When asthma, bronchitis, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), pneumonia, emphysema, cystic fibrosis (CF), muscular dystrophy or other neuromuscular disorders compromise your ability to breathe freely, it’s essential to have access to medical professionals who can keep your airways clear and lungs functioning to their maximum capacity. Pulmonary lung hygiene, or chest physical therapy, is a medical term used to define the types of treatments used in many settings — at home and in places like critical care units or hospitals — to help your lungs and body receive more oxygen and promote peak respiratory health.

St. Charles Respiratory Care pulmonologists and advanced practice professionals work with respiratory and physical therapists to prevent the buildup of phlegm and mucus secretions from lungs that can lead to acute respiratory failure, pneumonia and, in some cases, suffocation. Many patients who need pulmonary lung hygiene may end up being admitted to our intensive care unit (ICU). Suctioning, nebulizers and expectorant drugs are other treatments used in addition to the therapy procedures that can vary from patient to patient.

Treating respiratory failure

Following a thorough evaluation of each patient’s current condition, the pulmonary critical care team utilizes physical or respiratory therapists to help patients with impaired pulmonary function through a variety of chest PT procedures. These include:

• Coughing several times each day to break up lung secretions so that mucus can be suctioned or spit out.
• Turning from one side to the other and, when necessary, elevating the head of the bed to promote mucus drainage.
• Deep breathing while sitting up, which allows lungs to expand and forces air into all areas.
• Postural draining in which the patient goes into a head/chest down position so that gravity can drain lung secretions into the airway, where they are suctioned out or coughed up.
• Percussion (also called cupping or clapping) through rhythmic striking of the chest wall with cupped hands on each portion of the lungs in order to break up thick secretions.
• Vibration can use mechanical or manual means to break up lung secretions, and involves placing the hands against a person’s chest and creating quick vibrations through contracting and relaxing the shoulder and arm muscles while the person breathes deeply and exhales.

St. Charles Health System offers a cardiopulmonary rehabilitation program for patients with COPD, including emphysema and chronic bronchitis. Call 541-706-2696 for further information. If you’d like additional details about our respiratory care program, call 541-706-5860.

The comprehensive respiratory care services at St. Charles Bend in Oregon include a staff that is known for its excellence in evaluating, treating and caring for patients who experience a variety of respiratory disorders.

Every year, we earn high marks for noninvasive pulmonary testing:

• 6-minute walk for endurance: measuring how much exercise the lungs can handle
• Diffusion: measuring how well oxygen passes from lungs into bloodstream
• Lung volume: measuring to help determine if lung disease is present
• Methacholine Challenge: the gold standard for diagnosing asthma
• Spirometry: measuring indicators of lung health — air flow and volume

Pulmonary fibrosis symptoms in Central Oregon

Pulmonary fibrosis is a lung disease that results in the scarring of lung tissue. Over time, this scarring limits how well a person can breathe. In most cases, the cause of pulmonary fibrosis is unknown and is referred to as idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF). In other cases, the cause of pulmonary fibrosis may be linked to cigarette smoking, environmental pollutants such as gases, fumes, hard metal dusts and silica, certain viral infections, or a family history of pulmonary fibrosis. Symptoms of this lung condition include:

• Shortness of breath, especially during exercise
• Fast, shallow breathing
• Tiredness
• Aching muscles and joints
• Dry, hacking cough
• Gradual and unintended weight loss

If you or a loved one has a diagnosis of pulmonary fibrosis or symptoms of this disease, look to the respiratory experts at the St. Charles Pulmonary Clinics in Bend and Redmond, Oregon.

Find pulmonary fibrosis treatment at the St. Charles Pulmonary Clinic

The specialized team of physicians and respiratory therapists at the St. Charles Pulmonary Clinic develop a personalized plan of care based on every patient’s condition, each plan focused on a lessening of symptoms and a faster recovery. While there is no cure for pulmonary fibrosis — once the lungs are scarred the damage is irreversible — treatment may slow the worsening of this condition. The range of treatment options available at St. Charles include:

• Oxygen therapy
• Pulmonary rehabilitation
• Medications
• Lung transplant

The most effective way to determine which type of treatment option is best for you is to schedule an appointment with a St. Charles respiratory therapist. To schedule an appointment or for more information on our range of respiratory services, call 541-706-7715 today.

The St. Charles Pulmonary Clinic provides treatment for pulmonary fibrosis in Central Oregon.

What Is Pneumonia?

Pneumonia is an inflammation of the lungs that causes the air sacs, called alveoli, to fill with pus. It’s most commonly caused by a bacterial or viral infection. Typical pneumonia symptoms include:

• Shortness of breath
• Fever
• Wet cough with thick white, yellow, green or brown phlegm

Pneumonia is a fairly common condition that can affect almost anyone at any time of the year. However, it’s most common in smokers and people who suffer from chronic respiratory diseases.

In many mild to moderate cases, pneumonia does not require hospitalization. But in severe cases, or in patients with chronic diseases or compromised immune systems, pneumonia complications can be fast-moving and life-threatening.

Treating Pneumonia

Unlike a cold or flu, pneumonia isn’t its own disease. In fact, it’s usually a complication of other diseases. This is why pneumonia must be treated differently in different cases. Bacterial pneumonia can be treated with antibiotics, but viral pneumonia cannot.

The severity of the pneumonia will also determine the course of treatment. Mild to moderate cases in otherwise healthy adults can be treated at home once the patient has been checked out by a doctor. This may include:

• Using a cool-mist vaporizer to ease breathing
• Medication to reduce aches and fever
• Bronchodilator medications, administered with an inhaler
• Drinking plenty of fluids
• Rest

Severe cases of pneumonia — or pneumonia in infants, elderly adults or individuals with chronic diseases — may require hospitalization. Depending upon the patient’s condition and source of the infection, treatment may include some or all of the above in addition to any of the following:

• Intravenous antibiotics
• Oxygen therapy
• Intubation of the airway
• Suctioning out thick phlegm

When to Seek Medical Attention

With some illnesses, it’s okay to “wait and see” before seeking medical care. This is not a good idea when it comes to pneumonia. With pneumonia, there are two levels of urgency: “act soon” and “act immediately.”

Act soon (within 24 hours) if:

• The patient is an otherwise healthy adult
• The symptoms are mild to moderate
• The color of the patient’s lips and fingernails is normal

Act immediately (go to the ER or call 9-1-1) if:

• The patient is an infant or elderly adult
• The symptoms are severe
• The color of the patient’s lips or fingernails turns bluish
• The patient becomes groggy or loses consciousness

Remember: it’s better to get checked out and sent home than it is to delay care until things get serious.

Fighting Pneumonia | Central Oregon

If you or a family member is experiencing symptoms of pneumonia, the St. Charles Heart and Lung Center is here to help. Our expert physicians and staff provide advanced respiratory care services for both children and adults. Our wide array of specialties and team-based approach means that we’re fully equipped to deal with everything from the simplest to most complicated cases.

Not sure where to go, or have other questions? Call us at 541-706-7715. We’re here to help.

The St. Charles Heart and Lung Center offers advanced respiratory care for patients with pneumonia in Central Oregon.

Everyone needs oxygen. People with healthy lungs are generally able to get all they need by breathing the air around them, which is around 21 percent oxygen. When air is breathed in, the lungs filter out the oxygen and transfer it into the bloodstream through tiny sacs called alveoli. For people whose lungs are inflamed or damaged, this is easier said than done. These people’s lungs are either temporarily or permanently unable to transfer enough oxygen into the bloodstream on their own. This is usually due to chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).

COPD is a blanket term that applies to a number of illnesses and conditions, including emphysema and chronic bronchitis. Supplemental oxygen therapy is a form of treatment for the symptoms of these conditions. By increasing the concentration of oxygen in the air that’s breathed in, the amount that the lungs can successfully transfer to the blood also increases. This may help patients sleep better, improve mood and mental alertness, increase stamina and prevent heart failure.

How do I receive oxygen therapy?

First, you will need to be evaluated by a doctor. If you’re in the hospital, you may receive oxygen therapy during your stay. Outpatient oxygen therapy can only be administered with a prescription.

You can receive supplemental oxygen using either oxygen tanks or oxygen concentrators. Oxygen tanks may contain either compressed oxygen gas or liquid oxygen. Compressed oxygen gas will last longer than liquid oxygen, but takes up more space. On the other hand, oxygen concentrators are generally less expensive and easier to maintain because they work by pulling in more of the oxygen that’s already in the air. However, concentrators are also noisier, not portable and need to be connected to a power source at all times.

Although oxygen itself is non-flammable, an oxygen-rich environment does make it easier for things to burn or combust. Whichever form of supplemental oxygen you’re using, you will need to follow certain safety precautions. These may include:

• Posting “No Smoking” and “No Open Flames” signs around your home
• Avoiding matches, candles, campfires, grills and burning tobacco
• Staying at least five feet away from sources of heat, including space heaters or stoves
• Storing your oxygen safely with the oxygen supply valves turned off when not in use

Improving lives in Central Oregon through oxygen therapy

At St. Charles Health System, we’ve helped many COPD patients improve their quality of life with oxygen therapy. Our compassionate physicians and staff are extremely experienced with this type of treatment and can guide you to the best possible outcome for you.

If you’re struggling with COPD, call St. Charles Health System today at 541-706-5860 to schedule an appointment with a pulmonary specialist.

The pulmonary specialists at St. Charles Health System work to improve the lives of patients with COPD in Central Oregon by providing oxygen therapy.

At any given time, a significant number of people who are hospitalized may require some type of respiratory therapy, especially those whose health is compromised by neuromuscular or metabolic disorders. Along with an increased risk of chest infections, these disorders may increase the possibility of breathing failure that can be caused by weakness of the muscles or nerves involved in the respiratory system.

The medical professionals at the St. Charles Heart and Lung Center provide wide-ranging respiratory services to patients with pulmonary disease or dysfunctions. In addition, we serve outpatients who find that breathing issues have limited their ability to live full, active lives.

St. Charles treats disorders that can cause respiratory distress

Many neuromuscular and metabolic disorders that can negatively impact the respiratory system’s ability to function are not curable, which is why our pulmonologists and respiratory therapists’ goal is to help people maintain their current breathing capacity and, when possible, to improve that ability.

The specialists at the St. Charles Heart and Lung Center have developed guidelines that allow us to effectively formulate a plan of care for any patient with these and many other common or less-common neurological disorders that may weaken respiratory muscles or nerves:

• Stroke
• Seizures
• Multiple sclerosis
• Parkinson’s disease
• ALS
• Muscular dystrophy
• Guillain-Barre syndrome
• Pompe disease
• Forbes disease

Respiratory services for patients of all ages

People with neuromuscular or metabolic disorders who find themselves hospitalized with impaired breathing function can be assured that our pulmonary critical care physicians and respiratory therapists at the St. Charles Heart and Lung Center have a united goal: providing you with respiratory care that results in a faster recovery. And for non-hospital care, we are glad to offer our advanced care services at St. Charles Pulmonary Clinic, which is recognized as the largest and most established respiratory care clinic east of the Cascades.

St. Charles Health System’s scope of medical excellence includes comprehensive respiratory care services in Central Oregon at our four hospitals and outpatient clinic.

During invasive mechanical ventilation, a breathing tube is inserted into the windpipe and fresh air is delivered to the patient’s lungs. Mechanical ventilation is typically used during a surgical procedure when a patient is under general anesthesia or in patients with the following conditions:

• Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS, also known as Lou Gehrig’s disease), myasthenia gravis, spinal cord injuries or other conditions where the nerves that control breathing are damaged
• Lung diseases such as COPD (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease) and pneumonia, where lung function is impaired
• Coma, stroke and traumatic brain injuries where a person’s ability to breath may be affected

While the use of invasive mechanical ventilation can be lifesaving in someone with these conditions, there are risks associated with this procedure, including infections, collapsed lung or damage to the vocal cords or lungs. For more information about invasive mechanical ventilation or the wide range of respiratory services and treatments at St. Charles Health System, call 541-706-5860 today.

St. Charles Health System in Central Oregon uses invasive mechanical ventilation along with a range of other respiratory treatments and technologies to help patients who live with and experience symptoms of lung disease.

Get help with your emphysema in Central Oregon

Emphysema is a type of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) that results in the destruction of the air sacs in the lungs. How does it affect your breathing? Typically, you experience less lung capacity and difficulty breathing. About 3.7 million people in the United States have been diagnosed with emphysema, making it a relatively significant respiratory disorder. It is the third most common cause of death in American adults.  

What causes emphysema?

Smoking, especially if you have either smoked for many years or been exposed to significant secondhand smoke, is the most common cause of emphysema. Other factors include:

• Breathing in dust particles or chemical fumes
• Exposure to air pollution
• Family history of alpha-1 antitrypsin deficiency
• Jobs working with livestock, grain, textiles or coal
• Preexisting lung disease

The most common symptom of emphysema is shortness of breath, which develops over time and can ultimately lead to emphysema. St. Charles treats symptoms of emphysema with smoking cessation therapy, bronchodilators, anti-inflammatory drugs, and pulmonary rehabilitation to improve breathing through coughing and breathing exercises. Living healthier can also help. Doing things like exercising regularly, avoiding respiratory irritants and cold air, and stopping smoking can slow the progression of the disease and decrease the risk of complications.

Talk with your doctor about how St. Charles can help

Want to learn more about the St. Charles Heart and Lung Center in Central Oregon or need to schedule an appointment? Please call us today at 541-706-7715.

The emphysema experts at the St. Charles Heart and Lung Center are here to help you breathe easier.

Living with COPD in Central Oregon

Roughly 24 million Americans live with COPD, a condition marked by increasing shortness of breath due to damage to the small airways, as well as changes to lung tissue where oxygen enters the circulation.

In Central Oregon, St. Charles Health System is recognized for its expert work in diagnosing and treating COPD patients whose symptoms may include: 

• Shortness of breath
• Frequent coughing
• Tightness in the chest
• Wheezing
• Excess mucus
• Fatigue
• Bluish color to the fingernails and lips

Smoking is the most common cause of COPD, but it can also be caused by long-term exposure to second-hand smoke, dust and chemicals. People with a disease called alpha-1 antitrypsin (AAT) deficiency can also develop COPD.

Diagnosing COPD at St. Charles Health System

Pulmonary specialists at St. Charles Health System diagnose COPD by measuring how much air you can breathe in and out, how fast you can breathe air out and how well your lungs deliver oxygen to your blood. The most common COPD tests include:

• Spirometry, a painless test in which you blow as hard as you can into a tube connected to small machine called a spirometer that measures how much air you breathe out and how fast you can do it.
• Chest X-ray or chest CT scans create pictures of your heart, lungs and blood vessels that allow St. Charles experts to detect damage.
• The arterial blood gas test measures the oxygen level in your blood using a blood sample taken from an artery.

Treating COPD at St. Charles Health System

While damage to the lungs caused by COPD can’t be reversed, it can be slowed, so it’s important to stay away from anything that can irritate your lungs. Smokers are urged to quit their habit with help and support from St. Charles specialists.

People with COPD may also receive medications to open airways, allowing air to flow more easily. They may include:

• Bronchodilators and cortisteriods: Taken with an inhaler or “puffer,” these reduce swelling or inflammation in the airway. They can be combined into one inhaler or taken separately. Short-acting bronchodilators act immediately. Long-acting bronchodilators work for a longer period.
• Oral steroids: They reduce swelling in the airway, but usually are given for a few days at a time.
• Antibiotics: People with COPD are prone to lung infections, so you may need to take antibiotics to fight infection.

Preventing COPD

Unless you have AAT deficiency, COPD is often preventable. If you smoke, quit. This will limit the damage that may have already occurred. If you work in an area that is heavily polluted or you are exposed to airborne irritants, be sure to wear masks or other protection over your mouth and nose while in that environment.

COPD is a serious diagnosis, but by making lifestyle changes and working with a St. Charles specialist to find effective treatment options, you can slow the progression of the disease and maintain a full life.

If you think you may have COPD, don’t wait. Symptoms are a sign that the disease is progressing. Please consult your primary care doctor right away at St. Charles Health System.

In Central Oregon, St. Charles Health System strives to help people with COPD lead normal, healthy and happy lives.

Breathlessness, wheezing, a tight chest and coughing are some of the common symptoms of asthma. Recognizing and avoiding asthma triggers is a good way to prevent asthma attacks and control the symptoms. Using prescribed medications is another tool for asthma treatment and management.

Bronchodilator therapy at St. Charles Respiratory Care

Asthma management includes a two-pronged approach: treating asthma attacks when they occur and achieving long-term control of asthma. The respiratory therapists at St. Charles Respiratory Care employ bronchodilator therapy in Central Oregon for patients with asthma. Bronchodilator medications relax the smooth muscles in the lungs, which widens the airway passages so a person with asthma can breathe easier. These medications can both relieve and prevent symptoms associated with asthma. Bronchodilator therapy is just one of the many respiratory services we offer at St. Charles Respiratory Care to help people suffering from asthma, bronchitis, emphysema and a host of other respiratory conditions.

To learn more about the respiratory services offered at St. Charles Health System, call 541-706-5860 to schedule an appointment or to speak with a specialist.

Find a range of respiratory treatments, including bronchodilator therapy, in Central Oregon at St. Charles Health System.