Patients with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) and other chronic respiratory disorders who received music therapy in conjunction with standard rehabilitation saw an improvement in symptoms, psychological well-being and quality of life compared to patients receiving rehabilitation alone, according to a new study by researchers at The Louis Armstrong Center of Music and Medicine at… Continue reading Music Therapy for COPD Patients
Tag: Respiratory Health
COPD Patients Don’t Know Enough About The Illness
A new national survey of patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) shows a surprising lack of awareness of risk factors and knowledge of diagnosis stage. That lack of knowledge, researchers says, has a significant impact on patients’ quality of life, employment and ability to afford treatment. COPD, the third most common cause of death… Continue reading COPD Patients Don’t Know Enough About The Illness
Emphysema: Basis for Improved Drugs
Elastases of white blood cells are involved in tissue destruction and can thus cause various diseases, including pulmonary emphysema. Scientists from the Helmholtz Zentrum München, the German Research Center for Environmental Healthin Neuherberg, have discovered a new isoform which could be involved both in the pathogenesis of diseases such as pulmonary emphysema as well as… Continue reading Emphysema: Basis for Improved Drugs
A “Flute” That Helps COPD Patients
A hand-held respiratory device may offer COPD patients improvement in their symptoms, according to a new study from the University of Buffalo. The research analyzed the effect of the device, the Lung Flute, on patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). The illness, usually caused by smoking, is the third leading cause of death in… Continue reading A “Flute” That Helps COPD Patients
Mustaches & Oxygen Therapy = Burns
Facial hair and home oxygen therapy can prove a dangerously combustible combination, according to a Mayo Clinic report published in the peer-reviewed medical journal Mayo Clinic Proceedings. To reach that conclusion, researchers reviewed home oxygen therapy-related burn cases and experimented with a mustachioed mannequin, a facial hair-free mannequin, nasal oxygen tubes and sparks. They found that facial hair raises the risk of home oxygen therapy-related burns, and encourage health care providers to counsel patients about the risk.
How to Have Healthy Air At Home
One of the best things about warmer weather: throwing open the windows to let in some fresh air. But that doesn’t automatically mean that the air in your house is healthy, or even safe. If you want to keep your house a healthy place for you, your family and your pets, the American Lung Association has some suggestions:
If you haven’t already, make your home a smoke-free zone. Don’t let anyone smoke inside; if they want to inhale, they can go a safe distance away from the house, so smoke won’t blow in through your windows.
Have a radon test, the ALA says.
Asthma Medicine Definitively Linked to Bone Loss
Scientists appear to have definitively established a new risk factor for bone loss: asthma.
According to a study published in Annals of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology, there is a definitive connection between the use of corticosteroids and loss of bone mineral density.
Humidifiers and Your Health
Dry sinuses, bloody noses and cracked lips — humidifiers can help soothe these familiar problems caused by dry indoor air. Humidifiers can also help ease symptoms of a cold or another respiratory condition.
But be cautious: Although useful, humidifiers can actually make you sick if they aren't maintained properly or if humidity levels stay too high. If you use humidifiers, be sure to monitor humidity levels and keep your humidifier clean. Dirty humidifiers can breed mold or bacteria. If you have allergies or asthma, talk to your doctor before using a humidifier.
What You Need to Know About COPD
Along with lung cancer, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, or COPD, affects a patient’s very ability to breathe. COPD, which is also called emphysema or chronic bronchitis, is a progressive lung disease in which the airways of the lungs become damaged, making it hard to breathe. COPD is also known as emphysema or chronic bronchitis.
According to the National Institutes of Health, COPD is a major cause of death and illness worldwide. In the U.S., it kills more than 120,000 Americans every year, or one every four minutes.
Watch: A New Surgical Treatment for Sinusitis
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Alternative Treatments for Quitting Smoking
Fifty years ago this month, the U.S. Surgeon General issued an unprecedented report that linked smoking to deadly illnesses like lung cancer and heart disease. As research efforts have expanded over the years, investigators have linked still other illnesses to tobacco.
Can Your Lungs Smell Odors?
When you smell something, you’re probably using your lungs as well as your nose, researchers say.
FDA Approves 1st TB Drug in 40 Years
The Food and Drug Administration on Monday approved a Johnson & Johnson tuberculosis drug that is the first new medicine to fight the deadly infection in more than four decades.
The agency approved J&J's pill, Sirturo, for use with older drugs to fight a hard-to-treat strain of tuberculosis that has not responded to other medications. However, the agency cautioned that the drug carries risks of potentially deadly heart problems and should be prescribed carefully by doctors.