COPD clinics and treatment plan
Many health centers and hospitals have special COPD clinics. They usually belong to asthma clinics. At a COPD clinic, there is usually a doctor, nurse, physiotherapist, occupational therapist, dietitian and counselor.
The team at the reception educates you about the disease and gives advice on how you can live as well as possible with COPD. You also have the right to receive an individual treatment plan, which includes information about smoking cessation, diet, exercise and the signs of deterioration that you should be vigilant about. It is important to go for regular follow-ups. During periods when you feel worse, you need more frequent follow-ups. Your doctor or COPD nurse can advise on what to do when you have a period of deterioration.
Pay attention to your ailments
- Learn to recognize signs that you are heading into a period of deterioration. Then you can prepare early and adjust your treatment.
- If necessary, contact your COPD nurse or doctor. Hopefully you can then shorten the period you feel worse.
- You may need to go to an emergency room and receive treatment, if your shortness of breath becomes severe.
What can I do to feel better?
There are several things you can do yourself to feel better.
Important with physical activities
You feel better and can reduce the feeling of shortness of breath if you exercise regularly. It can feel hard to move when it is difficult and heavy to breathe. But too little physical activity makes you even less able. This means that you get even worse condition and muscle strength and thus become even more short of breath.
It is therefore important to try to keep going in a way that feels fun. You can train fitness and strength in the form of everyday activities, such as walking, climbing stairs or cycling. Many can also manage gym and other training. Sometimes just getting up a few times a day from a sitting position can be effective if you have severe COPD.
Remember to adjust the pace during the training or activities and to use breathing techniques such as little breathing. It is called shortness of breath when you exhale with half-closed lips. This creates a back pressure that facilitates breathing.
Physical exercise with the help of a physiotherapist is good. This is especially true if you have more severe problems.
Many are helped by practicing different balance exercises. A physiotherapist can give you tips on different exercises.