The Medic has been taken up by medical professionals as an adjunct to pharmacological treatments. It can be used as a standalone therapy or in conjunction with pulmonary rehabilitation, with or without supervision, and can be easily used straight out of the box.
Respiratory muscle weakness is inherent in various patient groups and a major contributor to the perception of difficult or laboured breathing (dyspnoea). However, when the inspiratory muscles are ‘overloaded’ regularly using the Medic, they adapt and become stronger and more resistant to fatigue. Activating stronger inspiratory muscles requires less effort during a given task, reducing dyspnoea. This has been shown to improve exercise tolerance and quality of life, particularly in patients with COPD.
L Bywater –
After only a couple of weeks I found a positive difference
On the up and up! I have now had my POWERbreathe for six weeks, I planned to see what the effects would be after then, but after only a couple of weeks I found a positive difference.
My breathing was a lot better, easier and deeper, and I felt more confident and stronger, and found I did not need to carry my blue inhaler around with me. Working with my asthma nurse, (who had not heard of POWERbreathe) I still use my medication for the asthma I developed some ten years ago. I have always been active and do mountaineering, biking and the like, and still continue to do so. So it was baffling to find my condition was starting to bother me at times, while at rest.
I use the red POWERbreathe Sport, now on my seventh week, after starting on the zero setting, now on 1.75. My peak flow readings are now averaging out at a higher reading than when I started, although technique using this is a bit iffy. All in all, after using POWERbreathe I feel very positive and I am only at the beginning.
Emma Hamilton, West Cumbria Respiratory Team –
Our patients have found it to be of great benefit
We have been using the POWERbreathe Medic for over a year as part of the pulmonary rehab programme and our patients have found it to be of great benefit and enjoy using it. We have good compliance and have found an improvement in patients’ fitness. We will continue to use the POWERbreathe Medic as an adjunct to our programme.
Emma Hamilton, West Cumbria Respiratory Team, Workington Community Hospital.