Respiratory Physiotherapy
Chest Physiotherapy
Chest physiotherapy, also known as respiratory Physiotherapy, is a broad term for a group of physiotherapy treatments targeted towards many lung and breathing conditions. The aim of lung physiotherapy is improving your lung health and optimising the quality of your life.
Chest physiotherapy helps the removal of secretion and improves the airway clearance; thus, improves respiratory efficiency and decreases work of breathing. Often patients with chronic lung diseases such as COPD, asthma and bronchiectasis have ongoing symptoms despite optimal medical management, therefore, they benefit from lung physiotherapy treatments.
Our physiotherapists have expertise in treating a variety of lung conditions and by teaching you the techniques, they will assist you to manage your symptoms and reduce the flare-ups of your chronic lung disease. They can help you to maximise your lung function and improve your exercise capacity.
Chest physiotherapy is useful to treat conditions that increase sputum (secretions) in the lungs. Mucus plugs can stop areas of your lung from inflating properly and stopping air from passing through which can cause severe pneumonia.
Do I need Chest Physiotherapy?
Chest physiotherapy can improve your breathing pattern and efficacy, if you are suffering from any of these symptoms:
- Difficulty breathing
- Shortness of breath
- Rapid and shallow breathing
- Feeling of inability to get enough air into your lungs
- Difficulty clearing airways
- Minimal to no expansion of the lower ribs
- Irritable cough
If you have any of the above symptoms, discuss that with your doctor to find out if chest physiotherapy can be beneficial for your condition.
We can assist you to manage with the following diseases
- Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, COPD, i.e. emphysema, chronic bronchitis and asthma
- Asthma
- Bronchiectasis
- Cystic Fibrosis
- Sarcoidosis
- Pneumonia, Chest infection
- Long Covid
- Interstitial Lung Disease
- Pulmonary Fibrosis
- Pre & Post Lung Surgery
- Chest trauma, Rib fracture, Lung contusion
People with these conditions commonly experience symptoms such as shortness of breath, persistent cough, increased work of breathing, and difficulty exercising.
Treatment and techniques
Chest physiotherapy aim to improve your lung function, reduce the work of breathing and help to clear mucus (secretions) from your lungs.
These techniques will assist in optimising air entry into the lungs as well as improving lung function, enabling people to return to a higher level of physical function, minimising and preventing pneumonia.
Lung physiotherapy includes a combination of specific positioning for airway inflation, postural drainage breathing techniques, percussion, vibrations, and airway clearance techniques. This may also include:
- Deep inspiration exercises
- Forced expiratory techniques i.e., huffing, coughing
- Use of equipment: with Positive Expiratory Pressure (PEP) devices such as bubble PEP and flutter or acapella
- Incentive Spirometer
- Postural mobility techniques
- Home exercise and conditioning programs
At Shire Doctors and Dentists, our experienced physiotherapist can assist you with all lung conditions by providing you with:
- Detailed lung function assessment
- Providing individualised treatments
- Hands-on respiratory therapy
- Home program and self-management
- Exercise testing and exercise programs
- Pulmonary rehabilitation
- Education & Support
Ready to Get Back to Doing the Activities You Love? See Your Local Physiotherapist in the Shire Today
Our physiotherapy team at Shire Doctors and Dentists helps you to manage your chronic lung diseases. We take the time to assess your symptoms and use our experience and knowledge to devise a treatment plan to have you feeling good again.
Call 02 9063 8650 to organise a consultation with our experienced lung physiotherapist today
