Lakewood, NJ --- Breathing easy
is something many of us take for granted – unless you’re
one of the 35 million Americans who live with chronic lung
disease. Patients suffering from any number of lung conditions
in Lakewood and the surrounding communities can breathe a
little easier, thanks to the state-of-the-art Respiratory
Care department at Kimball Medical Center.
“The average American takes about 25,000 breaths a
day,” says Frank Rizzuto, Director of Respiratory
Care at Kimball Medical Center. With every breath we take,
according to Rizzuto, oxygen rich air enters our lungs where
it meets carbon dioxide rich blood carried from all parts
of your body. Inside the lungs an exchange occurs – blood
cells take in oxygen and dispel carbon dioxide waste. The
oxygenated blood then carries its life giving cargo to the
heart, brain, liver, and all other parts of our body.
“A normal lung resembles a pink sponge filled with
small bubbles or holes,” explains Rizzuto. “Around
each bubble is a fine network of tiny blood vessels that
provide the lungs with a large surface to exchange gases – oxygen
for carbon dioxide. Healthy lungs are able to perform this
process effortlessly.”
That is not the case for individuals who have chronic lung
diseases such as asthma, emphysema or bronchitis, according
to Rizutto. “Today, chronic lung disease is the number
three killer in America, responsible for one in seven deaths
each year,” he adds.
Lung diseases can block the airways, prevent the normal
exchange of oxygen and carbon dioxide, and leave the lungs
scarred and stiffened making it that much harder to breathe. “Lung
disease can be caused by heredity, environmental factors
such as air pollution, dust or smoke, diseases such as pneumonia,
influenza or tuberculosis, and toxins,” says Rizutto.
Many of these factors can be avoided, or their effects minimized
with early detection and prompt treatment.
So what can you do to keep your lungs healthy? Perhaps most
important, according to Rizzuto is don't smoke. “Cigarette
smoking – or exposure to secondhand smoke – is
the number one cause of chronic lung disease. Exposure to
other hazards such as air pollution, dust or toxic chemicals
can cause irreparable damage to the lungs over time as well,” he
says. He recommends wearing a face mask when working with
toxic cleaning products or chemicals, or in areas with heavy
dust that can damage lung tissue if inhaled.
“If you develop a chronic cough or experience shortness
of breath, excess phlegm, a feeling of being unable to breathe,
the inability to take a deep breath or wheezing, you should
see your doctor,” he adds. “These could be symptoms
of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD).”
More than 12 million people are currently diagnosed with
COPD, which encompasses emphysema and chronic bronchitis
and is characterized by limited airflow to the lungs.
“COPD makes it difficult for a person to breathe because
the airways are partially blocked,” explains Rizzuto. “When
COPD is severe, shortness of breath and other symptoms can
get in the way of doing even the most basic tasks, such taking
a walk, bathing, and getting dressed,” he adds. According
to Rizzuto, while COPD may develop slowly, it steadily worsens
over time.
In the Respiratory Care department at Kimball Medical Center,
respiratory therapists work with patients experiencing a
variety of lung conditions and breathing problems, including
COPD, asthma and pneumonia, as well as with patients recovering
from pulmonary surgery.
“We work closely with patients to help manage their
condition, enhance lung function and improve the quality
of their lives,” says Rizzuto. Those efforts toward
pulmonary rehabilitation often include a combination of therapy
services at Kimball Medical Center as individuals with diminished
lung capacity work to maintain their optimal level of activity
and function.
In addition to providing specialized breathing treatments,
Respiratory therapists offer patient training in breathing
techniques such as diaphragmatic breathing and pursed-lip
breathing to help patients manage periods when they feel
short of breath. Patients with compromised lung function
often benefit from participation in aerobic and other therapeutic
exercise and are frequently referred to the hospital’s
outpatient rehab facility, the Kimball Medical Center’s
Institute for Rehabilitative and Occupational Health Services.
The facility, conveniently located on the hospital’s
campus at 500 River Avenue in Lakewood, offers a continuum
of outpatient rehabilitative care that crosses a multitude
of specialties including post-stroke care, sports' injury
rehabilitation, pediatric rehab programs, speech, language
and audiology services and a corporate health and workers
compensation program.
“At the Institute, pulmonary patients benefit from
a comprehensive array of rehab services aimed at helping
to enhance lung function, regain strength and help them breathe
easier,” adds Rizzuto. The program at the Institute
is customized for each patient depending on their individual
needs and lung function, but may include lung and breathing
exercises, strength training and aerobic exercises – all
performed under the strict supervision of the rehabilitation
team. “All pulmonary patients have their blood pressure,
respiratory rate and heart rate continually monitored throughout
their therapeutic exercise program to ensure their health
and safety,” adds Rizzuto.
For more information or to schedule an appointment for respiratory
therapy services at Kimball Medical Center’s Institute
for Rehabilitative and Occupational Health Services, please
call the Barnabas Health Care Link at 1-888-724-7123.
Date: October 19, 2009
CONTACT: Carrie Cristello
Director, Public Relations
732-923-6552
ccristello@barnabashealth.org
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