DIAGNOSES
Patient’s experiencing abnormal respiratory function impacting activities of daily living including: dyspnea and/or activity intolerance as well as decreased breath support for speech production and safe swallowing should be considered for RMT.
Below are conditions The Breather can support and why:
COPD
Respiratory muscle training (RMT) with the Breather improves inspiratory muscle strength and endurance, reducing breathlessness and increasing exercise capacity in people with COPD, leading to an improved quality of life. Research shows that RMT is more effective in helping COPD patients than physical exercise alone.
Stroke
Inspiratory and expiratory muscle training with the Breather could support respiratory rehabilitation after a cerebral vascular accident (CVA) or stroke. Respiratory muscle training (RMT) in combination with breathing training can effectively improve the weakened respiratory musculature in patients after CVA.
Asthma
The strengthening effect of the Breather on respiratory muscles can reduce the frequency of asthma attacks and improve the ability to perform daily tasks in adults and children with asthma. Respiratory muscle training with the Breather can alleviate asthma symptoms and reduce the need for bronchodilators or inhalers.
Congestive Heart Failure
Regular respiratory muscle training (RMT) with the Breather can improve general muscle strength and blood flow to the limbs in patients with congestive heart failure (CHF), reducing fatigue and depression. RMT using the Breather can also directly improve your heart rate, tackling the underlying cause of disease.
Parkinson’s
Application of the Breather leads to increased maximal expiratory pressure. In patients with Parkinson’s disease, increased expiratory muscle strength results in improved cough, swallow and breathing capacities. Respiratory muscle training with the Breather can therefore lead to better lung function and airway defense.
Muscular Dystrophies
The respiratory muscle strengthening effect of the Breather can reduce the perceived respiratory effort during breathing in children with muscular dystrophies. Respiratory muscle strength with the Breather can therefore help to preserve respiratory function and well-being in children with neuromuscular diseases.
Multiple Sclerosis
Respiratory muscle training (RMT) is recommended as a complementary therapy in patients with multiple sclerosis. RMT with the Breather can increase expiratory muscle strength essential for cough and airway clearance, and lead to better control of airway obstructions.
Myasthenia Gravis
Regular inspiratory and expiratory muscle training with the Breather can improve muscle strength and lung function in patients with Myasthenia Gravis (MG). RMT can therefore reduce dyspnea and delay the breathing crisis and need for mechanical ventilation. In combination with breathing training, RMT can improve chest wall mobility and respiratory patterns in MG patients.
Vocal Fold Pathologies
Strengthening of respiratory muscles by application of the Breather can improve congenital as well as exercise induced vocal fold pathologies. Regular respiratory muscle training (RMT) with the Breather can lead to reduced dyspnea during speech and exercise, and to increased exercise capacity.
Dysphagia
Expiratory muscle strength is essential for optimal cough and swallow function. Strengthening of the expiratory muscles by regular application of the Breather can alleviate the symptoms of dysphagia by improving cough volume and acceleration, and reduce the risk of penetration and aspiration associated with dysphagia.
Vent. / Trach weaning
Respiratory muscle training (RMT) with the Breather leads to increased respiratory muscle strength. Increased respiratory muscle strength significantly increases the chances of successful weaning of patients with long-term mechanical ventilation. RMT has been recommended as a clinically safe method to improve weaning outcome.
Spinal Cord Injury
Strengthening of respiratory muscles with the Breather can help patients with spinal cord injury (SCI) in the acute phase by improving cough function, reducing dyspnea and increasing quality of life. Respiratory muscle training (RMT) with the Breather can also support people and athletes with chronic SCI by increasing exercise performance and lung capacity.
Back Pain
Respiratory muscle training (RMT) with the Breather could reduce back pain. The main breathing muscle, the diaphragm, is also involved in posture control. Low back pain leads to reduced stability and respiratory fatigue. RMT effectively improves core stability, posture control and severity of low back pain.
Sleep Apnea
Increased respiratory muscle strength achieved by application of the Breather can severely reduce sleep apnea, especially in elderly people with sleep disorders. Respiratory muscle training (RMT) with the Breather can improve sleep quality and quantity, and reduce the number of awakenings during the night. In addition, RMT can lower the blood pressure.
High Blood Pressure
Routinely applied respiratory muscle training (RMT) using the Breather can reduce the blood pressure in people with or without hypertension, lowering the risk of cardiovascular disease and mortality. RMT can effectively reduce systolic and diastolic blood pressure and heart rate variability in hypertensive adults.
Pulmonary Hypertension
Strengthening of the respiratory muscles with the Breather could reduce discomfort and fatigue in patients with pulmonary hypertension. Respiratory muscle training (RMT) improves respiratory muscle strength, exercise capacity and dealing with daily activities in people with pulmonary hypertension.
Postoperative Pulmonary Complications
Preoperative respiratory muscle training (RMT) with the Breather could reduce morbidity and mortality due to pulmonary complications after major surgery. RMT effectively reduces incidence rates of postoperative pneumonia and atelectasis, and reduces duration of hospital stay.
Comorbidities
Respiratory muscle disorders frequently cluster together, such as COPD and cardiovascular disease, sleep apnea or asthma. Respiratory muscle training using the Breather provides a holistic approach that can simultaneously alleviate symptoms of the primary disease and comorbidities to improve health-related quality of life.
Palliative Care
Palliative care aims to improve quality of life (QOL) in people with serious illness. Respiratory muscle training using the Breather can reduce the risk of respiratory failure, improve airway clearance to prevent aspiration, reducing the danger of pneumonia, and improve QOL by helping to fight depression in people with pulmonary fibrosis, lung cancer, multiple sclerosis and other diseases.
Reflux Disease
Dysfunction of the crural diaphragm at the esophagogastric junction (EGJ) leads to gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD). Respiratory muscle training using the Breather can strengthen the crural diaphragm and improve pressure and motility at the EGJ. This reduces reflux, regurgitation, heartburn and cardiac control in people with GERD.