77 years old,I live alone. twice I have blacked out from lack of oxygen. I am a musician singer. When singing I have very few breathing problems,but let me walk to the corner shop and I'm hanging onto the wall. I have oxygen 24/7,use nebulisers 4 times a day and have being doing this for twelve months now. What kind of breathing exercises would you reccomend?.
2006-10-23 17:27:59 · 6 answers · asked by First L 1 in Health ➔ General Health Care ➔ Other - General Health Care
Request that your doctor send you to pulmonary rehabilitation classes (exercises for those of us with lung problems ). It's inexpensive and teaches breathing and exercising techniques . It also allows you to meet others with the same difficulties and the interaction helps . Some hospitals offer the classes free or for a small fee of 25 dollars a month in my area. This helps tremendously and I would recommend it very highly . They monitor your activity so you don't over do it .
2006-10-23 17:46:55 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
It sounds like when you sing, you're creating back pressure into your lungs, keeping the small airways open - which is probably why you don't run out of breath so much.
If so, you could certainly what was already suggested - the blowing through a straw exercise - when you're walking. Whistling may also help. Pulmonary rehab classes also sound like a good idea if you can attend.
If you can't get to any classes, start a walking programme yourself. Don't get winded by doing too much, it will take you a while to catch your breath, and you will scare yourself badly. You should only feel like you're working moderately while you're walking. If your aiming to get to the corner shop, don't aim to get there all in one go. Be ready to stop once you feel yourself breathing hard. It may mean you have to stop five or ten times at first, but persevere and it should improve a little.
Stairs are also a very good form of exercise, if you have them. Start by climbing the stairs, resting until you catch your breath, then coming down again. See if you can climb the stairs two or three times a day every day. Over a week or two, it should help improve your exercise tolerance.
There are also little pedal exercisers you can get - it's like you're cycling while sitting in your armchair - start with a few minutes and build slowly.
Do arm exercises - swinging your arms if possible, or at least raising your arms fully ten times in a row - do them very often during the day.
Try to breathe using all of your lungs - if you get breathless, you will tend to breathe a lot with your shoulders and neck- ie using your accessory muscles - and not draw air into the bottom of your lungs. Try to relax your tummy as you breathe in, then think about your lower ribs expanding as you inhale.
I think the biggest problem is not your breathing exercises, but your exercise tolerance. If you can slowly work on that over a couple of months, you might find yourself improving.
Watch that you cover your mouth and nose and throat with a scarf when you're out in cold weather. If the air is very cold, it will trigger your airways to tighten, and make you run out of steam very quickly.
Good luck.
2006-10-24 02:09:03 · answer #2 · answered by RM 6 · 1⤊ 0⤋
The best person to advise you would be the respiratory specialist nurse at your local hospital. Have you tried a drug called Spiriva? I know a patient who said it saved him 1 1/2hrs of nebuliser time.
Hospitals run rehab classes which are very good for COPD.
Singing is brilliant because you are concentrating on the music and the timing and you are excercising muscles. Trouble is, is it in a smoky atmosphere?
Do you smoke? You can do it, stop smoking! Plenty of help available at local chemist, apologies if you don't smoke. If you do and you decide in your head that you want to give up, you will.
If you have a salbuatomol inhlaer, take it 15 mins before walking to shop
British Lung Foundation for more info, hope that helps, enjoy the music
2006-10-24 05:01:29 · answer #3 · answered by cripple 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Check with your doctor to see what can be done. Do you smoke or a few pounds over weight. Both of those can be a factor in your breathing. Also how many liters of oxygen are you on? You might want to go up a liter or two.
2006-10-24 00:44:47 · answer #4 · answered by kim_in_craig 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
first of all I agree with signing up with classes @ a hospital for pulmonary rehab. Secondly, don't panic if you feel you are getting short of breath. Take slow, deep breath in through your nose & exhale out of your mouth using pursed lips( looks like the face you would make if you were drinking out of a straw). This is the advice they gave to my grama, she had COPD & emphsema ( sorry I can't remember correct spelling). find out about an incentive spirometer, this can help with breathing also. Talk with your dr. There is help out there. Good luck.
2006-10-24 01:31:53 · answer #5 · answered by twogris 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Hello, Frank. Are you sure you haven't got a degree of heart failure? Are you on diuretics?
I take it that when you're singing, you're stationary. Otherwise sing as you walk!
Obviously it takes more effort to walk.....
When was your last check-up, or is the doctor just giving you repeat prescriptions?
Why not see if you can get one of those scooter thingys?
Best of luck, darlin'.
2006-10-24 00:35:30 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋