Who would benefit from chest physiotherapy?

 Introduction: 

Chest Physiotherapy or Physical therapy is a manual technique

 performed by the therapist in which mucus is drained from the lungs

 (breathing) passage and thereby improving the breathing pattern,

this

 technique includes Percussion, Vibration, Deep Breathing, and

 Huffing or Coughing. Quick instant results were obtained in

 respiratory problems such as COPD(chronic obstructive pulmonary

 disease) Pulmonary effusion, lung abscess, bronchiectasis, and many

 more

Indication ( when given chest PT)  (Who needs chest PT)

It is given for those patients in whom cough is insufficient to clear

 thick, tenacious, or localized secretions, some examples are as follows

1. Pneumonia

2. Cystic fibrosis

3. COPD chronic obstructive pulmonary disease

4. Atelectasis

5. Bronchiectasis

6. Lung abscess

7. Decreased lung volume

8. Tracheotomy 

Aims of Physiotherapy or Physical therapy:

The aim of physical therapy for respiratory dysfunction in the ICU is

 to maintain lung volume, improve oxygenation and ventilation, clear

 airway secretions, reduce the work of breathing, enhance inspiratory

 muscle function in order to prevent respiratory complications in

 both intubated and spontaneously patients. Other aims include

 maximizing musculoskeletal function, reducing the duration of

 mechanical ventilation, facilitating the return of independent upon

 ICU discharge, improving long term quality of life and reducing  the

 length of stay in ICU as well as the hospital in order to reduce the

 cost care. The goal of physical therapy is targeted towards 4 key

 categories:

1. Airway secretion clearance

2. Recruitment of lung volume

3. Improvement of oxygenation

4. Maintain inspiratory muscle strength  

Type of Techniques in Chest PT:

There are some techniques applied in Chest PT by therapist and they are 

→ Percussion 

→ Vibration 

→ Postural Drainage 

→ Forced expiratory technique or Huffing 

→ Assisted Coughing

All theses techniques are applied by therapist to dislodge and move

 the mucus to the larger airways where it can be coughed or huffed

 out of the body for clear respiratory breathing.

 
How long does Chest PT Take? 

Generally, each treatment session can last between 20 to 40

 minutes. Chest PT is best done before meals or one-and-a-

half hours after eating, to decrease the chance of

 vomiting. Early morning or bedtimes are usually

 recommended. The length of chest PT and the number of

 times a day it is done may need to be increased if the person

 is more congested or getting sick. Your therapist can

 recommend what positions, how often and how long chest PT

 should be done.

How chest PT is performed is shown in the figure, Percussion technique is applied by therapist.

Summary

Chest PT is a technique that people can use to clear excess

 mucus that has built up in the lungs. It is typically helpful for

 those with respiratory conditions, such as cystic fibrosis,

 bronchiectasis, or COPD.

There are various Chest PT techniques to try, either aided by

 someone else or self-administered.

Talk with your therapist about the different options to choose

 which one is best for you

Conclusion:

My motto is to help people feel better, move better, and perform

 better. I want to help you to do the same--- Dr Shailendra Chourey