preventing pneumonia

[James48]

Some good tips on breathing exercises to help prevent pneumonia - an American site but relevant to anyone with COPD

neurotalk.psychcentral.com/...

[kimmy59]

Thanks very much for that one I've put that one in my favourites.

Kim xx

[Flatman5]

sirjames,

I've just read that American article. It makes absolute sense, and confirms that any lung excercise is better than none. Have you heard anything about excercising the lungs from any U.K. health pros? You don't have to buy an Incentive Spirometer either - the instructions given in the article are easy to follow. I shall start immediately.

[James48 in reply to Flatman5]

Hi Flatman, I only found the link by browsing around. I've seen nothing yet from UK sites but there must be information there. On a pulmonary rehab course I was told about coughing techniques similar to on the site- one was called 'huffing', enabling you to get the phlegm off the chest, James

[James48]

Glad it's useful Kim. Just read you had double pneumonia last year- must have been horrible. We need as much info as possible to prevent flare ups and catching infections,

James :)x

[Hidden]

Hi Everyone

Just read the link posted by sirjames - it is a "blog" writtten by a doctor? in the US - whilst he does make some very valid points about having the pneumonia jab and the importance of exercise - I think his comments about deep breathing and coughing to prevent pneumonia are in the wrong context.

Huffing and puffing is a breathing technique that can help to loosen mucous and make it easier to cough up - as we all know it is the mucous that gets infected etc. So coughing on it's own won't stop anyone getting an infection - if only it were that easy!

Mark

[James48 in reply to Hidden]

Thanks Mark, I understand nothing will prevent infection. I was shown the 'huffing' technique by local COPD team which works, but I think anything that helps clear the phlegm has got to be a good thing, so I see this as an added technique.

There may be people on the site who never been told about or shown the 'huffing' technique or been given the BFL COPD 'self management plan' booklet.

James

[Joany]

I've tried the breathing technique and wow, it works for me - after just 5 breaths have coughed up lots of that nasty phlegm. Thank you. I can fit this easily into my lifestyle several times a day. If it lessens the risk of pneumonia that will be great for all patients in hospital, not just those of us with lung conditions. I'm also just about to try mucodyne capsules to help clear this nasty phlegm.

Cheers, Joany

[James48 in reply to Joany]

Sorry to mislead people. This technique will not prevent pneumonia but it will help clear the phlegm.

James