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- Aids In Expansion of Lungs
- Increases Sputum Secretions
- Helps Drain Secretion from Lungs
- Helps Improve Overall Lung Functioning
- Helps To Ease Breathing and Increase Oxygen in the Blood
Chest physiotherapy is a therapy option that helps improve breathing by indirect removal of mucus from the respiratory passages of the patient. It includes a set of treatments that expands the lungs, helps remove secretions that clog the breathing passages and strengthens the respiratory muscles.
The treatments involved in chest physiotherapy include chest percussion, chest vibration, turning, coughing, postural drainage, breathing exercises and incentive spirometry.
CPT (Chest Physiotherapy) is administered along with other treatments to eliminate secretions that make breathing difficult. These include nebulizer treatment, suctioning, and expectorant drug administration.
Van der Schans published a clinical research report on "Conventional Chest Physical Therapy for Obtrusive Lung Disease” in September 2007 which identified the effective methods for chest physical therapy as well as the importance of identifying and selecting the most appropriate treatment for the patient.
The study showed that the most effective airway clearance modality is directed cough. However, in terms of which treatment is used in the therapy, the patient's preference is the best indicator to use. It also emphasized the cooperation and adherence of the patient to the therapy to achieve the benefits.
A patient can benefit from chest therapy in more ways than one. There is an increased intake of oxygen because of lung expansion. The respiratory muscles are strengthened and are able to eliminate secretions from the respiratory system easily. There is also significant improvement in mucus clearance, a reduced risk of pulmonary infection, and enhanced pulmonary function.
Through the set of treatments like chest percussion, directed coughing, chest vibration, postural drainage and incentive spirometry, chest therapy removes respiratory blockages. If the patient has lung disease such as bronchitis, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, or pneumonia, the benefit from chest therapy can be really helpful in improving his or her quality of life.
1. Who can benefit from chest therapy? People with neuromuscular diseases like Guillain-Barré syndrome, cystic fibrosis, tetanus, progressive muscle weakness like myasthenia gravis can also benefit from chest therapy. There are people without specific lung problems but likely to aspirate mucous secretions because of diseases like cerebral palsy or muscular dystrophy.
These people can also benefit from chest physical therapy and so can the ones who are bedridden or on a wheelchair. Additionally, CPT may be given post surgery for patients who have problems taking deep breaths.
2. Can chest therapy be self-managed? Chest therapy should be performed under the supervision of a chest physiotherapist; however, you or someone from your family can be trained. The chest physiotherapist can teach you to perform some of the therapies on your own, nonetheless, a visit to your doctor’s office is still recommended.
3. Can chest therapy suit all ages? Chest therapy is suitable for people of all ages, from infants, children and adults.
4. How much is the cost of the chest therapy treatment? The cost of the chest therapy varies depending on the length of the treatment. Chest therapy may be a part of a regular treatment for a chronic condition. For some cases, special equipment like percussion may be needed, which are covered by the health insurance plan of the patient.
5. How do you know which chest therapy procedure is most suitable for your condition? Patients are regularly evaluated and monitored to identify which of the procedures – chest percussion, chest vibration, turning, coughing, breathing exercises, postural drainage and incentive spirometry – are the most effective. The ones who receive long term chest therapy treatment are revaluated every three months for progress.
Chest therapy should not be applied for treating people diagnosed with asthma. Postural drainage and percussion should not be administered to patients who are vomiting, having broken ribs, coughing up blood, bleeding from the lungs, recently recovering from heart attack, had a recent surgery, have open wounds or burns, or have an active hemorrhage.
In young patients and those with acute unstable conditions, application of chest therapy must be approached with extreme caution since there have been reports of adverse effects including hypoxema, increased oxygen consumption, and rib fractures. It should also be avoided in patients with chest wall or spinal cord injury.
Top 5 reasons to consider chest therapy:
1. Expansion of lungs: The chest therapist uses techniques like ‘turning from side to side’ and ‘deep breathing’ as a part of the chest therapy. Turning from side to side can expand the lungs making it easier for the patient to take in oxygen. Deep breathing, a process done several times a day, is a technique wherein the patient sits upright and inhales while pushing the abdomen out to take in maximum amounts of air to the lung. The patient then exhales while contracting the abdomen.
2. Higher amount of sputum secretions: Through the process of coughing, chest therapy will help discharge or suction the mucus out. This process is done several times daily. This leads to improved vital signs and changed breath sounds.
3. Increased oxygen in the blood: The ‘postural drainage’ aspect of chest therapy can drain secretions from the lungs into the nostrils or mouth from where they can be coughed out or suctioned. Patients who are on mechanical ventilation or requiring critical care receive such kind of therapy five to six times a day. The benefit is increased oxygen in the blood.
4. Relief from diseases: People with neuromuscular diseases like Guillain-Barré syndrome and people with lung diseases like pneumonia, bronchitis and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease can be treated through chest therapy. Those with cerebral palsy or those who are confined to a wheel chair and likely to aspirate their mucus secretions can also be given chest therapy.
5. Easy breathing and increased oxygen in the blood: Through treatments like percussion and vibration, lung secretions can be removed. In percussion, the therapist rhythmically strikes the chest wall with cupped hands to break the thick lung secretions. In vibration, the therapist places his hands against the patient's chest and makes vibrations by rapidly contracting and relaxing the muscles of the patient’s shoulders and arms, while he exhales. Mechanical devices can also be used for both chest therapy processes.
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