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Effective Pain Management In COPD

Wed, 22 Feb 2012 13:32:12 +0000

Chronic pain is something that many people with COPD live with on a daily basis. While most people say that pain associated with COPD is in their chest, shoulders, neck or upper arms, the work of breathing can cause you to hurt all over.

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How Common is GERD in COPD?

Sat, 18 Feb 2012 03:16:52 +0000

New COPD Forum member, Dorothy Bateman, posed this question in the COPD Forum:

I have suffered from COPD for 11 years. Recently I have also begun to suffer severe acid reflux. So far, tests have found nothing. I have heard that reflux is quite common in COPD sufferers. Is there anyone out there who can relate to this?

Because it is such a common disorder and appears to be so closely associated with COPD, I decided I would do an entire article about the relationship between GERD and COPD. Here is the result of my efforts and hopefully, the answer to Dorothy's question:

How Common is GERD in COPD?

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Deep Brain Stimulation May Improve Lung Function

Wed, 15 Feb 2012 23:38:38 +0000

Our amazing brains control many a bodily function, including the ones that run on autopilot, such as our heart beat and respirations (breathing).

Deep brain stimulation (DBS) is a technique whereby an electrode is placed surgically inside the brain. It is commonly used to treat conditions like chronic pain or Parkinson's disease, but until recently, information has been lacking as to its possible effects on lung function.

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Soda Consumption Linked to COPD/Asthma?

Tue, 07 Feb 2012 21:05:30 +0000

Before you pick up your next liter of Coca-Cola, you may want to consider the latest news from Australia. As published in the Journal of Respirology, researchers suggest that they have found a link between soft drink consumption, COPD and asthma.

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Personal Spirometer Helps COPD Patients Monitor Lung Function

Mon, 30 Jan 2012 09:21:04 +0000

Now COPD patients can accurately monitor their lung function in the comfort of their very own homes. In a press release issued 1/24/12, PMD Healthcare announced the launching of their nifty, new personal spirometer known as the Spiro PD. Spiro PD assesses lung function both easily and accurately and empowers people with COPD and other lung conditions to take better control of their illness.

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The Pros and Cons of E-Cigarettes

Thu, 26 Jan 2012 15:31:38 +0000

After the overwhelming response to my recent e-cigarette blog post, I thought it best to clarify things with an article reviewing the pros and cons of their use. So without any further adieu, here is the article:

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E-Cigarettes May Not Be Better Than the Real Deal After All

Wed, 18 Jan 2012 03:03:42 +0000

If you are a healthy person and puff on an e-cigarette for just five minutes, your lungs will undergo acute physiological changes. Now, imagine if you have COPD and use them regularly to help you quit smoking cigarettes?

As reported recently in Reuters Health, a new study finds that the electronic cigarette, which is marketed as a safer alternative to smoking tobacco, produces immediate changes in a person's airways. Although there are no studies showing what the long-term health effects of the e-cigarette are, scientists and the FDA are saying that there are far too many unanswered questions about the safety of this product.

According to lead researcher Constantine I. Vardavas of the Center for Global Tobacco Control at the Harvard School of Public Health "This is the first evidence that just one (e-cigarette) use can have acute physiologic effects."

During the study, researchers asked two groups (30 in an experimental group and 10 in a control group) of healthy smokers (smokers not diagnosed with lung disease, acute illness, etc) to puff on an e-cigarette ad lib for 5 minutes to determine the effects on their airways. After five minutes, participants were given several types of breathing tests.

Study results concluded that "using an e-cigarette for 5 minutes was found to cause an increase in impedance, peripheral airway flow resistance and oxidative stress among healthy smokers". However, the authors stated that "while the differences within our study are of statistical significance, the clinical changes may be too small to be of major clinical importance. " Additionally, authors noted that the clinical impact of using the e-cigarette may be greater in the average consumer who is likely to use the product many times during the day and not just for five minutes as which occurred during the study. Further research is needed to determine whether the short-term effects of the e-cigarette could translate into long-term health risks.

But, there are always two sides to every story, and the e-cigarette is no exception. Ray Story, CEO of the Tobacco Vapor Electronic Cigarette Association says "we already know e-cigarettes are much safer than the conventional cigarette because you're not burning it, and you don't have the five or six thousand ingredients in cigarettes, which are mostly dangerous chemicals." According to Story, e-cigs contain only nicotine, water, propylene glycol, glycerol and flavoring. He further states "these ingredients are all FDA-approved."

In fact, on its website, the FDA states that "e-cigarettes may contain ingredients that are known to be toxic to humans, and may contain other ingredients that may not be safe." In 2010, the FDA tried to the stop the sale of e-cigs and failed. They even tried to regulate e-cigs as drugs. One thing is certain -- it's clear that the FDA and the e-cigarette industry have a relationship that is strained, at best.

Visit Reuters Health for more information about this study.

Do you smoke e-cigarettes? Have they helped you quit smoking? Do you think the FDA has its own agenda in this story? Or, do you think they have a right to step in? Leave your comments and be sure to take the poll.

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Study Finds Periodic Pot Smoking Doesn't Harm Lungs

Wed, 11 Jan 2012 13:54:12 +0000

In the largest study ever conducted about the effects of marijuana on the lungs, researchers found that periodic pot smoking is not harmful to lung capacity.

The study, published in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) found that even those who smoked a joint a day for seven years, or once a week for 20 years had no decline in lung capacity.

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Save Money on Meds: Advair Coupons for COPD

Sat, 07 Jan 2012 08:49:18 +0000

For those of you with COPD who are having difficulties paying for your Advair Diskus 250/50, I found an interesting offer from Advair's manufacturer, GlaxoSmithKline, for a $10 off coupon or a free, 30 day trial offer if you register for GSK's Breathe Easier Program...

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23 Common Triggers That May Worsen COPD

Wed, 04 Jan 2012 15:13:39 +0000

From pet dander to freshly cut grass, a COPD trigger is anything that can worsen your COPD symptoms. Learn more about what your personal COPD triggers are and how to avoid them in my latest article:

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