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Draycott Rd, Cheddar
Somerset
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Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD)Using Manual Lymphatic Drainage for Symptom ReliefChronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) makes breathing increasingly more difficult. Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a chronic inflammatory lung disease that causes obstructed airflow from the lungs. Do you struggle to catch your breath when walking up the stairs or to the shops? Are you using inhalers and tablets – to help make breathing easier? Have you noticed that there's not much more help available? Do these work for you? What can you do if they don't? You're kind of stuck in a hopeless limbo that is likely to get progressively worse. What are the symptoms of COPD?
Are there any added complications with COPD? Well, yes, there are. Persistent coughing can do much damage to the lungs over time, but as we can't physically get in there and scrape them out, there's not much we can do once the condition takes a hold. In fact, there is no reversal or cure, and for a lot of people, though treatment can help keep it under control so as not to impact their daily lives unduly, most often COPD will continue to get worse over time. Thanks for all the doom and gloom. What are you offering as an alternative? I have treated many, many patients over my time as a therapist, some of whom have been suffering with COPD. But, before I tell you about the treatment, let me explain why I think it has an effect on these patients, and then I'll explain how we can go about making changes. COPD is a respiratory condition that affects the lungs. It can be difficult, or even painful, to breathe, and is certainly painful to cough hundreds of times a day. But the pain isn't just the inflammatory effect this has on the lungs, though it is significant. There is also an effect that transfers to the ribs. RIBS are what allow you to breathe, not your lungs. If you didn't have ribs, your lungs would be a useless sack of nothing, going nowhere. You see, it is the expanding rib cage and the decending diaphragm (just above your liver) that moves and allows your lungs to expand to fill the space. The diaphragm is pulled flat, pushing out the lower ribcage and creates a downward force on your visceral sack to move the abdomen and organs. At the same time, the muscles between your ribs (your intercostal muscles) pull your rib cage up and out. This expands the chest, creating a space, a vacuum if you like, and draws air into the lungs. When you have COPD, the difficulty you have breathing is read by the brain which begins to register a lack of oxygen in the blood. So it sends a signal for you to breathe faster. Normal deep breathing is a slow business. It takes time to expand the lungs fully. The surface area for gas exchange (oxygen and carbon dioxide) is immense. So, slow, deep breaths usually does the trick. But when the brain says, 'Yeoo fella's I need oxygen', the lungs speed up. Breathing tends to become shallow and you only use the top portion of your lungs. It doesn't take long for this to become the normal way to breathe, as when you're tired or breathless or coughing, the demand for oxygen goes up and the ability to deliver goes down. You become stuck in this perpetual cycle of shallow breathing. What happens to muscles that you don't use? The lower rib cage starts to sieze up and the muscles suffer atrophy. They effectively say, 'well if you don't need me anymore, I'll shut up shop and stop working'. That's what the body does when you don't use muscles regularly for what they were designed for. Just ask anyone who has started going to the gym recently. So, the treatment involves working on the ribcage. I will use a variety of techniques; massage, lymphatic drainage and bio-stress release to reactivate the ribcage. Or more specifically, the muscles in between the ribs. I'll work on both sides of the body, front and back. Most people know that the ribs attach to the sternum (breast bone) at the front of the body, not everyone knows that the ribs make a cage and attach at the back along the thoracic vertebrae, your spinal column. There will also be a degree of 'tapping' in areas that will allow reverberation around the lungs to help loosen any phlegm that may be stuck. I will show you how to do this yourself, in between sessions, so that the progress can be maintained. Of course, you won't be able to reach around the back, but working on the front of your body will help enormously. In my experience, I have noticed marked improvements in breathing, energy levels, improved mood and general health. Everything gets better when you breathe effectively. Just so we're clear, you need to keep taking your medication. This is an adjunct to aid your improvement, not a replacement. If you can relate to this or think any of this applies to you, please book an appointment, so we can give it a try. Have you been diagnosed with COPD? If you feel your health is not improving, or has deteriorated recently, I would invite you to come long to The Haven Healing Centre in Cheddar for assistance. Appointments and a treatment price list are available by clicking here. I look forward to welcoming you to The Haven Healing Centre where we can talk about a treatment plan structured around your needs. Phil. Please share this page with your friends. Thank you.
Note: DISCLAIMER: This information is not presented by a medical practitioner and is for educational and informational purposes only. The content is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have read. It's a small investment in yourself, but could be a life-changing experience you will cherish forever. |
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