COPD
COPD is the English abbreviation for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, a severe progressive lung disease that increasingly leads to shortness of breath and reduced physical performance. The main cause of COPD is smoking. Other symptoms besides shortness of breath may include weight loss, muscle wasting and psychological problems.
During the course of the disease, the blood carbon dioxide level increases as the lungs lose elasticity and have more residual volume (air that is not exhaled). As a result of poorer ventilation of the airways, less oxygen reaches the cells, which in the worst case can lead to the development of a cor pulmonale (lung heart), which leads to breathing difficulties even when at rest. COPD is divided into different stages of the disease, which determines the therapy.
The goals of therapy in COPD are to improve exercise tolerance, slow down the progression of the disease and improve the patient’s quality of life. COPD is treated medically with bronchodilators (bronchodilators), anticholinergics, beta-2 sympathomimetics, theophylline, mucolytics and cortisone. In addition, special forms of therapy, such as physiotherapy, can help to make the patient’s everyday life easier through specific training for the respiratory muscles.
Physical training is also part of the treatment of COPD in order to increase the patient’s resilience. Overall, COPD is not curable but can be well controlled with the help of suitable forms of therapy. If you are interested in this topic, you can read more information in these:
- Physiotherapy for COPD
- COPD – exercises from physiotherapy
Summary
Insgesmat can help against pain when inhaling, especially if the cause is muscular or there are vertebral blockages or bruises. However, for other underlying diseases such as asthma or COPD, special breathing exercises can also help to normalize the breathing process and relieve pain. If the pain is caused by overexertion, it is advisable to reduce the training and adapt it to the physical capacity so that the problems can be prevented in the future.
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