Diseases halt our daily activities and make our life inactive. Lung diseases such as Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (or COPD), Asthma, Bronchitis or Pneumonia are even more debilitating, as they prevent your lungs from working properly, which has an effect on your breathing process.

In this guide, we will go through breathing treatment devices that can help manage the symptoms of lung diseases.

 

Breathing Aids

Lung disease patients require breathing support devices to help them live independently.

Some commonly used breathing accessories help patients with lung disorders are briefed here. 

 

The most common breathing support devices are:

Inhalers: bronchodilator is a medication that helps loosen tight muscles of your airways, widening the airways so you can breathe easier. This medication is typically taken through an inhaler.

The medication lasts between 6 and 12 hours, depending on your symptoms and the type of bronchodilator. Inhalers also help to clear mucus from your lungs. Sometimes steroids will be added to reduce the inflammation in the airways and lower the production of mucus.

Air cleaners: these are also referred to as air purifiers, and serve the main purpose to improve the air quality by cleaning the available air in the room. Better quality air reduces the obstruction in the airways and diminishes the liability of the body to other lung diseases.

Oxygen Therapy: if your blood oxygen level is too low, you can receive supplemental oxygen via an oxygen tank through a nasal cannula or a mask to help you breathe easier.

Often the tank is used while you are sleeping. A portable unit will make it easier for the patient to move around.

Nebuliser: this breathing aid has the same purpose as the devices mentioned above: to increase the oxygen in the patient’s body.

A Nebuliser is a compressor that enables fast and accurate drug delivery of relievers, preventers, and antibiotics. The breathing device creates an aerosol mist from a liquid medication via a facemask or a mouthpiece. Successful results are given by the nebulisers to treat breathlessness.

Inspiratory exerciser: some inspiratory devices are ideal for improving, developing and maintaining your respiratory fitness. Inspiratory exercisers like flow meters, spirometers, in-check nasal or dial flow meters provide assistance in improving the respiratory muscles through resistance exercise.

 

Spacers: with the advancement in science, pharmacies and online health stores in Australia now sell spacers to assist patients with the correct inhalation technique.

Some spacers incorporate an anti-microbial polymer plastic, providing protection against more than 99% of bacteria. These devices are 200% more efficient than common made out of plastic. This is due to the act that the silver ion technology prevents the growth of bacteria and fungi in the spacer.  These spacers can suit all sizes and age groups thanks to various size masks.

 

Other helfpful breathing treatment devices:

Other breathing treatment equipment such as oximeter and peak flow meter also serve a helping hand to the asthma patient. They are used for routine monitoring of patient’s asthma.

A peak flow meter is an inexpensive hand-held device that monitors your ability to push air out of your lungs.

They are available in two ranges: one for infants or small children; a larger range for older children and adults. Healthcare professionals believe a peak flow meter is helpful for patients with moderate to severe asthma. With the results of the meter, the doctor will make decisions about your treatment and consequently adjust the medication.

 

An Oximeter is a medical tool used to measure the oxygen saturation in the blood.  Oxygen saturation usually indicates how much oxygen is getting to the organs.

Pulse oximeters are clip-on devices that may be attached to a finger, a wrist, a foot, or any other area where the device can read blood flow.

A wide range of oximeters is available in pharmacies and online healthcare stores in Australia.

Essential oils can also help manage lung diseases. They can promote a natural healing response because of their antibacterial and antifungal properties. There are a few options to consider: eucalyptus, peppermint, lavender, bergamot, myrrh and Frankincense oil. Consider however how to use it: using oil in a diffuser is not the same as applying it on the skin. Some of the applications may have different effects on different people.

 

Independent daily living aids for breathing

Daily living aids can ease the day-to-day life of chronic lung patients and help them maintain the routine pace with their surroundings. Chronic diseases turn the active life of a healthy person into a sedentary lifestyle by affecting daily activities and make them dependent on a caretaker. In their critical stage, they cannot walk by himself.

At that time, they need aids for daily living to keep their life going without assistance.

Wheelchairs will help to cover short distances, while bedding aids will assist the patient to come out of bed without much effort.

It is important to maintain healthy lifestyle habits. Try to eat a diet with nutritious food: avoid processed food, as they are full of calories and salt and lack nutrients.

Exercise each day will help you stay strong. Exercising devices will help the patient to exercise within the comfort of their own home.

Fitness equipment is necessary for every patient or a healthy person to have at home.

 

A pedal exerciser is a great piece of fitness equipment to restore your muscles and increase blood circulation to the lower and upper body areas from a seated position.

It is a low impact exerciser that does not require an external power supply. A great work-out tool that you can use at home.

The Emergency Asthma bag is a patented product designed to help patients, parents and carers manage asthma.

It includes asthma medication with a set of records and communication tools, enabling effective coordination and communication between patients/carers and their doctor. It is available online on healthcare platforms selling independent living aids to support people suffering from chronic diseases in Australia.

 

Conclusion

Breathing treatment aids can relieve the pain and inactivity caused by lung diseases and will improve mobility and ultimately enhance the quality of life. Make sure to choose the right respiratory device that suits your needs most.

Would you like to know more about COPD, read our blog 'How can you maintain quality of life with COPD?'

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