Pulmonology
PULMONOLOGY Rehabilitation
The primary goal of any rehabilitation is to restore health and minimise the consequences of the respiratory disease or impairments for the patients by carrying out suitable medical and non-medical therapies to enable them to live a largely independent life and participate in working life.
The pulmonary rehabilitation consists of comprehensive multidisciplinary therapies involving numerous single measures aimed at healing or relieving chronic respiratory disorders and reducing functional impairments arising from the disease.
The beneficial effects of pulmonary rehabilitation have been confirmed by numerous scientific studies.
Indications
- All forms of sarcoidosis at whatever stage
- Bronchitis
- Chronic obstructive or non-obstructive bronchitis, including the treatment of patients suffering from COPD and needing a long-term oxygen therapy or a non- invasive ventilation
- All forms of bronchial asthma
- Interstitial lung disease (pulmonary fibrosis)
- Exogenous allergic alveolitis
- Bronchiectasis
- Pneumoconiosis
- Pulmonal Hypertonia
- Contraindications: virulent open tuberculosis
Therapy goals
The pulmonary rehabilitation of patients suffering from chronic respiratory diseases pursues essentially the goal to relieve the pain symptoms and to increase the physical performance in order to ensure a high level of independence, improve the quality of life and promote reintegration in social and working life.
The therapy goals are always discussed and laid down together with the patient during the consultation upon admission, taking into consideration the existing disorders and the functional impairments established in the admission exam.
The concrete objectives of rehabilitation include, for example, the improvement of shortness of breath, reduction of coughing and loosening of secretion as well as the enhancement of the physical performance. However, the psychological stabilisation of the patients affected by a chronic respiratory or pulmonary disease is also major therapy goal in the event of an existing reactive depression or anxiety disorder.
Therapeutic services
- Medical care by a specialist
- Comprehensive qualified assistance for smoking cessation
- Specific “Medical Training Therapy” (Nordic walking, walking, interval or continuous cycle ergometer training, strength exercise and inspiratory muscle exercise)
- Comprehensive specific teaching (in line with the recommendations of the “Deutsche Rentenversicherung”)
- Special physiotherapy for respiratory disorders
- Long-term oxygen therapy
- Control and optimisation of the intermittent non-invasive ventilation
- Inhalation therapy
- Postural drainage therapy (bronchial drainage)
- Special physical therapies, including the prevention of infections
- Occupational therapy, including ATL training and advice for medical equipment and prescription, if there is need
- Social and career counselling
- Psychological assistance and relaxation therapies, including autogenic training, progressive muscle relaxation (Jacobson method) and “Qi Gong”