With COPD, the respiratory tract and often the lungs are permanently damaged. Breathing problems occur. COPD training helps in dealing with the disease.
In chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, the airways are narrowed. Often there is chronic bronchitis with cough and sputum and the alveoli in the lungs are dilated, which doctors call pulmonary emphysema. Those affected sometimes suffer from serious breathing problems. COPD training courses help deal with the lung disease and support those affected to get to know the disease better and understand the therapy.
COPD is a collective term for various individual diseases or disease components consisting of chronic bronchitis and narrowing of the airways (airway obstruction) with or without pulmonary emphysema. The typical symptoms are cough, sputum and shortness of breath. COPD develops over years. In milder stages of the disease, shortness of breath is only noticeable under exertion. In the advanced stages of COPD, those affected have severe shortness of breath even at rest. You can no longer carry out even light everyday activities.
“COPD is a so-called acquired disease, which means that it arises from inhalation exposure to gases, smoking or particles, which may last for decades. In Germany, almost all COPD patients are or were long-time smokers,” explains Professor Adrian Gillissen, senior physician at the Clinic for Pulmonology and respiratory medicine at the Stuttgart Clinic – Katharinenhospital.
According to the expert, cigarette smoke causes chronic inflammation in the airways, which results in histological changes in the airways and often also in the alveoli, which leads to this clinical picture. Acute deteriorations (exacerbations), infections in the respiratory tract and lungs as well as secondary changes that, for example, lead to strain on the heart are also typical. Other diseases caused by long-term cigarette smoking, such as arteriosclerosis, heart attack and lung cancer, should not be forgotten.
There is no cure for COPD, but it can be treated well. In addition to drug therapy, training, rehabilitation and pulmonary exercise play important roles in the overall management of patients. “In addition to basic pharmacological therapy, which treats the symptoms and counteracts exacerbations, COPD training is one of the important non-pharmacological treatment components for optimizing the success of therapy,” says Gillissen.
Professor Dr. med. Dr. rer. medic. Adrian Gillissen is a specialist in internal medicine, pulmonology, allergology, sports medicine and emergency medicine. The expert is also senior physician at the Clinic for Pulmonology and Respiratory Medicine at the Stuttgart Hospital – Katharinenhospital and a member of the German Lung Foundation e. V. and the German Society for Pneumology and Respiratory Medicine e. v.
Drug treatment depends on the stage of COPD diagnosed. In the early stages, inhalation therapy with a bronchodilator medication usually helps to alleviate the symptoms. In advanced stages, an inhaled cortisone preparation (ICS) and, in certain cases, an anti-inflammatory phosphodiesterase inhibitor (roflumilast) are also administered to reduce the risk of exacerbations. In severe cases with repeated bronchial infections and colonization with so-called problem germs, long-term antibiotic therapy can be useful. Doctors try to treat chronic oxygen deficiency with long-term oxygen therapy. Physical training also plays an important role.
COPD training courses are intended to help those affected to understand the cause of the disease and to deal with the symptoms in everyday life, to learn breathing techniques, to use inhalation therapy correctly and to learn preventive measures. The COPD training courses are carried out by specially trained medical staff. They can take place on an outpatient basis in the doctor’s office or in the hospital, but also as part of rehabilitation. If indicated, the costs are covered by health insurance companies and offered by pulmonary specialists and rehabilitation facilities.
The subject areas of COPD training include, among others:
- Explanation of the basics of the disease and its causes
- Information about treatment options
- Information on avoiding risk factors and disease triggers
- Combination of COPD training with a tobacco cessation measure possible
- Learning inhalation techniques for correct medication use
- Emergency training (use of the emergency spray; learning how to recognize an exacerbation in the early stages and what measures need to be taken).
- Increase in quality of life despite COPD-related physical limitations
- Training in self-therapy measures in everyday life and in emergencies
“The knowledge imparted in these special COPD training courses is an important addition to medically prescribed pharmacotherapy,” says Gillissen. “Smoking cessation is one of the most important measures in patient education.”
According to the expert, patient training is also a practical way to help people help themselves. The goal is to develop appropriate skills in dealing with the disease COPD. The training courses are intended to give those affected security and impart the skills they need to deal with this lung disease. According to the expert, relatives could or should also take part.
COPD training is an important component in the management of those affected and is essential in many ways. According to the National COPD Care Guideline, training courses do not just impart knowledge and skills. Scientific studies show that those who take part in training suffer less from exacerbations and require less hospital care. Training also helps to improve patient cooperation (adherence), to stick to the prescribed therapies and to become more confident in using medication.
Those affected also feel more confident in dealing with the disease: “Fears, for example of an acute deterioration or an emergency, can be alleviated through training measures. Performance can also be improved – which supports the quality of life in everyday life,” says Gillissen.
The doctor will discuss with the person concerned which training program is recommended in each individual case. In principle, different training courses are available for different clinical pictures. It is best for those affected to ask their family doctor or pulmonologist. You can also ask your health insurance company about COPD training programs. It is also advisable to refresh the training content. This is especially true if the treatment plan changes, complications arise or the disease progresses.
