Vim & Vigor - Winter 2016 - University of Virginia - 21


UNDERSTAND
YOUR CONDITION

Education about what COPD is can be
very helpful, says Dawn Lesley Fielding,
respiratory therapist, educator and author
of The COPD Solution. Sometimes people
know their doctors have put them on
medication or oxygen, but they don't
understand why, she says.
"The first thing we always do is talk
about the disease itself," she says. "Once
they understand what's going on and
why they need the medication or oxygen,
it relieves a ton of anxiety."
So what is happening? The airways in
the lungs become inflamed, and less air
flows in and out of the lungs, says Albert
A. Rizzo, MD, senior medical advisor for
the American Lung Association.
As the flow of air decreases, there
is less oxygen going to the cells in the
body and expelling carbon dioxide gets
harder and harder.
COPD is a broad term, and depending
on your particular illness, you may have
different symptoms from someone else.

STAY ACTIVE

"When you have any lung condition that
affects your breathing, the tendency
is to do fewer things that cause you to
be out of breath," Rizzo says. "But getting deconditioned actually makes your
breathing worse."
Participating in a pulmonary rehabilitation program with a clinical
professional can help you learn how
to exercise safely, Fielding says.
Ultimately, when you're in better
physical condition, flare-ups won't be
as severe as they otherwise could be,
Rizzo says. And if you're able to find
ways to continue to do the things you
love, you'll have greater quality of life
and be less susceptible to depression.

QUIT SMOKING

Smoking very often causes COPD, and
according to the U.S. Centers for Disease
Control and Prevention, the best way to
prevent COPD is to not smoke (or to quit

STAY HEALTHY
THIS FLU SEASON
Influenza can be rough on anyone, but if you have a respiratory illness like chronic
obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), peak season can be especially dangerous.
Here are a few things to keep in mind this year.
1. CHECK YOUR VACCINATION RECORDS. Be sure you get the flu vaccine and are
up to date on your pneumonia vaccines, says Albert A. Rizzo, MD, senior medical
advisor for the American Lung Association.
2. WASH YOUR HANDS REGULARLY. Simple hand-washing is one of the best
things you can do to keep germs at bay.
3. AVOID LARGE CROWDS. If you have COPD, it's wise to stay away from large
groups of people during flu season.
4. KNOW YOUR NORMAL. Notice when your symptoms change, Rizzo says. "Don't
wait a week or two to call your doctor," he says. "The sooner you communicate
[any changes] with your doctor, the sooner an intervention can take place."

if you already do). Smoking is to blame
for upward of 80 percent of COPDrelated deaths. (Other causes include
genetics, exposure to irritants, including
secondhand smoke and air pollution, and
workplace exposure to dust and fumes.)
But knowing all of that doesn't diminish the task at hand.
"There are ways to quit," Rizzo says.
"But it's not easy by any means."
Your doctor can provide you with
resources for quitting-be sure to ask.
Seek out support groups and a quit
counselor. And talk to your friends and
family, too, says Rizzo: "People need to
understand they can't smoke around
someone with COPD."

MIND YOUR
MEDICATIONS

Working with a respiratory therapist
or a physician, walk through your prescribed medications. Understand which
ones are for emergencies and which are
for regular use.
Most important, learn how to take
them correctly. Some inhalers require
one quick breath, while others call for a
long, slow one, Fielding says. To allow
the medication to work properly, you
need to follow instructions.

WEBSITE

Comfort in
Community
The American Lung Association
offers an online community
and support group for people
with COPD. Learn more at
inspire.com/groups/americanlung-association-copd.

TRY BREATHING
EXERCISES

Take the time to learn techniques that
will help you breathe better in the long
run. Knowing how to bring breathing
under control when you're out of breath,
for example, could prevent a hospital
stay. Other exercises are designed to
help strengthen your diaphragm-the
main muscle involved in breathing.
Ultimately, Fielding says, every person
with COPD is different.
"They have to listen to their body
and what their body is telling them they
need," she says. n
WINTE R 2016

21
http://www.inspire.com/groups/american-lung-association-copd
Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Vim & Vigor - Winter 2016 - University of Virginia
