Calling Dr. Bauer Dear Dr. Bauer, Why do some people use portable concentrators and some have liquid oxygen? Stephanie Jones, New York have been practicing pulmonary medicine for over 35 years. One of the biggest changes I have seen during this period is how oxygen is supplied to my patients to use when…
Editor’s Note Now that my three children are married and my husband is retired,I feel like I am entering a new season of life. Thirty years ago, in the fall of 1988, The Pulmonary Paper was set up as a nonprofit organization and our first newsletter was published the next year. We have…
Change of Seasons Your “circadian” biological clock is responsible for telling your body when it is time to feel awake and when it is time to feel sleepy. Since it revolves around predictable patterns of light and darkness, any changes in your usual patterns tends to disrupt the balance. Chamomile tea may help…
Respiratory News Nurses at the Salem, Virginia Veterans Affairs (VA) Medical Center began ensuring their patients brushed their teeth twice a day. This simple act dramatically reduced the number of cases of hospital-acquired pneumonia by 90 percent (people were not on a ventilator). Calling the program Project HAPPEN (Hospital-Acquired Pneumonia Prevention by Engaging…
Personal Hygiene and COPD COPD.net is an Internet site sponsored by Health Union as a place to find information, support and friendship with others who cope with COPD. Recent posts offered tips on making our personal hygiene routines a bit easier. •a Tveo lots of energy, after a shower or bath, use…
World COPD Day, November 21 The Global Initiative for Chronic Ob- structive Lung Disease – otherwise known as GOLD – is an organization striving to improve the diagnosis, prevention and management of COPD around the world. Visit their web site at www.goldcopd.org to learn of their recommendations on how to treat your lung…
Fibrosis File The paperback book, Breathing Should Never Be Hard Work: One Man’s Journey with Id- iopathic Pulmonary Fi- brosis, is now available at www.amazon.com Robert Davidson was diagnosed with IPF in October 2007 after having difficulties with the fitness test nec- essary to be a soccer referee. He tells his journey with…
Time to Get Your Annual Flu Shot! According to the Centers for Disease Control, last year’s flu season was the worst since 2009. Activity began to increase in November, reaching an extended period of high activity during January and February and remained elevated through the end of March. The percentage of deaths attributed to pneumonia…
Empty Pill Bottles Rather than throw away your empty pill bottles, a group called Matthew 25: Minis- tries (Internet site: earth911.com/inspire/diy/ reuse-pill-bottles) will donate them to people that don’t have the luxury of the sturdy con- tainers. More than half of Americans take two prescription drugs leaving our landfills with a lot of…
Calling Dr. Bauer … Dear Dr. Bauer, My oximeter registers 90 percent to 92 percent before I go to bed. Should I still use my oxygen at night? Vivian M., Longmont, CO our physician will prescribe oxygen therapy if your oxygen satura- tion level is 88 percent or less at rest, breathing room…