A well-planned and executed pulmonary rehab improves lung function by incorporating a range of interventions tailored to meet patients’ needs.
It can significantly improve breathing abilities, reduce symptoms like breathlessness and coughing, enhance exercise capacity, reduce anxiety levels, boost mood, and ultimately help patients lead more fulfilling lives.
Hodgeman County Health Center offers a comprehensive Pulmonary Rehabilitation Program to help you effectively manage chronic lung conditions.
In this post, we’ll explain how pulmonary rehab improves lung function and why our program is the right choice for you.
What is Pulmonary Rehabilitation?
Pulmonary rehabilitation is a program of exercise and education designed to help people with chronic lung conditions. The goals of pulmonary rehab are to improve quality of life and increase exercise tolerance.
Pulmonary rehab programs typically last for 8-12 weeks and may be offered as an outpatient or inpatient service.
- Outpatient programs usually meet 2-3 times per week for 1-2 hours per session.
- Inpatient programs are typically 5-7 days per week for 3-4 hours daily.
They usually include a combination of aerobic exercises (such as walking or riding a stationary bike), strength training (with light weights), and breathing exercises.
Education sessions may cover topics such as disease management, breathing techniques, and coping with activity limitations.
What are the Benefits of Our Pulmonary Rehab Program?
The benefits of our pulmonary rehab program are many, but some of the most impactful include the following:
Improved Breathing
This is one of the most well-known benefits of pulmonary rehab.
For people with chronic lung conditions, shortness of breath can be a major barrier to everyday activities.
Our pulmonary rehab improves lung function, thereby improving breathing, strengthening the muscles used for breathing, and increasing lung capacity.
Increased Endurance
People with chronic lung conditions often tire more easily and have difficulty completing daily tasks.
Through a combination of exercise and education, we can help people become more physically fit and better able to handle their day-to-day activities.
Improved Quality of Life
People participating in our program often report feeling less isolated, having more energy, and enjoying their everyday activities more.
Additionally, they may see improvements in their overall health, including reduced symptoms and fewer hospitalizations.
What Conditions Does Our Pulmonary Rehabilitation Program Address?
Although our pulmonary rehabilitation program focuses on adults with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), we can also assist people with other types of lung disease, such as:
- Asthma
- Abnormal PFT results
- Bronchiectasis
- Chronic bronchitis
- Chronic pulmonary embolism
- Chronic pulmonary Edema
- Chronic respiratory failure with hypoxia or hypercapnia
- COVID-19
- Cystic fibrosis
- Emphysema
- Frequent lung infections
- Frequent hospitalizations or ER visits due to lung conditions
- Interstitial lung disease
- Kyphoscoliosis
- Lung cancer
- Neuromuscular disorders
- Pre-Post lung volume reduction post-Lung Surgery
- Pulmonary fibrosis
- Pulmonary hypertension
- Sarcoidosis
- Shortness of breath
- Smoke inhalation injuries
- Occupational or Environmental Lung Disease
- Wheezing
What Does Our Pulmonary Rehabilitation Program Include?
We’re proud to offer a specialized Pulmonary Rehabilitation Program that includes a range of cutting-edge therapies. Our pulmonary rehab improves lung function and the overall quality of life.
These strategies are:
Bronchial Hygiene Treatment and Awareness
Our bronchial hygiene treatment aims to improve general lung health by removing mucus and other harmful substances from the airways.
With expert guidance, patients undergo physical therapy, regular coughing and deep breathing exercises, and postural drainage for effective secretion clearance.
Moreover, we incorporate awareness into this program through educational materials about smoking cessation, nutrition counselling, and overall well-being, which are crucial in maintaining healthy lungs after rehab completion.
Patient and Family Education and Training
Living with a chronic respiratory illness can be challenging for the patient and their loved ones.
We place great emphasis on ensuring everyone has access to the information they need to take care of themselves or support their loved one’s recovery journey.
Breathing Exercises
Through these exercises, our skilled team helps patients improve lung function by increasing oxygen intake, strengthening respiratory muscles, and improving overall cardiovascular endurance.
Our clinicians provide personalized guidance on proper breathing techniques, such as deep breathing exercises and pursed lips breathing.
Learning How to Manage Stress
We help patients better manage the physical symptoms of stress while promoting mental resilience.
How? Our stress management strategies equip them with essential tools to improve their lung function by reducing anxiety levels and facilitating deeper breathing patterns over time.
Medical Management
For our pulmonary rehab to improve lung function, it must also include medical management. This is a crucial component of our comprehensive approach to improving the respiratory health of our patients.
Our experienced and qualified team works with each patient to develop an individualised plan considering their needs, goals, and medical history.
Individualized Exercise Programs
We incorporate different types of exercises depending on a person’s needs and goals. These include:
- Aerobic Exercises: These exercises are the cornerstone of most pulmonary rehab programs. They help increase a person’s heart rate and breathing. The exercises include walking, riding a stationary bike, or using an elliptical machine.
- Strength-Training Exercises: These activities are also included in our pulmonary rehab program. They help build up the muscles that support breathing. In addition, they can be done with free weights, resistance bands, or weight machines.
- Balance and Flexibility Exercises: These help to improve balance and range of motion, making it easier to do everyday activities such as getting dressed or reaching for items on shelves.
What Types of Out-patient Testing Do We Conduct?
To help patients achieve their optimal level of respiratory fitness, we also offer out-patient tests. These are:
6-Minute Walking Test
We offer a 6-minute walking test to assess our patients’ functional capacity and endurance.
This test involves measuring the distance a patient can walk in six minutes at their own pace while monitoring their oxygen saturation levels and heart rate.
The results from this assessment provide valuable insight into their aerobic fitness level and help establish goals for increasing physical activity tolerance. Our experienced team guides patients through each step of the process, ensuring they feel comfortable and supported throughout the testing period.
Complete Pulmonary Function Test
This state-of-the-art diagnostic tool enables us to evaluate lung function in great detail, including:
- How well air moves in and out of the lungs,
- How efficiently oxygen is delivered to the body’s tissues, and
- How effectively waste gases like carbon dioxide are removed from the bloodstream.
Our healthcare professionals will then use this information to tailor treatment plans based on each patient’s specific needs and goals, whether managing symptoms or improving overall lung health.
EMG / Nerve Conduction Test
One crucial component of this program that sets us apart from other facilities is the incorporation of the Electromyography (EMG) / Nerve Conduction Test into our therapy sessions.
Through this specialized diagnostic test, we can accurately assess the function and electrical activity in the muscles surrounding the lungs to determine if any underlying nerve or muscle damage could impede a full recovery.
Pulmonary Rehabilitation Program Available in Jetmore, Kansas
When it comes to improving your respiratory health, the benefits of pulmonary rehabilitation are undeniable.
However, more than simply completing the program is required to ensure sustained progress. Fortunately, the Hodgeman County Health Center staff will design a long-term plan for your needs and goals.
If you have any questions or want to visit, please call us at 620-357-8361 or book an appointment online.
We stand ready to help you.
