respiratory therapy
What is respiratory therapy?
Respiratory/breathing therapy is a broad scope of treatment options that help with respiratory illnesses, and in some cases, cardiovascular. Its major purpose is to help patients breathe better and give support to the heart muscle in providing the sufficient amount of oxygen to the rest of the body. It also aims at easing patients’ symptoms and helping them live as comfortably as possible.
Breathing therapy is offered in places like medical centers, clinics, hospitals, emergency rooms, and therapy offices.
Forms of Breathing Therapy
There is special breathing treatment when it comes to newborns and older children. One primary aspect of this is monitoring a newborn’s breathing rhythm, especially the ones born prematurely, in order to look out for any sign of respiratory issues.
Just like there is breathing therapy for pediatrics and adults, there’s also the geriatric aspect of it. People age and their lungs age alongside them. For the most part, adults aged 65 or older are more susceptible to respiratory diseases, even if it’s just a mild respiratory tract infection. Geriatric respiratory therapy is often given either in medical facilities or at one’s home.
Another form of breathing therapy is critical care. This involves treating patients who are in urgent need of oxygen support, like people who have suffered heart or lung failure, for instance. It can also be used for people who are unable to breathe independently.
Lifestyle Changes
In most cases, breathing treatment is all about the machines and equipment that can help ease your symptoms, but in other cases, your pulmonologist or cardiologist will advise you with lifestyle changes that can help you cope with your illness.
This is where the respiratory therapist educates you, as a patient, and your family members on how to best handle your condition. They may even launch programs specializing in enhancing patients’ quality of life.
Who Needs Respiratory Therapy?
The reality of the situation is that 1 in 7 middle-aged and older adults require respiratory therapy, and a whole lot of factors can contribute to someone needing it. For instance, breathing therapy can help patients with chronic lung diseases, like emphysema, asthma, pulmonary fibrosis and chronic bronchitis.
Emphysema is a chronic medical condition that results in the enlargement of the lungs’ airspaces, which consequently leads to shortness of breath. It’s almost very similar to asthma, which is a disorder characterized by narrowed airways, which also results in shortness of breath. On the other side, pulmonary fibrosis is identified as damage to the lungs. And lastly, chronic bronchitis is characterized by the inflammation of the bronchial tubes.
What all of these respiratory conditions have in common is that they are serious illnesses, and that they result in shortness of breath.
More conditions that might require urgent respiratory care:
- Cystic fibrosis
- Spinal muscular dystrophy
- Parkinson’s disease
- Acute respiratory distress syndrome, which can be triggered by coronavirus
- Any acute accident that prevents you from breathing independently
Respiratory Failure
To top that off, breathing therapy is also essential in the case of chronic respiratory failure. This is where the levels of arterial oxygen and carbon dioxide are not stabilized. In that case, patients would not be able to breathe independently and will need permanent oxygen support.
Heart Failure
In addition to that, your cardiologist might recommend respiratory therapy in the case of heart failure. This is where the heart muscle usually struggles to provide enough oxygen to the rest of the body. Respiratory therapy will help by giving the needed oxygen support.
Breathing Treatment for Obstructive Sleep Apnea
Believe it or not, breathing medical equipment lends a great helping hand to people with sleep disorders. To give an example, sleep apnea is a medical condition that affects a person’s breathing while asleep. Most of the time, it’s characterized by loud snoring and pauses in breathing, which can last anywhere from a few seconds to several minutes. Not to mention the aftermath of it in the morning after, where a person constantly feels sleepy and irritable, and that’s nothing compared to the headaches and the lack of concentration. People with sleep apnea need the necessary equipment that helps them breathe properly at night, or else they might end up with serious complications. If left untreated, patients can be at risk of developing high blood pressure, due to the sudden drops of oxygen levels during sleep. It also makes your body more resistant to insulin, which puts you at risk of developing type 2 diabetes in the long run.
Any technician, medical doctor or emergency health professional would have the right specifications and knowledge to tell if you need to be appointed to a respiratory therapist. Based on that, the respiratory therapist will accordingly advise you on the kind of medical devices you need.
It is extremely crucial to constantly follow up with your respiratory therapist or technician and continue to use the necessary breathing medical equipment that helps you better cope with your condition.
Products for Respiratory Therapy
We offer a wide variety of breathing medical equipment and supplies, specialized in diagnosing, treating and managing respiratory conditions that involve shortness of breath.
Spirometry
Our spirometry equipment can help hospitals and medical clinics diagnose certain respiratory disorders. For instance, our Spirodoc (spirometer) helps assess how the lungs work by measuring lung capacity, volume and levels of oxygen flow.
Oximetry
On top of all of that, we also offer the best nebulization kits and a bacterial/viral filter for ventilation, along with non-invasive oximetry products that measure oxygen levels. Our oximetry products are equipped to help diagnose Asthma, Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD), cardiac disorders, and more.
Sleep
Even better, we also offer equipment that helps you get a good night’s sleep, such as our Alice 6 LDXS Sleep Lab System, and our Alice NightOne International.
CPAP Machines
Our very own CPAP machines are specially designed for people with sleep apnea and obstructive sleep apnea. They help people sleep better at night by supplying them with the needed oxygen; they make sure to keep oxygen levels and air pressure steady and constant throughout the entire sleep cycle.
To give another example, Philips’ DreamStation Auto CPAP device does everything its potential to stabilize your oxygen levels during nighttime. Not only that, it is also designed in a way that does not make people feel they’re spending their night in a hospital.
There’s also Philips’ EverFlow oxygen concentrator; it’s focused on patients’ needs and made lightweight for easy use and transport.
BiPap Machines
A BiPAP machine is a type of ventilator that helps better fill your lungs with oxygen.
BiPAP machines almost go under the same concept that CPAP machines do. There is only one major difference between CPAP and BiPAP machines; CPAP machines use a single airway for air pressure, whereas BiPAP machines use two, one for inhalation and the other for exhalation.
Take the example of Philips’ DreamStation BiPAP autoSV ventilation system. It’s specially made to minimize pressure, which eventually helps patients rest properly and comfortably throughout the night.
Why Buy from Us
Global Medical Supplies has been the proud partner of leading hospitals, clinics, medical centers, for the past several years. Our partners trust in us to provide the highest developed, revolutionary health technology solutions.
As a leading medical equipment provider, we strive to always be mindful of what people are going through, and to do our best to make their health conditions more bearable.
We aim to build a trusting, long-lasting relationship with our customers, and vow to always deliver the utmost pre and post-sales service.