The lungs are made of tubes through, which air passes in and out for exchange of gases, taking in alveoli. It is a disease of alveoli to which finer air conducting tubes are attached. Over a period of time, with age and exposure to various agents, these tubules get obstructed. The amount of air that can pass through these is reduced, leading to reduced oxygen supply to the lungs and thereby the various body organs.

Symptoms
The symptoms of copd can be easily understood if we realize how copd is caused. The progressive blockage of the air tubes causes less oxygen to reach the tissues, which is the most essential agent for all tissues and organs to function. Reduced supply produces a generalized limitation in physical activity. There are two main components to copd - chronic bronchitis and emphysema. The symptoms indicative of copd are as follows:
1. Chronic cough - also referred to as smoker's cough, the cough is relentless and does not subside with regular cough treatment. This is one of the first indications of copd.
2. Mucus buildup - there is constant buildup of mucus which gets expelled during coughing. The person never feels completely clear of mucus, and the regular cough expectorants do not help relieve the symptoms.
3. Fatigue associated with limited activity - as noted earlier, the reduced capacity of the organs limits their activities. Therefore, regular activities like walking short distances or climbing stairs can induce fatigue.
4. Shortness of breath - the above fatigue is associated with shortness of breath, even with small physical exertion. A person with copd will see marked tiredness and reduced ability to perform routine chores and feel a tightness in the chest.
5. Wheezing - passage of air through the obstructed air tubes produces a whistling sound or wheezing. It is more pronounced when there is mucus accumulation in the airways.
Rarely, frequent respiratory infections, more frequent flu attacks, swelling of the feet and ankles, cardiovascular disease, weight loss, and morning headaches.

Treatment
While there is no cure for copd, once it sets, the following are some ways to slow its progression and reduce severity of the symptoms:
1. Bronchodilators - dilate the air tubes and ease flow of air
2. Corticosteroids - help reduce inflammation and thereby improve airflow through the tubes
3. Flu vaccination - helps curb the frequent flu attacks
4. Antibiotics - to contain infections
5. Pulmonary rehabilitation - a combination of breathing exercise and patient education to improve lung function.
6. Oxygen therapy - in very severe cases, oxygen may be required.
7. Lifestyle changes - eating healthy foods, preventing exposure to dust and smoke, quitting smoking, breathing exercises, bi-annual medical check-ups to monitor lung functions are essential.

Knowing that you have copd is the first step towards managing copd, which can be managed effectively.

Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease - Symptoms and Treatment

Sputum production and chronic cough for at least three months in a year, consecutively for two years is termed as Chronic Bronchitis. Emphysema and Chronic Bronchitis are different from each other but are covered under the same umbrella COPD, which means Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary disease and that is because both are diseases related to respiration.

How is Chronic Bronchitis different from Emphysema?
Both of them occur when the airways in the lungs get damaged due to the inflammation of the airways. Emphysema is the result of air sacs break down whereas Chronic Bronchitis is the result of excessive mucus formation and inflammation in the Bronchi. Some people show either of the symptoms while some people show combined symptoms.

Symptoms of Chronic Bronchitis:
The following symptoms are seen in people with Chronic Bronchitis:

Long-term cough
Excessive mucus production
Sudden weight gain
Tight chest
Feeling breathlessness even when you are taking rest
Sometimes, these symptoms will be neglected by many people treating them as symptoms of cold weather, or attributing these symptoms to the presence of too much smoke or fumes around them. But it is always good to consult a doctor if the symptoms persist for a long time.

Physiotherapy and Chronic Bronchitis:
The main goal of your physiotherapy involves exercises that improve tolerance, education, mucus clearance, increase lung volume, reduce exacerbations, and reduce hospitalization.

Exercises that improve tolerance:
Upper and lower limb tolerance training have shown tremendous results in preventing, controlling and managing Chronic Bronchitis. This training helps in airway clearance, reduces airflow obstruction, mucus removal, and increased energy levels.

Postural draining:
Usage of different postures for moving the mucus through the throat and removing it through the mouth. There are different postures used for different patients. It is basically done by placing the affected part at a lower height and the unaffected part comparatively higher.

Autogenic draining:
This technique will help in proper and normal airflow through the bronchi. There will not be any blockage of the airway. Retention of carbon dioxide in the lungs will be reduced, the mucus will be removed and airflow through the airways will improve with this technique.

Percussion:
This technique is used by the physiotherapist along with the postural drainage technique. This is also a technique used for clearing the mucus that got stuck in the airways. Many patients find this technique really useful in mucus removal. In Percussion, the physiotherapist claps on the chest of the patient or on the back of the patients. It depends on how the patient prefers. This gives a relaxing and soothing effect on the patients and helps them release out mucus that got stuck in the airways.

Educating:
Finally, educating the patients about its causes and physiotherapy treatments can help them recover faster.

Chronic Bronchitis - What Should You Expect From A Physiotherapist?

Sinuses are cavities in our skull behind the nose which spread out in a pattern. These cavities are lined with tissues and mucosal membranes and are essential for our breathing process. Sinusitis is a condition where the tissues within the cavities become inflamed which results in the sinus cavities being blocked due to a buildup of fluid.

What are the conditions that can lead to sinusitis?
Some of the conditions that can cause nasal polyps are explained as follows:

Nasal polyps are small growths of tissue within the lining of the nose which may block the sinuses, resulting in sinusitis.
Common cold is also a culprit which may result in sinusitis
If your septum or the bridge between the holes of the nose is deviated (this condition is referred to as a deviated septum), you may be prone to developing sinusitis.
The lining of the nose may swell in a condition known as allergic rhinitis and cause sinusitis as well.
Types of sinusitis
There are multiple types of sinusitis which may affect people and also on how long they last. The various types of sinusitis are explained below:

Acute sinusitis: This is the most common form of sinusitis that lasts usually between 2 to 4 weeks. It starts with a cold, blocked nose and turns into facial pain that usually starts very suddenly.
Chronic sinusitis: This is a form of sinus infection which can have a debilitating effect on your life and may last for 12 weeks or longer.
Sub-acute sinusitis: This is somewhere between acute and chronic sinusitis and may last from anywhere between 4 to 12 weeks.
Recurrent sinusitis: This form of sinus infections tend to be a variation of acute or sub-acute sinusitis which tends to occur multiple times a year.
Symptoms of sinusitis
The manifestation of the symptoms of sinusitis may be different from person to person and also on the type of sinusitis you are suffering from. However, there are some generic symptoms that are common to all forms which are mentioned as follows:

Smelling senses may be dulled
Facial pain
Congestion accompanied by a cough
Nose may be blocked, stuffy and may also be runny
Other symptoms may also include bad breath, fatigue, or even dental pain
Nasal cavity may have pus and it may drain from time to time
It is best to consult a doctor quickly, if you have been having any of these symptoms. The doctor can prescribe nasal decongestants and antibiotics which can help. If you have chronic or recurrent sinusitis, then more aggressive and advanced treatments may be required.

Sinusitis - Conditions That Lead to It!

Lungs are the most important organ of our body that has the responsibility of taking in the oxygen and releasing out carbon dioxide. When cancer develops in it, the entire body gets imbalanced. Lung cancer leads to more death than any other type of cancer, which is why identifying the symptoms and knowing the causes are instrumental in obtaining a timely diagnosis as well as in prevention of lung cancer.

Symptoms of Lung Cancer

In the early stages:

Persistent coughing

Chest pain

Bleeding

Fatigue

Loss of appetite

Sudden weight loss

Headaches

Coughing up blood

In the later stages:

Bone pain

Joint pain

Facial paralysis

Neck swelling

Blood clotting

Weakness

Sever chest pain

Causes of Lung Cancer:

Smoking: People who smoke are more prone to lung cancer. With the increase in the number of cigarettes you smoke, your chances of getting lung cancer increase too. People who don't smoke but are surrounded by the smokers also have high chances of being affected by this form of cancer.
Exposure to Asbestos: Asbestos is a group of mineral, which is present naturally in the environment. Lung cancer can occur due to the inhalation and ingestion of asbestos fibers.
Exposure to Ranon Gas: Ranon is a radioactive gas, which is formed naturally on decaying of radioactive elements. It is found in low levels in the air that we breathe and the water that we drink. Consumption of air and water having this gas leads to lung cancer.
High Levels of Air Pollution: Presence of high levels of dust particles and pollutants in the air that we breathe can cause lung cancer. 1-2% of lung cancer is caused because of it.
High Levels of Arsenic in Drinking Water: Consuming water with arsenic content is harmful as it directly affects the lungs and when the arsenic content is too high, it may lead to lung cancer.
Exposure to Chemicals: Exposure to certain chemicals like uranium, coal products, gasoline, diesel exhaust and mustard gas can also cause lung cancer.
Family History of Lung Cancer: Chances of getting lung cancer increase if your parents, child or siblings are already prone to lung cancer. In case you have a concern or query you can always consult an expert & get answers to your questions!

Lung Cancer - Symptoms & Causes! 

How is homeopathy beneficial for sinusitis?

Sinuses, also known as paranasal sinuses as they surround the nasal cavity, are hollow air-filled cavities. Humans have four pairs of such cavities which are known as:

-Frontal sinus - in the forehead
-Maxillary sinus - behind the cheekbones
-Ethmoid sinus - between the eyes behind the bridge of the nose
-Sphenoid sinus - behind the eyes

What is sinusitis?

Sinusitis is the inflammation or infection of one or more of the sinuses. It can be caused by a virus, bacteria, fungus, allergies or excessive nose blowing and results in the blockage of the sinus opening. Sinusitis can be acute (lasting 4 or lesser weeks), subacute (lasting 4 to 8 weeks), chronic (lasting beyond 8 weeks) and recurring (several attacks in a year).

Acute sinusitis generally causes pain in the sinuses, headaches, loss of smell, stuffiness, and coughs as well as may also cause bad breath, toothaches, and fever.

What does the homeopathic treatment for sinusitis entail?

Homeopathy is an alternative medicine system which uses plants and minerals to develop remedies that augment the body's natural defenses by stimulating symptoms of the disease the patient is suffering from.

Acute sinusitis finds a permanent cure in homeopathy. Though treatment takes time, it rebuilds the body's immunity to sinusitis. It drains the sinuses, kills the germs and wipes the infection off at the root, thus preventing it from recurring. When antibiotics are used to treat sinusitis, there may be side effects such as fungal infections. Fungal infection is a leading cause of chronic sinusitis.

Homeopathy can boost the body's immunity which can treat fungal infections from the root, hence eliminating chances of recurrence. It can treat the symptoms of sinusitis and provide relief from associated respiratory diseases and allergies. There are different remedies available to treat the different symptoms of sinusitis, which work together to completely cure it by boosting the body's immune system without having any side effects.

Homeopathy for Nasal Polyps:

With Chronic sinus, soft growths arising from the mucous membrane of the nose or paranasal sinus are referred as nasal polyps. The most common treatment option suggested by a conventional system in nasal polyps is surgical removal. In most cases, nasal polyps reappear after surgery. However, surgery is a temporary fix since it does not address the body's tendency to form polyps. Homeopathy, on the other hand, offers a permanent solution by treating the root cause. Following six homeopathic medicines are usually recommended  for nasal polyps - Lemna Minor, Sanguinaria Can, Calcarea Carb, Kali Bichrome, Teucrium, and Phosphorus.

If you would like to consult with me privately, please click on 'Consult'.

How Does Homeopathy Cure Sinusitis?

The inflammation of the cavities around nasal passage is known as sinusitis. When the cavities are full of fluid, germs attach themselves to the fluids, which give rise to infections. Some of the causes of sinusitis are common colds, allergic rhinitis, nasal polyps and deviated septum.

There are 4 different types of sinusitis:

    Acute sinusitis: It remains for about 4 weeks or less. It is usually characterized by a runny nose and pain in the face which will stay for at least 10 to 14 days.
    Sub acute sinusitis: It is almost like the acute sinusitis but stays longer for about 4 to 8 weeks.
    Chronic sinusitis: The inflammation in this case lasts about 8 weeks, sometimes longer than that.
    Recurrent sinusitis: In this, the sinusitis attack keeps occurring all through the year.

At times, to clear up the blocked sinuses, a surgery is mandatory. This can be painful hence many are hesitant to go through with a surgery. If you want to control sinusitis so that it doesn't reach the limit where you have to go through a surgery, here are some tips of what you might be able to do regularly to clear your chances of controlling this:

    Take steam: This is the most common and easy way to control sinusitis. The steam helps to break down the excess mucus in the nasal passage and also reduces the inflammation of the sinuses. All you need is water. Heat it up to the required temperature and then inhale the steam. You will get a lot of relief if you do this regularly.
    Nasal Irrigation: This is basically the process of flushing the infected and stale mucus out of the nasal cavity. Take a liter of sterile water, mix one tablespoon of kosher salt and baking soda each. Then with the help of a syringe or a neti pot, wash your nostrils with the solution. The mucus will start coming out and your nasal cavity will clear out.
    Use warm washcloth: Lie down and place a warm washcloth (a washcloth dipped in warm water and wringed) on your forehead and nose region. The warmth from the washcloth will break down the mucus and clear the congestion.

Sinusitis: Controlling it without Surgery

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