Pulmonary Rehabilitation

What is Pulmonary Rehabilitation?

Pulmonary rehabilitation, also called as pulmonary rehab or PR is a broad program that helps improve the well being of people who have chronic ongoing breathing problems. When you develop a lung condition, most people find it difficult to continue with their regular routine activities without getting breathless. Getting out of breath could make one anxious and worsen your breathlessness. Pulmonary rehabilitation program helps you with just that. Although the program does not improve your lung functioning, it allows you to make the most of the limited lung function you have.

Benefits:
• Improve your quality of life
• Increases your ability to exercise
• Reduce symptoms of your disease or condition
• Manage anxiety or depression

Who is eligible for Pulmonary Rehabilitation ?

• Moderately severe COPD and Asthma patients.
• Patients with Interstitial Pulmonary Fibrosis.
• Patients with Chronic Asthma or COPD prior to major Abdominal , Cardiac or Pulmonary surgery.
• Post operative patients with compromised lung functions

The Pulmonary Rehab programme includes:

• Exercise and strength training

• Advise on yoga and life style changes

• Psychological Counseling / Group support

• Nutritional Counseling

• Role of Oxygen therapy and BIPAP

• Education on your lung disease and how to manage it

• Breathing strategies

• Preventive aspects such as vaccinations

• Teaching you to prevent recurrent infections

• How to reduce breathlessness in acute exacerbations

• Motivating talks, group therapies and discussions

• Energy conservation techniques

The Pulmonary Rehab programme includes:

• The patient enrolls with us.

• When a patient starts with pulmonary rehabilitation, the rehabilitation team will prepare a plan tailored to the patient's abilities and needs, considering the medical condition.

• The patient is likely to attend the program thrice weekly over a period of 3 months

• We provide guidance on home rehabilitation. We believe in total commitment and hence make it a point to periodically follow up with all our patients even at home, if required.

• The exercises help improve your abdominal and diaphragmatic breathing. Exercises also include Pranayam and Yoga. Often spirometers, balloons etc are used to improve breathing techniques. Sometimes Oxygen and BIPAP machines are used to enhance exercise performance.

• Exercise also includes training the respiratory and upper girdle muscles because these (when strong) make easier the work of breathing.