problems will have undeniable benefits when it comes to helping you manage your COPD. If you’d like to learn more about getting restful sleep with COPD, please read through this article.

Conclusion

Airway clearance therapy is an incredibly important skill for all COPD patients to learn. However, it’s not an all-in-one solution. Drinking enough water, getting enough sleep, eating right, and exercising are all great ways to prevent airway obstruction and prevent the need for alternative therapies. If you’re experiencing frequent coughing or wheezing, we recommend contacting your pulmonologist immediately so that you can address your concerns.

Here at LPT Medical, we specialize in life-saving oxygen equipment which can help you maintain your oxygen levels if you are experiencing a coughing fit or COPD exacerbation. We will help you get the best deal on the market for portable oxygen concentrators like the Caire FreeStyle Comfort or the Inogen One G5. These devices are much lighter and reliable than traditional oxygen delivery devices allowing you to go more places without worrying about whether or not you’re getting enough oxygen. Since the oxygen is administered through a nasal cannula you can still do all of the airway clearance techniques above while you’re receiving oxygen.

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It’s very important to us that you receive the oxygen concentrator that’s right for you. When you reach out to us, you will be connected with a respiratory specialist who will ask you questions about your oxygen use and lifestyle. If cost is a concern for you, we also have a variety of different buying options including new, used, and refurbished concentrators. We also have financing options available if you’d like to pay in easy monthly installments. Reach out to us either by phone or email for more information.

What is Pulmonary Fibrosis?

Pulmonary fibrosis is a kind of interstitial lung disease (ILD), which belongs to a class of more than 200 diseases that affect the interstitial tissue in the lungs. What is interstitial tissue? It's a type of connective tissue found in the lungs between the air sacs, or alveoli.

Pulmonary fibrosis is aptly named after the disease's main detrimental effect: deep scarring in the lungs. The term “fibrosis” is a medical term for scarring, while “pulmonary” refers to the respiratory system.

People with pulmonary fibrosis have severely scarred tissue deep in their lungs that steadily gets worse over time. The scarring causes the lung tissue to lose its elasticity and become thick and stiff, hurting overall lung function and making it difficult to breathe. Unfortunately, this change is permanent and cannot be reversed with medication or any other known treatment.

Although respiratory irritants, medications, and other diseases can cause lung scarring and lead to pulmonary fibrosis, it is still difficult in most cases to determine the cause of the disease. In fact, most cases of pulmonary fibrosis can't be traced back to any specific known cause.

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How Does Pulmonary Fibrosis Affect Your Body?

The main effect of pulmonary fibrosis is that it reduces lung function and makes it difficult to breathe. That's because scarred (or “fibrotic”) tissue in the lungs is unable to absorb oxygen efficiently.

When you breathe in, the air travels down to your lungs where lots of tiny air sacs, or alveoli, absorb oxygen from the air. Alveoli have very thin membranes with lots of capillaries underneath, which allows them to absorb oxygen very efficiently.

The thin, supple tissue is a key characteristic that allows oxygen to easily diffuse through the membrane into the blood vessels directly underneath. But when healthy lung tissue becomes scarred, it changes texture and becomes thicker, making it hard for the oxygen to get through.

The more scarring (fibrosis) and the less healthy lung tissue there is, the less oxygen is able to enter the bloodstream, and the lower the blood's oxygen saturation level goes. As a result, the lungs have to work harder and take more total breaths in order to supply the whole body with enough oxygen.

In addition to affecting oxygen absorption, the stiff, fibrotic tissue is less flexible and stretchy than healthy lung tissue. This makes it difficult for the lungs to expand, causing them to use up more energy with each breath.

This leads people with pulmonary fibrosis to feel breathless and fatigued. If left untreated, low blood oxygen levels can lead to more serious complications over time.

Key Facts about Pulmonary Fibrosis

About 140 thousand Americans are currently diagnosed and living with pulmonary fibrosis. It can affect men and women of any age, but it is most common in middle-aged and older adults.

Each case of pulmonary fibrosis is unique, and the disease can progress slowly in some people and more quickly in others. The speed at which the disease progresses can vary based on age, lifestyle, treatment, individual genetic factors, and the disease's root cause.

Besides causing lung damage and respiratory issues, pulmonary fibrosis can lead to other serious complications. It can cause a variety of life-threatening conditions, including lung infections, lung cancer, blood clots, and collapsed lungs.

Most people diagnosed with pulmonary fibrosis have a life expectancy of three to five years, depending on how quickly the disease is discovered and how effectively it's treated. The most common cause of death is respiratory failure, but death can also result from complications like pulmonary hypertension, heart failure, lung cancer, or pneumonia.

Symptoms of Pulmonary Fibrosis

The first and most obvious symptoms of pulmonary fibrosis are shortness of breath and coughing. While these symptoms are associated with many more minor, temporary respiratory illnesses (like the common cold), the symptoms of pulmonary fibrosis are chronic and refuse go away.

In early stages of the disease, many people don't notice any symptoms at all. As their pulmonary fibrosis progresses, however, people with the disease usually start noticing that they tire more easily and have difficulty breathing during heavy physical activity.

As the disease goes on and lung damage worsens, patients can experience weight loss, joint pain, and “clubbing” in their fingers and toes. Eventually, the decline in lung function can leave you feeling breathless during even light daily activities or at rest.

Pulmonary Fibrosis Symptoms:

• Shortness of breath (especially with physical activity)
• Fatigue
• Shallow breathing
• Dry cough
• Unexplained weight loss
• Sore muscles and joints
• “Clubbing” (rounding and widening) of the fingers and toes

Causes of Pulmonary Fibrosis

Many different diseases, conditions, and environmental factors can cause, or contribute to, pulmonary fibrosis. However, in a large number of cases doctors can't find any clear cause.

If a reason or underlying condition is found, then it can improve the patient's treatment and prognosis. It can help your doctor put together a more targeted treatment plan and help you more effectively manage the disease.

The causes and contributing factors for pulmonary fibrosis fall into three general categories: environmental irritants, medications, and other underlying diseases.

Environmental Factors

Exposure to certain environmental factors, such as dust or asbestos, can cause lung scarring over long periods of time. That's why it's very important to avoid respiratory irritants when you can and wear proper protection when you can't.

This is especially important if you work in a field like agriculture or construction, which can expose workers to harmful chemicals and respiratory irritants for hours day after day.

Here are a few of the environmental irritants that can put you at risk for developing pulmonary fibrosis over the long term:

• Asbestos fibers
• Silica dust
• Hard metal dusts
• Grain and other organic dusts
• Bird and other animal droppings

Medication

Research on the risk factors for the disease has identified at least 42 drugs that can cause pulmonary fibrosis as a side effect.

Some medications only have a mild association with the disease, but others are much more risky. The drug bleomycin (often prescribed to treat lung cancer), for example, is known to have a relatively high risk of causing pulmonary fibrosis.

However, it is often difficult to determine whether medications like these are the cause for a specific case of pulmonary fibrosis. Even if a patient has a history of using a high-risk drug it can be impossible to confirm that it was the sole cause.

Radiation and chemotherapy treatments for cancer are another source of lung damage that can lead to pulmonary fibrosis. Because it often takes several months, or even years, before the damage makes itself known, it can creep up out of nowhere.

Luckily, only a small percentage of cancer patients who go through radiation or chemotherapy treatment eventually develop pulmonary fibrosis. The likelihood of getting the disease following radiation therapy depends largely on the severity and scope of radiation exposure, underlying lung conditions, and whether or not the patient underwent chemotherapy as well.

Here are some of the medications known to cause pulmonary fibrosis:

• Heart medications prescribed for heart murmurs
• Certain antibiotics, including notrofurantoin or ethambutol
• Chemotherapy drugs
• Certain anti-inflammatory medications like rituximab and sulfasalazine

Existing Medical Conditions

Some viruses, including hepatitis C, human herpesvirus-8, cytomegalovirus, and Epstein-Barr virus can affect the lungs and leave you prone to developing pulmonary fibrosis. There is also a variety of other conditions, especially autoimmune diseases, that can cause lung damage and fibrosis.

Here are some other medical conditions that can lead to pulmonary fibrosis:

• Dermatomyositis
• Polymyositis
• Mixed connective tissue disease
• Systemic lupus erythematousus
• Rheumatoid Arthritis
• Sarcoidosis
• Scleroderma
• Pneumonia
• Emphysema

Other Causes

Although there are many diseases and environmental factors that can lead to pulmonary fibrosis, a direct cause for the disease is difficult to find. Often, there are simply no underlying illnesses or obvious risk factors in a person's history that would explain how they got the disease.

In this case, a doctor will diagnose Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis (IPF), which is a case of pulmonary fibrosis that happens spontaneously, with no obvious cause. This can be a frustrating diagnosis to get, because it doesn't give patients the answers and explanations that some need to understand and come to terms with the disease.

However, it's important to remember that most people with pulmonary fibrosis never find an obvious cause. Instead of focusing on the “why,” patients should focus what they and their doctor can do in the future to manage the symptoms and prevent disease progression.

In some cases, genetic factors can predispose you to getting a disease like pulmonary fibrosis, which provides an explanation for some spontaneous cases of IPF. It's been found that as many as 10-15 percent of people diagnosed with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis have at least one other family member with the disease.

Risk Factors for Pulmonary Fibrosis

Some people are more likely than others to develop pulmonary fibrosis. Depending on your lifestyle, habits, and genetic predisposition to the disease, you might be more likely to develop pulmonary fibrosis at some point in your lifetime.

First, pulmonary fibrosis is more likely to affect people who are older, and people who are female. The disease is also far more likely to affect people who smoke or are exposed to respiratory irritants through their occupation.

If you work in certain industries, like farming, mining, or construction, you might be at a higher risk for developing pulmonary fibrosis. These kinds of jobs are a common source of exposure to lung irritants that can cause inflammation and scarring.

Here are all the major factors that can put you at risk for developing pulmonary fibrosis:

• Smoking
• Being above the age of 50
• Being male
• Cancer treatments (radiation and chemotherapy)
• Genetics (having other family members with pulmonary fibrosis)
• Having an occupation that exposes you to respiratory irritants (exposure to silica dust, coal dust, grain dust, and other irritants)

Although all of these things are not always controllable, you can still take steps to prevent pulmonary fibrosis by being aware of potential irritants and risk factors. If you avoid unhealthy habits like smoking and protect yourself from dust and other irritants at home and work, you can greatly reduce your risk for lung diseases like pulmonary fibrosis.

Complications that Can Occur with Pulmonary Fibrosis

While pulmonary fibrosis only directly affects the tissue in the lungs, it can lead to a host of other symptoms and detrimental health conditions. Long-term inflammation also makes lung tissue more prone to infection and even developing cancer.

One of the most serious complications pulmonary hypertension, which puts pressure and strain on the heart and surrounding arteries. In the most severe cases, this can enlarge the heart and even cause right ventricle heart failure and death.

Pulmonary Hypertension: This is a potentially serious condition that occurs when the scarred tissue from pulmonary fibrosis presses against the arteries in the lungs, causing them to narrow. This results in high blood press/ure in the lungs and heart, which causes pressure in the lower right heart chamber as well as the heart's main arteries.

Right-sided Heart Failure: This is a medical emergency that can result from pulmonary hypertension. As the pressure in the heart increases due to constricted arteries, it has to work much harder to pump blood through the lungs. This effects the right ventricle of the heart the most, and over time it can cause  it to fail.

Respiratory Failure: Respiratory failure happens when the lungs simply cannot absorb enough oxygen to supply your vital organs, like your heart and brain. Blood oxygen falls to critically dangerous levels, requiring oxygen therapy and medical intervention.

Pulmonary Embolism: A pulmonary embolism a blood clot that travels through the bloodstream to the lungs, where it gets caught and blocks blood flow. In patients with pulmonary fibrosis, pulmonary embolisms can be much more serious, and even small clots can cause major problems.

Pulmonary embolism can be caused by long periods of inactivity and immobilization, such as during long plane rides and travel. It tends to happen more often in males and to patients after lung transplant surgery.

Lung Cancer: Over time, the inflammation and tissue damage caused by pulmonary fibrosis can leave you at a greater risk of developing lung cancer.

Other Lung Complications: As the disease progresses, pulmonary fibrosis can cause severe problems like infections, blood clots, or even a collapsed lung.

Treatments for Pulmonary Fibrosis

There is no absolute cure for pulmonary fibrosis, but it is possible to increase your lifespan and quality of life through proper treatment. Effective disease management usually involves a variety of lifestyle changes, medication, supplemental oxygen, and taking steps to avoid catching contagious illnesses.

Quit Smoking

Smoking and pulmonary fibrosis do not mix well. In fact, smoking is one of the quickest ways to make symptoms worse and cause the disease to progress even faster.

Quitting smoking can be a very difficult change to make, but you don't have to do it alone. There are countless resources online and in local communities in every state dedicated to providing smokers with information, support, and the medical resources they need to quit.

If you have pulmonary fibrosis, it is very important to protect your lungs from all kinds of smoke, including secondhand smoke and open fires. Make sure you ask your friends and family members who smoke not to smoke around you, and help them understand why it's important for your health.

If you need help quitting smoking, talk to your doctor about quit smoking medications or smoking cessation programs in your area. You can also visit the American Lung Association's website for more advice and support. Www.lung.org/stop-smoking

Pulmonary Rehabilitation

Lung diseases can be scary and difficult to manage, and there is a lot to learn after being diagnosed with pulmonary fibrosis. Many people find that they need some help and support staying healthy and adhering to strict treatment and exercise plans—especially since the disease can make physical activity difficult.

That's what pulmonary rehabilitation is designed for: to help people with lung diseases like pulmonary fibrosis learn the skills and techniques they need to survive and thrive with their disease. It often includes group sessions with licensed medical professionals and therapists who can answer questions, provide support, and teach you how to manage your symptoms.

Pulmonary rehabilitation will teach you how to monitor your symptoms and use medications, supplemental oxygen, and breathing techniques to keep your oxygen levels high. You will learn about healthy diet and nutrition, special lung-friendly exercises, and how to manage your breathing and oxygen levels during physical activity.

Pulmonary rehabilitation is a truly comprehensive approach to health and lung disease management that anyone with pulmonary fibrosis could benefit from. And it's not only a place to learn skills and receive professional advice; one of the best things about pulmonary rehab is the opportunity to meet and connect with other people who have lung diseases, too.

Pulmonary rehab is a great place to build relationships with people who understand what it's like to live with pulmonary fibrosis and are dealing with similar challenges. You can't put a value on support and friendship, and that's what everyone who has to cope with a chronic disease truly needs.

Vaccination

When you have a lung disease like pulmonary fibrosis, even minor illnesses can be a big deal. That's why it's important to keep up with vaccinations, including yearly flu shots.

Getting an illness that affect the respiratory system, like the common flu, can make pulmonary fibrosis symptoms worse. Existing symptoms like shortness of breath and wheezing can become much more severe and require medical intervention.

Since doctors commonly prescribe immune system suppressants for pulmonary fibrosis, people with the disease are even more vulnerable to getting sick than the general population. However, you can protect yourself by getting yearly flu shots and practicing proper hygiene in public places.

Diet & Exercise

Anything that puts extra stress on your heart and lungs can make it difficult to breathe when you have pulmonary fibrosis. That's why proper diet and exercise, and maintaining a healthy weight, is such an important part of treating the disease.

Being overweight can worsen your symptoms and increase breathlessness, and patients who are severely overweight may not be eligible for lung transplant surgery. If you struggle to maintain a healthy weight, talk to your doctor to get advice on healthy ways to lose weight and eat better.

Pulmonary rehabilitation is also a great way to gain the knowledge and support you need to live a healthy, active lifestyle. Talk to your doctor or visit the COPD foundation's website to find a pulmonary rehabilitation program near you.

Lung Transplant Surgery

Depending on personal health and disease history, patients diagnosed with pulmonary fibrosis are often urged to seek a lung transplant. Lung transplant surgery can be a very effective treatment and increase both the length and quality of life for pulmonary fibrosis patients.

Many people with pulmonary fibrosis have benefited from the procedure; in fact, more than 50% of lung transplant surgeries are performed for patients with some form of pulmonary fibrosis. However, in order to be eligible for a lung transplant, you must be relatively healthy and have no other major diseases.

If you are diagnosed with pulmonary fibrosis, it's important to begin the process of becoming a potential transplant candidate as soon as possible. You will have to undergo an intense evaluation and be placed on a waiting list before you can be considered for the operation.

Medications

Although pulmonary fibrosis is not curable, there is still a variety of medications available to help people with the disease live more comfortably.

It is normal for COPD symptoms to change throughout the day in response to your environment, your activities, and even your circadian rhythm. However, many people with COPD, and especially those with severe COPD, notice their symptoms tend to get worse in the morning.

COPD symptoms can be frustrating any time of the day, but they can be particularly burdensome to deal with first thing when you get up. They are more than just a nuisance; morning COPD symptoms can disrupt your morning routine and have a major effect on your quality of life.

Unfortunately, many patients struggle to manage their morning symptoms effectively. That's why, in this post, we're going to tell you everything you need to know about morning COPD symptoms and what you can do to keep them under control.

The following sections will explain why COPD symptoms tend to worsen in the morning, what kinds of symptoms are common, and how they can affect your daily activities and your overall quality of life. Then, we'll discuss a variety of different techniques, including medications, non-pharmacological therapies, and simple habit changes that can help you better manage and minimize your morning symptoms.

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The Burden of Morning COPD Symptoms

 

 

 

According to one research survey, a large proportion of people with COPD—about 37 percent—experience worse symptoms in the morning while they're getting ready to start their day. The number was even higher for people with severe COPD, with 46% reporting more severe symptoms during the morning time.

 

The most common morning symptoms tend to be shortness of breath, persistent coughing, and coughing up phlegm. They tend to begin immediately after waking up, but many patients also report that their symptoms frequently wake them up from sleep.

 

For many patients, the worst part of morning COPD symptoms is that they make normal activities like showering, dressing, and getting around the house much more difficult to do. They can also make it more difficult to work, to exercise, and to take care of your overall mental and physical health.

 

Morning symptoms like breathlessness and coughing can also be exhausting to manage, making your chest muscles sore and draining your energy before your day even gets started. They might make you feel sluggish, fatigued, and too sick to go into work or keep up with your usual routine.

 

These difficulties can be discouraging, and the added stress of anticipating the daily struggle with morning symptoms can be difficult to cope with psychologically. This can trigger significant anxiety and even depressive symptoms that make it difficult to get up, stay active, and face each new day.

 

Fortunately, morning symptoms are manageable and treatable if you know the proper steps to take. By working with your doctor and examining your daily habits, you can adjust your lifestyle and treatment plan in ways that help keep your morning symptoms in check.

 

What Causes Morning COPD symptoms

 

 

 

Unfortunately, the research on morning COPD symptoms is limited, and experts aren't exactly sure why COPD tends to get worse in the morning hours specifically. However, there are several studies that highlight this issue and offer some helpful insight into potential causes and solutions.

 

For example, experts have pinpointed a variety of factors that could trigger more severe COPD symptoms in the morning and early in the day. These include things like smoking, the effects of poor diet and sleep, and the physical exertion required by many morning activities.

 

Here's a list of some culprits that are likely responsible for triggering morning COPD symptoms:

• Smoking
• Not adhering to your treatment plan
• Nighttime breathing patterns and sleep posture
• Timing of medications like bronchodilators and supplemental oxygen
• Activities like showering and getting ready for the day

 

For example, it's common to do activities in the morning that require you to walk and be on your feet, such as showering, getting dressed, cleaning house, and working in the garden. In fact, lots of people tend to be more active in the morning than they are during most other parts of the day.

 

This extra exertion can trigger breathlessness, coughing, and fatigue in people with chronic lung diseases, especially those who suffer from severe COPD. Certain morning activities may also expose you to respiratory irritants, like pollen (from going outdoors), excess humidity (from the shower), and volatile organic compounds (from body, beauty, and cleaning products).

 

What You Can Do to Manage and Minimize Your Morning COPD Symptoms

 

Use Proper Coughing & Mucus Clearance Techniques

 

 

 

A very common symptom of COPD is excess mucus in the airways, which often causes a chronic cough. This kind of cough is triggered by the need to bring mucus up and out of your lungs, which helps clear out your airways so you can breathe.

 

The phlegm that you cough up is known as sputum, which consists of mucus from your lungs and airways mixed with saliva from your mouth. A large percentage of people with COPD experience a chronic cough with sputum that tends to be the worst in the morning.

 

Luckily, there are several different exercises, known as mucus clearance techniques (or airway clearance techniques), that you can use to reduce the amount of mucus that builds up in your airways. These include techniques you can do on your own like controlled coughing, methods that require another person to help (e.g. chest percussion), and techniques that require special tools (e.g. lung flute)

 

Here's a list of some of the most common and effective mucus clearance techniques for COPD:

• Huff coughing
• Deep coughing
• Postural drainage
• Chest percussion
• Using a lung flute (a special medical instrument that produces vibrations to loosen mucus)
• Using a high frequency chest wall oscillation (a special vest that vibrates your chest)

 

The purpose of all of these techniques is to loosen up the mucus sticking to walls of your lungs and airways so you can get it out by coughing. This helps clear some of the obstruction from your airways, making it easier to breathe and reducing your need to cough as you go about your day.

 

 

 

You might find that mucus clearance techniques help your morning cough most when you use them right before bed or shortly after getting up in the morning. Either way you decide to do it, mucus clearance techniques are an important part of COPD treatment that can reduce your risk for lung infections and exacerbations in addition to treating your chronic cough.

 

To learn more about the different types of mucus clearance techniques and how to do them, check out this comprehensive guide. It includes step-by-step guides for a several different techniques, as well as a variety of other tips and tricks for reducing mucus in your airways.

 

Practice Breathing Techniques in the Morning

 

 

 

If you tend to suffer from shortness of breath early in the day, then practicing breathing exercises in the morning might be able to help. There are several different kinds of breathing techniques you can use, all of them simple and easy to do.

 

Pursed-lips breathing, for instance, is a technique that allows you to breathe better and more easily push all the air out your lungs when you exhale. This is especially helpful for getting rid of trapped air in the lungs, which worsens shortness of breath and is especially common in people with emphysema.

 

Another breathing technique is diaphragmatic breathing, a technique that encourages you to use your diaphragm, instead of your chest muscles, to breathe. This reduces strain on your chest and breathing muscles, making it easier and more comfortable to breathe.

 

Studies show that breathing techniques can reduce shortness of breath both during exercise and at rest. They can also help you learn how to control your breathing better in situations that tend to make you feel short of breath.

 

The great thing about breathing techniques is that they are so simple to remember and you can do them anytime and anywhere you need. You can even start practicing breathing exercises before getting out of bed!

 

By paying more attention to your breathing and putting exercises you've learned to use, you can prevent or reduce the amount of breathlessness you experience as you go about morning activities that tend to trigger shortness of breath. Pursed-lips breathing, for instance, can help you keep your breathing steady and under control when you shower, get dressed, and do other tasks around the house.

 

If you want to learn how to perform these and other breathing techniques, check out our guide to COPD breathing exercises here. This article includes several step-by-step guides to help you practice breathing exercises at home as well as a variety of practical tips for how to use these techniques more effectively.

 

Talk to Your Doctor about Adjusting Your Medication

 

 

 

 

If you notice that your COPD symptoms tend to get worse in the morning, it's important to tell your doctor. The more your doctor knows about your symptoms and when they they flare up, the better he can tailor your treatment to manage your symptoms throughout the day.

 

For example, your doctor might suggest that you use a quick-acting bronchodilator medication first thing in the morning after you get up. He might also have you try a new medication (e.g. a twice-daily maintenance inhaler instead of a once-a-day medication) or instruct you to take your medications at a different time of day so that they are more effective in the morning.

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Your doctor can also prescribe new medications or adjust your medication dosage so your symptoms are better controlled. He can also tell you whether or not you could benefit from over-the-counter medications to target specific morning symptoms; over-the-counter expectorants, for instance, loosens up mucus to facilitate airway clearance and potentially reduce a morning cough.

 

Of course, you should never change your medication dosage or schedule without your doctor's explicit permission. You should always follow your treatment plan exactly as written, and all adjustments must be approved and supervised by your doctor.

 

However, before you even consider talking to your doctor about changing your treatment plan, you first need to make sure that you're currently taking your medications as prescribed. If you aren't following your COPD treatment plan and using your medications exactly as instructed, then that's the first thing you need to change.

 

Unfortunately, studies show that a large number of people with COPD don't take their medications consistently or correctly, and this is a major cause of morning COPD symptoms. Other studies show that more than two-thirds of people with COPD do not use their inhalers correctly.

 

 

This is extremely important, because taking your medication exactly as directed and carefully following the instructions for your inhaler is necessary to keep your COPD symptoms under control. Poor inhaler technique alone can have a huge impact on your health by preventing you from getting a full dose of medication.

 

Because of this, you should regularly review your COPD action plan and your medication instructions until you're positive you fully understand your own treatment. Also, you should never hesitate to ask your doctor to explain anything related to your health and your treatment, including how to use your inhaler and how to follow your COPD action plan.

 

Get Better Sleep

 

 

 

How well you sleep during the night can have a major impact on how well you feel in the morning when you get up. It can also have a major impact on your COPD symptoms and your overall health.

 

Unfortunately, about forty percent of people with COPD struggle to get good-quality sleep during the night. This can be caused by a variety of factors, including worsened nighttime symptoms, sleep disorders, and normal biological changes that happen in your body while you sleep.

 

For instance, your respiration rate declines when you fall asleep, causing you to breathe more slowly and shallowly than you do when you're awake. This can worsen COPD symptoms like shortness of breath at night, making it more difficult to fall and stay asleep.

 

Some COPD patients also experience nighttime oxygen desaturation, or hypoxemia, which happens when your lungs are unable to absorb an adequate amount of oxygen to meet your body's needs. This can cause you to wake frequently during the night and lead to a variety of other symptoms, including morning fatigue and cognitive impairment.

 

Research shows that poor nighttime sleep quality is linked to a variety of morning symptoms that many people with COPD experience on a regular basis. This includes symptoms like breathlessness, more frequent exacerbations, and more difficulty getting out of bed in the morning.

 

 

 

Poor sleep alone can also cause mild cognitive impairment, which is a common in people with COPD. This causes problems like memory loss and concentration difficulties that can affect your morning routine; for instance, it could make it more difficult to remember things like taking your medications or other important tasks you need to finish to get ready for the day.

 

So, now that you understand how sleep quality can impact your morning symptoms, what can you do in order to actually get better sleep? Unfortunately, the answer isn't always simple, and you may need to work with your doctor or a sleep specialist in order to find solutions that work for you.

 

For example, if you experience nighttime oxygen desaturation, your doctor might prescribe supplemental oxygen for you to use specifically at night while you sleep. This will help keep your blood oxygen levels up at night, which can reduce fatigue, cognitive impairment, and other symptoms of oxygen deprivation that you experience in the morning.

 

Sleep posture is also important, as some sleeping positions make it easier or more difficult to breathe. Most experts suggest that people with COPD sleep on their side for better breathing, since sleeping on your back or stomach can put extra weight and pressure on your chest.

 

There are also a variety of practical changes you can make to your bedroom and bedtime routine that make it easier to sleep comfortably and get quality rest at night. A good place to start is establishing a consistent nighttime routine, which is a simple yet proven method for improving your sleep.

 

You should also try to create a bedroom environment that is quiet, relaxing, and free from stressors and distractions. It helps to treat your bed like a sacred place meant only for sleep and sex, and avoid using electronics or doing anything else besides resting when you are in your bed.

 

If you wake frequently during the night or feel tired in the morning despite getting adequate sleep, you might also need to get tested for a sleep disorder like obstructive sleep apnea. Sleep apnea is a very common disorder that affects a large number of people with COPD, and getting diagnosed and treated for it can drastically improve your sleep.

 

Treat Yourself to Proper Nutrition

 

 

 

If you find it difficult to muster up the energy in the morning that you need to face the day, then improving your diet might help. Unfortunately, many people with COPD struggle with activities like shopping, cooking, and even eating because they make it more difficult to breathe.

 

However, these activities are all necessary parts of eating a healthy diet, which is particularly vital for people with COPD. Eating whole, nutritious foods ensures that your body has the energy it needs to stay active, and that your lungs have the fuel they need to function efficiently.

 

While it may not have a direct effect on morning COPD symptoms like breathlessness and coughing, a healthy diet can boost your energy levels and make it easier to manage your morning routine. When your body is properly nourished, you may find it easier to get out of bed in the morning and stay active throughout the day.

 

A nutritious diet can also help combat fatigue, a common COPD symptom that can reduce your ability to work, exercise, and function well in the morning. It can also help prevent lung infections and a variety of other COPD- and age-related health conditions like heart disease and osteoporosis.

 

If you have trouble eating enough nutritious foods or need help understanding what a healthy diet looks like, you can always ask your doctor or a dietitian for help. They can help point you in the right direction and even help you put together a personalized nutrition plan.

 

We've also created a number of healthy diet and nutrition guides specifically for people with COPD. You can use these resources to learn more about what a COPD-healthy diet looks like, how to recognize healthy versus unhealthy foods, and even how different foods can affect your COPD symptoms.

 

These guides also include a plethora of practical tips that can help you smoothly integrate healthier diet and eating habits into your daily life. They will show you how to make shopping for, cooking with, and eating nutritious foods more manageable, even if you suffer from severe COPD.

 

Check out the following guides for more information:

• Healthy foods you should eat if you have COPD
• Unhealthy foods you should avoid if you have COPD
• Tips for simplifying and streamlining your shopping, cooking, and meal planning
• How a carb-heavy diet can make it harder to breathe

 

Streamline Your Morning Routine

 

 

 

Nearly three-quarters of people with severe COPD experience morning symptoms that are bad enough to interfere with their morning routines. If you are one of those people, try not to get discouraged; there are a variety of things you can do to streamline your morning routine and make it easier to manage.

 

You can start by looking for ways to reduce the amount of physical activity you have to do in the morning. If you can minimize the amount of walking, reaching, and bending you have to do, you can reduce the amount of breathlessness you experience as you go about your morning routine.

 

For example, you can intentionally organize your home in such a way that the items you use every morning are in the most logical, convenient, and easy-to-reach places. This includes things like clothing, towels, toiletries, and cooking supplies that you need to access every day.

 

Showers are another major source of breathlessness and fatigue in the mornings; this is due to both the physical exertion required to shower and the humidity it releases into the air. However, you can reduce your symptoms both during and after showering by using shower aids (like shower chairs and handles) and by taking care to vent humidity from the bathroom via a window or vent.

 

You might also be able to reduce the strain that morning activities put on your lungs by reducing your total morning workload. For example, you could move some of the tasks you normally do in the morning to a different time of day when your symptoms are likely to be less severe, or you could ask friends or family members to help you with the most exhausting tasks.

 

Which methods work for you will depend on your home's layout, your individual lifestyle, and the severity of your disease. Whatever you choose, it's important when you have COPD to make adjustments to your daily habits and routines as needed so that you can live and work as comfortably as possible.

 

Eliminate Respiratory Irritants from Your Morning Routine

 

 

In this blog, we are going to go over everything you need to know about traveling by airplane with oxygen equipment. Now that travel restrictions and COVID-19 precautious are not as strict as they were before, we want give oxygen patients the tools to travel safely with oxygen and with COVID-19 still being a huge safety concern in our everyday lives. 

If you are a respiratory patient, this doesn't mean you do not have the ability to explore or visit destinations around the world, and if you need your oxygen therapy all day everyday, this does not mean you have to be stuck at home or in your hometown for the rest of your life. That being said, traveling during a global pandemic is not something that should be taken lightly! 

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In today’s world, there is modern technology that allows oxygen patients to fly with their oxygen equipment with zero safety hazard, before portable oxygen concentrators were developed, this was not possible. Of course, in today's day and age, there are also safety hazards when it comes to the spread of Coronavirus and everyone should be aware of these risks while traveling and do their best to mitigate the risk of transmitting COVID-19.  

Oxygen Equipment and Airline Regulations 

First of all, the Air Carrier Access Act does not require airlines to provide medical oxygen to any eligible respiratory patients during flights, so do not expect to be given oxygen on your flight. Very rarely will airlines provide supplemental medical oxygen on flights for their passengers, and if they do this oxygen service typically costs a fee.

Also liquid oxygen and oxygen gas tanks are considered hazardous material, and these devices are not allowed on aircrafts. 

Just because liquid and gas oxygen tanks are not safe to fly with doesn't mean oxygen patients are out of luck. U.S. airlines allow passengers to bring their own portable oxygen concentrators (POCs) onto airplanes. 

In the next  section we will go over the requirements for POCs and elaborate on what air carriers will require from passengers who need supplemental medical oxygen during their flights.

Approved Portable Oxygen Concentrators for Air Travel

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) requires POC manufacturers, such as Inogen, ResMed, Philips Respironics, to label their new models of POCs, and these labels explain the devices compliance with FAA requirements. If you have a newer POC that is FAA approved, its label will read: “The manufacturer of this portable oxygen concentrator has determined this device conforms to all applicable FAA requirements for portable oxygen concentrator carriage and use on board aircraft.” 

Oftentimes airline personnel can check for this label to see whether or not the POC is approved to be used on the aircraft. With older models that do not have labels, airline personnel can look these devices up to check out its FAA approval status. 

There are some POCs that are older and do not have a label, and it can still be used on the plane if it is FAA approved. In these cases, airlines can use the list published in Special Federal Aviation Regulation (SFAR) to determine whether or not the POC may be used during a flight. 

Here are the POC models that do not have an FAA label but they are FAA approved for in flight-use:

• AirSep Focus
• AirSep FreeStyle
• AirSep FreeStyle 5
• AirSep LifeStyle
• Delphi RS-00400
• DeVilbiss Healthcare iGo
• Inogen One
• Inogen One G2
• Inogen One G3
• Inova Labs LifeChoice
• Inova Labs LifeChoice Activox
• International Biophysics LifeChoiceInvacare Solo2
• Invacare XPO2
• Oxlife Independence Oxygen Concentrator
• Oxus RS-00400
• Precision Medical EasyPulse
• Respironics EverGo
• Respironics SimplyGo
• SeQual Eclipse
• SeQual eQuinox Oxygen System (model 4000)
• SeQual Oxywell Oxygen System (model 4000)
• SeQual SAROS
• VBox Trooper Oxygen Concentrator

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There are newer devices like the Inogen One G4 and Inogen One G5 for example, that will have the label stating they are FAA approve for inflight use. 

On Board with your Inogen Portable Oxygen Concentrator

There are some things you need to know and tasks you must accomplish before you travel with a POC. First of all, be aware that the FAA and the airline you are flying on may have different requirements and you must follow both the FAA and the airline’s regulations.

1. The FAA regulations do not require that you tell your air carrier about your POC in advance, however almost every airline will have you notify them that you will be flying with oxygen at least 48 hours before your flight. 

1. If you are flying on Southwest and JetBlue, these airlines also also ask you to check in for your flight at least one hour before takeoff if you are traveling with oxygen. 

1. There are some instances when your airline will require a physician's statement

1. There are some airlines that will require you to demonstrate how you respond to your POC's alarms before you board the aircraft.

Despite what airline you are flying, check the procedures before your trip. You can find updated rules for oxygen equipment on their website.

Charging your Portable Oxygen Concentrator

Even though some aircrafts have electrical outlets, sometimes they will not let you plug your POC into the airplane's electrical system to charge it during the flight. Therefore, you will need to bring an extra battery to power your POC if your flight is longer than your battery will last. 

You should try to practice arriving at your gate early, and charging your device while you are waiting in the terminal for your flight to take off, that way you are beginning the flight with full battery power. 

You should also bring an extra battery for traveling because you also have to have enough battery power for the taxi time before taking off, takeoff, in-air time, and landing, and baggage claim. Once you are in your rental car or picked up from the airport, you can plug in your device into the cigarette lighter with the DC charging cable. 

Depending on your airline, they will require some kind of reassurance that you have enough battery power, for example, some airlines will check to make sure you have enough battery to power your POC for flight time plus three hours.

You can buy extra batteries for your portable oxygen concentrator on LPTMedical.com or call 1(800)-946-1201. 

Because both your POC and extra batteries will be considered medical devices they will not count as your carry-on baggage, but they will be screened by TSA personnel.

Renting Portable Oxygen Concentrators

LPT Medical allows you to rent FAA-approved portable oxygen concentrators. 

Flying Internationally with Oxygen 

If you are flying internationally with your oxygen device, reach out to your airline and let them know that you will need to bring your portable oxygen concentrators with you on board. They will inform you of any other regulations in place based on the country you are flying to.

Traveling During the COVID-19 Pandemic 

As of April 2021, the CDC recommends to delay traveling at this time even if you are vaccinated, and suggests that travel increases your chance of spreading and getting COVID-19. 

If you are traveling there are recommendations you should follow in order to keep yourself and others around you safe. 

If you must travel, take these steps to protect yourself and others:

• If you are eligible, get fully vaccinated for COVID-19
• Before you travel, get tested with a viral test 1-3 days before your trip
• Wear a mask over your nose and mouth when in public
• Avoid crowds and stay at least 6 feet from anyone who did not travel with you
• Get tested 3-5 days after your trip and stay home and self-quarantine for a full 7 days after travel, even if your test is negative. If you don’t get tested, stay home and self-quarantine for 10 days after travel
• Follow all state and local recommendations or requirements after travel

Be aware that any air passengers coming into the United States, including U.S. citizens, are required to have a negative COVID-19 test result or documentation of recovery from COVID-19 before they board a flight to the United States. Other countries have other restrictions.

For respiratory patients, COVID-19 is a very real threat to their longterm health wellbeing and even their lives. Mitigating the spread of COVID-19 and reducing the chances of transmission can help save lives, and therefore avoiding travel or traveling very safely it crucial. 

Overview

With the current state of the global pandemic, travel should not be high on anyone’s list of priorities. And while travel plans may be delayed until further notice, as an oxygen patient you should feel confident and comfortable traveling with your trusted portable oxygen concentrator and extra batteries.

When it does come time to book your flight, notify your air carrier as soon as possible to they can note that you intend to bring a POC with you. 

Fulfill any requirement that airlines ask of you in advance, this way if you need a physician’s statement, you can ask them to write that for you prior to your departure. There are airlines with relatively restrictive rules regarding oxygen on board, so be sure to ask a lot of questions when you are speaking with the airline representative so you get all of the information you need to travel with less hassle. 

Lastly, be sure to double check the length of your flight with the airline and then factor in any delays that would impact the battery life of your POC 

Pretty much, all you have to do is plan in advance, so that traveling with your POC is a smooth process and less stressful.