What is chest physiotherapy?
Chest physiotherapy is a type of treatment that helps clear the lungs and airways. It can be used to help people with conditions such as cystic fibrosis, bronchitis, and asthma. Chest physiotherapy can also be used to help people after surgery or an injury.
There are several different types of chest physiotherapy.
Manual chest physiotherapy: In this type of therapy, a therapist will use their hands to help clear the lungs and airways. Other types of chest physiotherapy include:
Inhalation therapy: This type of therapy uses medicine or steam to clear the lungs and airways.
Chest percussion: This type of therapy uses a special device to help clear the lungs and airways.
Coughing: This type of therapy helps clear the lungs and airways by causing you to cough.
How does chest physiotherapy work?
Chest physiotherapy works by clearing the lungs and airways. This helps to improve breathing and reduce symptoms such as coughing and wheezing. Chest physiotherapy can also help to reduce the risk of infection.
Who should receive chest physiotherapy?
Chest physiotherapy is often recommended for people who have conditions that affect the lungs and airways. These conditions include:
This type of therapy may also be recommended after surgery or an injury to the chest area. This is because it can help clear the lungs and airways, which allows people with these conditions to heal more quickly.
Before undergoing chest physiotherapy, make sure that the therapist is trained and has experience in this area.
What are the benefits of chest physiotherapy?
Chest physiotherapy has several benefits. It can help reduce symptoms caused by an illness or condition, like coughing and wheezing. It can also help people heal more quickly after surgery or an injury to the area around their lungs and airways. This can help increase their chances of recovery.
What are the risks of chest physiotherapy?
Chest physiotherapy is a safe and effective treatment for many conditions and symptoms. However, there are some side effects that you should be aware of before receiving chest physiotherapy:
You should also not receive this type of therapy if you have a body cast or are having surgery. During these times, your chest area needs to be completely still in order for the procedure to be safe. If it is not, then further injury or damage can occur to the lungs or airways.
What happens during chest physiotherapy?
Before receiving chest physiotherapy, the therapist will assess you to determine whether this type of therapy is right for you. After assessing you, they will explain how your condition affects your lungs and airways. Then, the therapist will teach a family member or a caregiver how to use chest physiotherapy at home.
Chest physiotherapy usually involves the following steps:
The therapist will help you to sit up in a comfortable position. They will then ask you to take a deep breath in and hold it for a few seconds. After you exhale, the therapist will ask you to cough. This helps to loosen any mucus in the lungs and airways.
You should continue to repeat these steps until your mucus becomes clear or you start coughing up blood. If this occurs, call a doctor right away.
After completing chest physiotherapy, you may be asked to complete breathing exercises for several minutes. This will help clear any remaining mucus from your lungs and airways.
