Music therapy can help COPD symptoms-Lovego Weekly Report

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Music therapy can help COPD symptoms

Do you love music? Well, you may just be able to take your musical fancy to the next level and have it treat your COPD, too!

A new study published last December 2015 in the Respiratory Medicine journal showed that music therapy was able to improve the health of COPD patients. In the study, 68 patients with chronic debilitating respiratory conditions, including COPD, were treated with weekly sessions of music therapy.

Music therapy, as defined by musictherapy.org, is the “clinical and evidence-based use of music interventions to accomplish individualized goals within a therapeutic relationship.” This therapeutic relationship involves the participation of the patient and the expertise of a professional music therapist. Music therapists have undergone intensive training under music therapy programs and receive credentials to be able to practice.

Simply put, music therapy consists of several sessions where a music therapist helps treat a patient’s condition with the use of certain techniques involving music. Over the course of treatment, a patient has to attend several sessions, which may include live music, wind instrument playing, visualization and singing. A good side here for COPD sufferers is that breath control techniques are incorporated, which can significantly help in the easier management of symptoms.

The study, performed at Mount Sinai Beth Israel (MSBI) in New York, ran for a period of six weeks. After the experimental period, the researchers observed that those patients who received music therapy in addition to the usual medication and treatment had a significant improvement in their respiratory symptoms. These patients also reported a better quality of life and improved psychological well-being, as compared to patients who only received conventional treatment and rehabilitation.

These results suggest that COPD patients can greatly benefit from music therapy when used in conjunction with conventional treatment methods. The study also says that music therapy allows patients to express themselves more freely, making them more confidently engaged in managing their condition. It has also allowed them to more easily cope with the tasks and challenges they experience.

Today, managing chronically ill patients is taking a different approach. This approach is one that seeks to fully understand a patient’s overall needs and consider many other aspects such as culture, perceptions, and motivations. A good understanding of these can lead to the use of methods that significantly enhance a patient’s quality of life. Music therapy is one such method that is now recognized as part of an integrated, wholesome approach in the management and rehabilitation of patients with chronic respiratory conditions.

Aside from its value in respiratory medicine, music therapy has also been found to be an effective addition in the management of conditions such as Alzheimer’s disease, chronic pain, diabetes and even cardiac conditions.

If you want to give music therapy a try, you can ask your physician about it. He can then give you a referral to the nearest music therapy practitioner.

Well what are you waiting for? Let’s get those singing voices on!

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Medications to avoid for COPD patients-Lovego Weekly Report

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Medications to avoid for COPD patients

Having COPD means that you have to watch out for any triggers, like environmental pollutants in the home and changes in the weather. But did you know that you also have to use certain medications with caution?

Whenever you take a new medication, be it a prescription drug or an over-the-counter medicine, you first have to check that it doesn’t react with your COPD symptoms. Even simple medications that treat insomnia, treat allergies or suppress coughing can have an effect.

Below are some of these medications that you should use with caution.

1.Antihistamines – These are drugs used for treatment of allergies and itching. Among these are medications like diphenhydramine (Benadryl®), chlorphenamine (Chlortrimeton®), brompheniramine, and clemastine (Travist®). These medications act by drying up secretions in the nose and airways. However, they also cause drowsiness along with a depression in breathing, so these have to be avoided. Some cough and cold medications may also contain these ingredients, so you’ll have to check first before taking any such medications.

2.Antitussives – These are drugs that suppress coughing. Examples of these are dextromethorphan and codeine. Though you may think of them as beneficial, note that coughing has an important role in clearing up your airways and removing phlegm and other secretions. If the coughing reflex is suppressed, airway secretions can make it more difficult to breathe. Additionally, keeping in these secretions can possibly lead to infections like pneumonia.

3.Beta-blockers – These are a group of medications used to treat hypertension and certain heart diseases. They may be harmful for COPD patients because they may interfere with COPD medications like albuterol. They can also cause bronchial spasms, and can severely restrict breathing. Examples of beta-blockers are propranolol (Inderal®) and nadolol (Corgard®), among others. If you are taking these medications, talk to your doctor immediately, but do not stop taking them until your doctor gives you a different medication for your high-blood pressure or heart disease.

4.Diuretics – Diuretics, or water pills, are another group of medications used to treat high-blood pressure, edema and heart failure. Such medications act to promote urination by flushing out water and electrolytes from the body. However, if you have COPD, staying hydrated is essential. Water is needed to thin airway secretions and prevent them from becoming too sticky. Thinner and more fluid secretions are much easier to cough out, so taking diuretics should be avoided. Some medications under this category are furosemide (Lasix®) and Spironolactone (Aldactone®).

5.Opiates and opioids – Drugs like codeine, morphine, hydrocodone (Vicodin®) and hydromorphone (Dilaudid®) are useful in treating pain, especially after surgery. These medications, however, have been known to cause respiratory depression. Using any of these, along with other drugs under the same category, should be avoided in patients with COPD.

6.Other drugs – There are some newer medications that have to be avoided because they have been found to worsen or aggravate COPD symptoms. Among them are abatacept (Orencia®), a drug used for rheumatoid arthritis, and zanamivir (Relenza®), an antiviral drug used to treat certain strains of influenza. These drugs should be avoided since they have been reported to cause bronchospasms and decreased lung function.

Remember to always talk to your doctor or pharmacist whenever you plan to take a new medication or do self-treatment. Avoiding the medications above and asking your doctor or pharmacist for a COPD-safe alternative can significantly help in keeping healthy and preventing any worsening of symptoms. Cheers to staying happy and healthy!

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Living optimally and improving your quality of life-Lovego Weekly Report

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Living optimally and improving your quality of life

Having COPD can be quite burdensome. Dealing with a lot of changes and sacrificing certain activities can make you realize that your life is a bit different from before. However, this doesn’t mean that you can’t enjoy life anymore.

With the right effort, some modifications around your home, and a slight change in perspective, you’ll see that you’ll be able to relish life just like before. Improving your quality of life and staying healthy need not be difficult. Aside from quitting smoking and avoiding irritants, as well as taking your medications religiously, here are other things you can do to boost your well-being and function optimally every day.

Organize your day.
Planning your activities for the day helps you put things in perspective. It allows you to check on what you need to prepare for, as well as what to expect for the day. If you’re expecting visitors, you can call them in advance and inform them of the best time for them to come by. If there are tasks you need to do, check if you have everything you need and how you can go about these tasks more easily. If you feel that you have too many activities for the day, trim down your list and remind yourself to do only tasks which are important and necessary. Knowing what to expect for the day keeps you from overdoing yourself and helps you maintain a balanced day.

Re-arrange your home.
Having COPD requires you to be able to move around with the least amount of effort. To make moving about your home much easier, you may need to re-arrange some aspects, such as the furniture. Add more chairs around the house so that you can easily sit down when doing activities like preparing food, other household chores, and grooming. Making your home COPD-friendly can greatly improve your level of comfort and make staying around the house more enjoyable. If you haven’t done this yet, it’s best to prioritize this and ask help from family and friends.

Ensure a good night’s sleep.
Proper sleep is essential to your well-being. Along with other home modifications, prioritize making your bedroom a restful place. Keep warm by using a quilt rather than layers of blankets. Choose linens that are comfy but do not release too much fibers into the air. It’s also best to opt for hypoallergenic pillow and mattress covers to keep dust mites at bay. Additionally, keep a bedside table with a lamp for you to easily reach for emergency medications like inhalers, your cellphone, and other important items.

Maintain contact with your social circles.
Though it may sometimes be a challenge to frequently meet friends outside your home, keep in mind that it’s still important to continue interacting with people. With minimal modifications, you can still continue to enjoy meeting and interacting with friends. For example, when leaving the house on humid days, have someone prepare the car to a cooler temperature. Minimize environmental exposure by quickly getting from the house to the car, and then moving quickly from the car to your indoor meeting place. Make sure that you meet friends or attend events in venues that have minimal pollutants, such as in areas with adequate air-conditioning. If you use supplemental oxygen, be sure to have your portable equipment with you, along with an adequate supply. Try to reduce the weight of your bag by bringing only what is necessary, such as your medications and important personal effects. Don’t forget to enjoy your get-together and plan the next one with your friends!

Start a new hobby.
Have you ever wanted to start painting? Maybe you’ve always wanted to learn how to knit? Or maybe you’ve been planning a small herb garden for years, but haven’t gotten around to starting it. Now is the time to do it! You can start planning how to go about your new hobby, organize and purchase the materials you need, and begin doing it. If you think you need to learn more about your new hobby, there are a lot of free online resources to guide you. Starting a new hobby gets you looking forward to the days ahead, while providing you with an easy way to relax and remain active.


Keeping all of these in mind and implementing them can greatly improve your well-being. Start doing them now and experience life to the fullest!

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Setting your priorities and organize your day better-Lovego Weekly Report

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Setting your priorities and organize your day better

Even the healthiest people don’t always have the time or energy to do everything they’d like to do, and that can be even more frustrating when you have COPD. You may be inclined to fight against your limitations, but ignoring them won’t make them go away, and the fight may leave you feeling even more drained, physically and emotionally.

Giving up certain things or activities may seem like an unwarranted sacrifice at first, but actually your COPD symptoms provide the perfect opportunity to decide what’s really important to you. If you’re like most people, there are probably a lot of things in your life — from physical items like furniture or collectibles to obligations of your time — that are there mainly because you’ve gotten accustomed to them being there, not because you have any particular attachment to them. This is your chance to identify the clutter in your life and do a good spring cleaning. You may be surprised at how much better you feel, especially mentally and emotionally, after you’ve cut out the things that mean the least to you.

Even after you’ve cleared your life of the things that don’t matter to you much, you still may feel over-extended. This is where pacing comes in. Here are some tips to help you organize your day:

1) Don’t rush around. Whenever possible, try to maintain a steady pace.

2) Don’t set your expectations too high. If anything, set the things you want to accomplish in the middling range; that way, you can do more if you have extra energy, and that can be a tremendous mental boost.

3) Don’t try to do two high-energy things back to back. Allow for a rest period in between tasks.

4) Don’t try to do something immediately after eating. Digestion takes a lot of your body’s energy, so you should try to rest for at least 20 minutes after a meal — longer if you’ve had a big meal.

5) Do arrange your schedule so the most important things get done first. Less important things can wait for another day if necessary.

6) Do ask family and friends for help, especially with tasks that require bending or lifting.

7) Do use the most comfortable position for each thing you have to do. Sitting takes less energy than standing, for example, so do as much as you can from a sitting position.

8) Do take advantage of your medications’ benefits by planning to do important tasks right after taking your medicine, when you’re likely to feel at your best.

Thanks to Kevin Felner,MD, and Meg Schneider

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Identifying your rhythm-Lovego Weekly Report

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Identifying your rhythm

Are you a morning person or an evening person? Many people with COPD find their energy levels are highest earlier in the day, possibly because they’re coming off a good long rest. But that’s by no means universal. Maybe your energy peaks at midday or later, and mornings are more of a gearing-up time for you.

It’s important to figure out when you tend to be more (or less) energetic, because that critical piece of information can help you plan your day so you don’t feel wiped out by the end of it. The better you are at organizing your routine around your energy cycles, the less likely you are to feel overwhelmed by your symptoms.

Here are some questions to help you decipher your own daily rhythm:

Do you usually feel sluggish or energetic when you wake up in the morning?

Are you more likely to sleep late in the morning or to get up early?

If it were entirely up to you, would you rather stay up past midnight or go to bed before the 11 o’clock news?

Would you rather do errands like grocery shopping in the morning or the afternoon?

Do you take naps? If so, do you tend to nap more in the morning or in the afternoon?
After you’ve identified your body’s rhythms, you can play with your daily routine, so you can rest when you need to and get things done when you have the energy to do them.

Thanks to  Kevin Felner,MD, and Meg Schneider

Lovego Service 

Email: service@oxygencare.cn

Tel:86-0755-23733851

Add: Building B, LC Hi-tech Park, Longhua District, Shenzhen, China