Do these lung exerciser work?
I am 57 yrs old and I was just DX with COPD. My dad just passed from end stage COPD and I want to do everything I can to help slow this down. I have seen so many of these and I am not sure if I should buy one? I walk on our treadmill every day, but can't quiet walk a mile yet. Any suggestions?
Hi there! First, sorry for the delay in response. It can get busy around here! My heart goes out to you over the loss of your dad, and I give you credit for wanting to make the most of the life you have. It take effort but I feel confident you will benefit. 😀
As for the breathing exercises you shared, the photo is a bit small so it's hard to tell what I'm looking at. Feel free to share a link to a website you saw. In general, I can say that breathing exercises are useful for virtually every person with COPD, even if they are very severe.
It looks like you posted some kind of device, so I want to share that some people do find that different devices help. One example is a flutter valve. You blow into it and it creates vibrations that help you bring up mucus easier. There is a brand called Acapella that is inexpensive, or you can ask your doctor if they have something similar to give you.A good thing you can do regularly without equipment is pursed lip breathing. Super easy and can be a big benefit. Here's a video about it:
https://www.lung.org/lung-health-diseases/wellness/breathing-exercises
Keep asking questions. We're here for you! -Melissa, copd.net team
