E-Cigarettes Add A Real Option For Those Suffering From COPD
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Patients with COPD (Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease) experience shortness of breath caused by a narrowing of the airways. COPD is not reversible and becomes progressively worse over time. Although the symptoms are similar to those experienced by asthma suffers, the narrowed airway caused by an asthma attacks is reversible.
Smoking is the leading cause of COPD. An inflammatory response in the lungs is triggered when particles and noxious gases are inhaled with cigarette smoke. In the airways, the response is diagnosed as chronic bronchitis. Emphysema is inflammation tht affects the alveoli of the lung with a inflammation that destroys tissues.
Symptoms of COPD can worsen suddenly and result in an acute episode where the patient is struggling to breathe. Acute attacks may be triggered by inflections in the body or pollutants in the air. Tests to diagnose COPD will measure the volume of air inhaled by the patient as well as the speed of the air entering and leaving the airways as the person inhales and exhales.
Long term oxygen therapy is required for those with COPD. Patients go through their daily activities with an oxygen pack around their waist or pushing a wheeled card loaded with an oxygen bottle. Some may be connected to the oxygen continuously while others breathe the oxygen frequently to ease discomfort.
COPD is not curable but relies on management to delay the advance of the disease and to help avoid acute attacks. Management strategies outlined by doctors include advice to stop smoking tobacco and to participate in rehabilitation and drug therapy. Inhalers are the most common drug therapy prescribed for patients.
Physicians often report frustration in dealing with patients who continue a two to three pack a day tobacco habit even after a diagnosis of COPD. The belief may be that the damage is already done so it’s too late to quit smoking or the patient may think they do not have the will power required to stop.
To increase flow to through the airways, rehabilitation for COPD patients includes sessions where they breathe steam. For those who continue to smoke two or three packs of tobacco a day the benefits of rehabilitation are short lived. These are people who are addicted to the total experience of smoking. Whether taking a puff, holding a cigarette in the hand or inhaling the smoke, this is someone who will not be placated by patches and gum. Their habit is too ingrained to be replaced by anything that does not provide the experience of smoking. Electronic cigarettes may prove to be a valuable tool for those with COPD.
Highly addicted smokers suffering from COPD find e-cigarettes to be a real alternative for them. The lack of toxic smoke allows them to gain greater benefit from rehabilitation and steam therapy. E-cigs allow the smoker to inhale a vapor that tastes and feels like cigarette smoke without inhaling the harmful chemicals of burning tobacco. The popularity of e-cigs for this sector of society has grown rapidly. Patients report an increase in their quality of life and some even claim the steam vapor produce by e-cigarettes is helpful as a steam therapy. Until scientific studies are conducted, proof of advantages of the vapor are only anecdotal. it may be that simply stopping the inhalation of the additives in tobacco smoke is responsible for the improvement in patients.
Mary Kay Rivers has become an expert in the field of electronic cigarettes. Her articles about the controversial substance propylene glycol in electronic cigarettes or about the best e-cigarette have become very popular.
Originally posted 2010-02-27 17:03:27.
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