Therapy for dyspnea (shortness of breath) depends on the cause.
General measures
- Adjustment of the daily rhythm with a good balance between activities and rest periods.
- Motivation to exercise more
- Optimization of energy consumption during activities (eg, walking, climbing stairs).
- Open windows, cool the room
- Relieve respiratory distress with handheld, tabletop and floor fans. These create a draft that, directed to the nasal and facial areas, helps relieve shortness of breath.
- The use of walking aids (cane, walker) also leads to relief of shortness of breath.
- Nicotine restriction (refrain from tobacco use).
- Aim for normal weight!Determination of BMI (body mass index, body mass index) or body composition by means of electrical impedance analysis and, if necessary, participation in a medically supervised weight loss program.
Vaccinations
The following vaccinations are advised, as infection can often lead to worsening of the presenting symptoms:
- Flu vaccination
- Pneumococcal vaccination
Nutritional medicine
- Nutritional counseling based on nutritional analysis
- Nutritional recommendations according to a mixed diet taking into account the disease at hand. This means, among other things:
- Daily total of 5 servings of fresh vegetables and fruits (≥ 400 g; 3 servings of vegetables and 2 servings of fruits).
- Once or twice a week fresh sea fish, i.e. fatty marine fish (omega-3 fatty acids) such as salmon, herring, mackerel.
- High-fiber diet (whole grains, vegetables).
- Observance of the following special dietary recommendations:
- Diet rich in:
- Coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10) if taking lipid-lowering drugs (fat-lowering drugs).
- Diet rich in:
- Other specific dietary recommendations depending on the cause of dyspnea (shortness of breath).
- Selection of appropriate foods based on the nutritional analysis.
- See also under “Therapy with micronutrients (vital substances)” – if necessary, taking a suitable dietary supplement.
- Detailed information on nutritional medicine you will receive from us.
Sports Medicine
- Light endurance training (cardio training).
- Preparation of a fitness or training plan with appropriate sports disciplines based on a medical check (health check or athlete check) depending on the cause of dyspnea (shortness of breath).
- For detailed information on sports medicine, please contact us.
Physical therapy (including physiotherapy)
- Respiratory training
- Neuromuscular electrical stimulation (NMES) of leg muscles – appears to offer significant respiratory relief to patients with COPD (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease)
Psychotherapy
- Relaxation techniques (especially for respiratory distress attacks).
- Detailed information on psychosomatics (including stress management) is available from us.