Pulmonary rehabilitation

Pulmonary rehabilitation can help you improve your health and quality of life when you have lung disease. Trust the experts at Atrium Health Floyd and Harbin Clinic to help you breathe easier.

What is pulmonary rehabilitation?

Pulmonary rehabilitation is an outpatient treatment for people with respiratory diseases. It helps them control symptoms, regain endurance and improve their ability to do daily tasks. The goal of pulmonary rehabilitation is to help people return to their highest possible level of activity.

Pulmonary rehabilitation can help people breathe better by focusing on:

• Breathing exercises
• Education about respiratory illnesses
• Healthy eating
• Quitting smoking
• Strength training

Types of pulmonary rehabilitation

Pulmonary rehabilitation treatment plans include personal exercise and health goals. A pulmonologist (lung doctor) reviews and monitors your treatment plan. You get:

• A medical exam to evaluate your lung function
• Counseling to address the fear, anxiety and frustration that sometimes come with lung disease
• Education about your diagnosis, how to manage it, medications you may need and how to protect your lungs
• Exercises to increase strength, breath control and function
• Guidance on how to avoid or adapt to factors that affect your breathing
• Nutrition advice on how eating can affect shortness of breath

Pulmonary rehabilitation often includes three phases:

Phase I

This phase begins when you’ve been hospitalized for a respiratory illness. A pulmonary rehabilitation staff member is part of your care team. They teach you and your family about your lung diagnosis, your heart and how to make the best food choices. Phase I may also include walking and light exercise.

Phase II

Phase II involves a 10- to 12-week outpatient program. Some people start with this phase instead of phase I. At your first session, you complete a six-minute walk test. This test provides a baseline for your personalized exercise program.

You typically attend rehabilitation two days a week. You exercise at these sessions while we monitor your heart rate and oxygen levels.

At your last session, you complete a second walk test to measure your improvement. We’ll also give you recommendations for exercising after rehab.

Phase III

Phase III is a voluntary program designed to help you become more independent. It involves some monitoring and help from medical professionals. Insurance plans typically don’t cover this phase.

Conditions treated with pulmonary rehabilitation

Pulmonary rehabilitation may help people with a range of respiratory diseases, including:

• Alpha-1 antitrypsin (AAT) deficiency
• Asthma
• Bronchiolitis obliterans organizing pneumonia (BOOP)
• Chronic bronchitis
• Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)
• Interstitial lung disease (ILD)
• Lung transplant
• Lymphangioleiomyomatosis
• Pulmonary fibrosis
• Pulmonary hypertension
• Sarcoidosis