What can cause my breathing and COPD to flare up?
Many factors can cause chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) to flare up. It’s important to understand the triggers so can avoid them.
Smoking
Quitting smoking is the most important change you can make to help yourself. It’s never too late to quit! By stopping smoking, you can help slow down the progress of lung damage. If you’re still smoking, ask your doctor to help you quit. Ask family members to smoke outside the house. You can also get help by calling 1-800-QUIT-NOW (1-800-748-8669).
Indoor and outdoor pollution
Don’t be around smoke, aerosol sprays, strong chemicals or other irritants or allergens. Listen to the television and radio for warnings about poor air quality or ozone alerts. Try to stay indoors when the pollution levels are high. If you don’t have air conditioning, try to escape the heat by going to someplace cool such as a recreation center, library, senior center or the mall.
Lung infections
Infections can cause you to have a flare up of your COPD. Get a yearly flu shot. To make getting care easier, get your flu shot at your doctor’s office or at many large pharmacies. Also, ask your doctor about a pneumonia vaccine. Wash your hands often, and do not touch your face, especially your eyes. Avoid going to crowded places in the winter so that you don’t expose yourself to other people’s germs.
Weather
Cold air can dry your airways and irritate your lungs. Cover your mouth with a scarf to help warm the air so that you can breathe easier. Breathe through your nose instead of your mouth when you’re in the cold weather. In the summer, the heat and humidity can make it hard to breathe. When it’s very hot and humid, stay indoors and use an air conditioner if possible.
Stress and anxiety
Having trouble breathing can make you feel stressed, and you may panic, making your breathing problem worse. Try to avoid the panic stage by stopping what you’re doing and relaxing. Do purse-lipped breathing to help your breathing, and use your rescue inhaler as your doctor ordered.
When should I call my doctor?
Pay close attention to your symptoms, and call your doctor right away if you have any of the following:
* More trouble breathing, chest tightness or wheezing
* A change in your cough
* A change in the amount, thickness, or color of your mucus
* Fever or chills
* Swelling in your legs or belly is increased
* Your medicines are not working as well as they used to
When should I call 911?
Call 911 for any of the following:
* Confusion
* If you used your rescue inhaler but it didn’t help
* Chest pain
Managing COPD
How can I manage my COPD?
Your COPD (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease) Plan of Action can include many treatments and methods, and some simple lifestyle adjustments can maximize them and make all the difference toward a more fulfilling life. A few things to think about:
Breathing Medicines
Use your inhalers as your doctor ordered. This will help reduce your chances of having to go to the hospital. Ask your doctor or pharmacist to show you how to use your inhalers properly.
Exercise
Daily exercise is recommended for everyone with COPD. Don’t be worried that it will make you more short of breath. If you do not exercise, your muscles will become weak, and you’ll have more trouble breathing. If your muscles are strong, then you’ll be able to do more without getting as short of breath. Talk to your doctor about an exercise program.
Oxygen Therapy
Sometimes people with COPD need oxygen, but they’re embarrassed to use it, or they don’t like being attached to a machine. There is an upside to using oxygen though. It can help you to breathe better and be more active. It may even help you live longer! If your doctor ordered oxygen for you, it’s important to use it exactly as prescribed. Don’t turn the flow rate up higher when you have trouble breathing, as it may not help, and it could even be harmful. If you’re using your oxygen as your doctor ordered, and you’re still having trouble breathing, you should call your doctor right away.
Breathing Exercises
Ask your doctor to show you how to do pursed lip breathing and diaphragmatic breathing. These breathing techniques can help you breathe easier when you feel short of breath. You will need to practice these techniques so that you’re ready to use them when you need them.
Nutrition
It’s important to eat a healthy diet. This can help to keep your muscles strong so that you can breathe better. It can help your body fight off germs. Drink a lot of fluids to keep your mucus thin so that it’s easier to cough up.
Conserve Energy
Make sure you get enough sleep. This will help to give you more energy during the day. It’s a good idea to plan your daily activities so that you aren’t doing all of your hard chores at once. Try to space them out, as this will help you to conserve energy. Also remember that eating a meal uses energy, so it’s important to rest for about 20 or 30 minutes before you decide to do another activity.
You can also take advantage of the opportunity to do activities while you’re sitting. For example, you may be able to sit while drying your hair or shaving. If you get tired, remember you can finish the activity at another time. It’s fine to stop and take a rest or to ask family or friends for help.
Diabetic Care
Learn to Live with Type 1 & Type 2 Diabetes
Dr. Sabharwal and the staff at Health Orlando are passionate about treating Type I and Type 2 diabetes. Whether you’re controlling blood sugar levels through diet alone or using insulin shots to help with management, we get you the tools you need to live an active, healthy life.
What is Diabetes? Diabetes is a group of diseases that are brought on by your body’s inability to process and use insulin. Type 1 diabetes – which only makes up for about 5% of diabetics – is usually diagnosed in children and young adults and is characterized by your body’s inability to produce insulin. With Type 2 diabetes – which is the most common type, your body does not use insulin properly and causes abnormally high blood sugar levels.
What are Symptoms of Diabetes? According to the American Diabetic Association, some people have symptoms so mild they go unnoticed. However, if you’ve been told by your primary care doctor you are pre-diabetic or are concerned you or a loved one may be at risk for diabetes, here are some common symptoms to look for. If you are experiencing these, you should talk with your doctor about being tested for diabetes.
* Frequent urination
* Extreme thirst, hunger and fatigue
* Blurry vision
* Cuts/bruises that are slow to heal
* Weight loss – even though you are eating more (type 1)
* Tingling, pain, or numbness in the hands/feet (type 2)
Take Control of Diabetes with Personalized Treatment Plans & Carb Counting Tips Experts in diabetic education and care. This includes carb counting and tips that can actually reverse the onset of diabetes! We also have a new tool available, iPro™ Continuous Glucose Monitor (CGM), that will give us an even better picture of your glycemic patterns by testing your glucose levels continuously for three days. This service will help us: * Reveal high blood glucose trends
* Discover new insights to fine-tune your diabetic therapy and improve control
* Reduce your A1C level
* Lower your long-term risks of eye, kidney, nerve and heart disease
The iPro™ CGM is also easy to wear and use. No implant is necessary…. a tiny glucose sensor is simply inserted under the skin in a virtually painless process. Once inserted, the recorder (which is only about the size of a quarter) lays flat against your body and allows you to go about life as usual. It can even be worn swimming or in the shower! Working continuously, the iPro™ Continuous Glucose Monitor records while you work, play and sleep and provides us with important information that will help improve your diabetes treatment and balance your glucose levels.
Family Medical Care
Accepting new patients!
Yes! We’re accepting new patients! Health Orlando specializes in caring for you. Dr. Sabharwal and her team provide comprehensive medical care.
We care about and for those who matter most, helping your family and friends reach or return to their optimal level of health.
Routine Care
* Labs/Diagnostics
* Annual wellness exams
* Well women exams
* Executive Physicals
* EKG
* Pap Smears
* Menopause
* Osteoporosis
Specialized Care * Diabetic care * Knee arthritis program
* Pain management
* Allergy Testin
* Joint/Gel Injections
* Sleep Study
Urgent Care
* Illnesses
* Minor emergencies and injuries
* Ultrasounds * Various diagnostic tests
In Home Sleep Study
Is Snoring a Problem in Your House?
Over 40 million Americans suffer from a sleep breathing disorder, and 20 million suffer from Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA). Despite the high prevalence, 93% of women and 82% of men with moderate to severe OSA remain undiagnosed, according to the National Sleep Foundation.
What are some symptoms of Sleep Apnea?
Many who suffer from sleep apnea also experience loud snoring that is interrupted by frequent episodes of obstructed breathing (or obstructive sleep apnea). Serious episodes can last more than 10 seconds and occur more than seven times an hour… leading to anywhere from 30 to 300 such events per night! Additional symptoms include:
* Always tired, trouble concentrating and staying awake
* Waking with headaches
* Waking up with a choking or gasping sensation
* Sore and/or dry throat after sleep
* Restless sleep
* Recurrent awakenings or insomnia
* Depression
* Frequent trips to the bathroom at night
* Heartburn
* Rapid weight gain
How do episodes of obstructed breathing affect my health?
* Reduces blood oxygen levels
* Causes heart to pump harder
* Increases risk of stroke and cardiac disorders
How does the ARES Home Sleep Test work?
ARES is a wireless device that is worn on your forehead overnight –in the comfort of your own bed. It’s small size allows it to be worn comfortably in all sleep positions and even notifies you with a voice prompt to ensure you are wearing it correctly. Check out this informational video on how to use the ARES to get a better idea on how easy and comfortable this test can be. After wearing the device – typically for only one night – Dr. Sabharwal and her team will be able to take the data collected and integrate it with clinical history and physical data to determine the presence and severity of sleep apnea.
Pulmonary Function Testing
Breath Easier with Health Orlando
Although those with heart disease and/or diabetes are usually aware of their blood pressure, cholesterol, and glucose levels, the importance of knowing your numbers as they apply to pulmonary function tests (PFTs) for COPD/emphysema/asthma and other lung conditions is commonly overlooked. The National Lung Health Education Program suggests the mantra “test your lungs; know your numbers.” At Health Orlando, we strongly believe that regularly scheduled PFTs are an essential method of comparison to determine how well you are responding to treatment and if your disease is progressing.
After reviewing your PFT results, a treatment plan will be designed for your specific condition. It is very important to follow the treatment plan since most people do not even know they have lung disease until they have lost at least 50% of their lung function. Additionally, most lung disease is progressive, getting worse year after year if untreated. In all cases of lung disease, it is important to repeat the test yearly, or more often if necessary, to track the progression of disease and to determine if the current treatment is adequate or needs to be changed.