Breathing Exercises After Heart Surgery
Heart surgery is a major surgical procedure where the success rate is about 95%; depending on what the surgery is for, the procedure may take 3 to 4 hours to perform. The recovery process is however, comparatively much longer and can take weeks to months depending on your health condition.
Cardiac surgery patients are prone to developing pulmonary impairment and gas exchange abnormalities in the early hours after surgery and chest physiotherapy is routinely prescribed for this. Aside from early mobilization, positioning and shoulder girdle exercises, breathing exercises are also included in the recovery regime. Different types of breathing exercises including deep breathing maneuvers are recommended in different parts of the world, with no consensus on which is the best breathing exercise to follow.
In open heart surgeries, both the rib cage as well as the heart is opened and both require time to heal, especially as they are continuously moving. Preventing complications after leaving the hospital is critical to recovery and the patient needs to follow the post-operative instructions from the doctor and physiotherapist right to the dot.
There are two forms of breathing exercises you can follow. The Pursed Lip exercise relieves shortness of breath by slowing down your pace of breathing. Inhale through your nose and hold for a count of one, then pucker your lips and allow the air to slowly escape through your mouth on a count of two. Repeat every hour.
Another form of breathing exercise is the Belly or Diaphragmatic Breathing; here, the abdominal muscles are used to help push the diaphragm into emptying air from the lungs. Belly breathing makes breathing easier as well as slowing down and improving the breathing. Try this exercise by lying on your back with a pillow beneath your knee, one hand on the upper chest and the other on the stomach. Inhale slowly through the nose without moving the chest. Then exhale slowly through your mouth by tightening your stomach muscles while counting to six. When you are comfortable, you can try the exercise while sitting or standing too.
You can use an Incentive Spirometer which is a breathing device to measure how deeply you are able to breathe. Breathing deeply helps in opening up the airways and prevents mucus build-up and avoids serious infections like pneumonia after cardiac surgery. To use the device, lock your lips around the mouthpiece, inhale deeply and hold as long as possible; the yellow ball will rise and fall accordingly. Repeat ten times per hour.
Chest Breathing is an easy deep breathing exercise which you can do lying down. Inhale deeply through the nose, hold for three seconds then exhale through pursed lips. Repeat ten times.
Coughing is also a breathing exercise that helps get rid of mucus from the lungs. Carefully pressing a towel over the incised chest, breathe deeply ten times, and then cough twice. Repeat four times daily for two weeks after being discharged.
Ten Effective Remedies That You Can Refer to When You Are Suffering from Muscle Cramps
Finally starting off with the gym life can get too overwhelming until you hit those muscle cramps along with the weights.
Skin Tags - Benign Tumor or Cancerous Tumor?
Skin tag if observed is a narrow stalk that hangs about your skin, bulging at the end. They are usually freshly colored and can grow anywhere on your body.
Rotator Cuff Tear
A rotator cuff tear is a rotator cuff injury that can cause shoulder pain and loss of arm function. The rotator cuff is a set of muscles and tendons in your shoulder.
Importance of Parental Counselling
Right from the moment you tell your friends and family about your pregnancy, little hints keep coming your way on parenting your unborn child!
Taking Care of a Terminal Patient? Here Are Six Ways to Help Them to the Fullest
A terminally ill patient is someone who has a relatively short life expectancy. Terminally ill people are usually shifted from an actively curative medicinal regime
Stages of Tooth Decay and Their Treatment Options
Tooth decay refers to the degradation process of the structure of the tooth resulting in permanent damage.
12 Home Remedies for Dry Cough
The flu, common cold, asthma, cigarette smoke exposure, and other conditions can all cause a dry cough. Home remedies such as honey, peppermint, and air purifiers may be beneficial.
Shoulder Dislocation
Shoulder dislocation occurs when the bones of your shoulder joint are pushed or forced out of their normal positions.
5 Facts to Keep in Mind for Your Monthly Menstruation Cycle
Our menstruation indicates multiple activities within your body. Every month, your uterus forms a thicker lining for the ovary to release an egg for a possible pregnancy.
Different Types of Diabetes
Junk food and increasing physical activity are leading to a worldwide epidemic of obesity, resulting in diseases like diabetes
Dilated Cardiomyopathy
Dilated cardiomyopathy is a form of heart muscle illness in which the heart chambers (ventricles) weaken and stretch, becoming bigger.
Hypertension (High Blood Pressure)
High blood pressure, also known as hypertension, is a condition in which the blood flow against the inner walls of the arteries is persistently high.
3 Cosmetic Dentistry Procedures You Did Not Know About
Over the past few years, cosmetic dentistry has undergone significant evolution in society. With the increasing demand for cosmetic dentistry, it is no longer a luxury; it has become a necessity.
5 Lifestyle Changes That Will Help with Your Urinary Incontinence
Urinary Incontinence is quite a painful and embarrassing condition to have. It refers to the loss of bladder control, which can vary from a slight release of urine after sneezing, coughing, or laughing, to a complete inability to control urination.
5 Tips This Summer to Avoid Heatstroke
Certain jobs demand fieldwork in the scorching heat. The warm weather, bright sun, and the blue skies are not always an excellent working environment for them at all.
6 Home Remedies for Yeast and Vaginal Infections
Yeast infection is common among women. You might have had the experience of irritating soreness and itching that prolonged for days due to not knowing about the cause.
Aortic Dissection
An aortic dissection is a tear in the aorta. This is the primary artery that transports oxygen-rich blood from your heart to the rest of your body.
Bariatric Surgery and Weight Loss
Bariatric surgery, also known as weight loss surgery, is performed on individuals suffering from obesity. It involves a variety of procedures that help maintain long-term weight loss and also aid in treating obesity.
Best Foods to Cleanse Your Liver
Your liver is one of the largest organs in your body and its primary function is to filter the system by converting toxins to waste products, cleansing your blood and process various nutrients.
Infertility and its Major Causes and Treatments
Infertility is an issue that’s on the rise – not just in India but all over the world. It’s estimated that, on average, one out of every six couples has had issues with infertility.
Precautions to be Taken to Avoid Eosinophilia
Let’s begin with talking about eosinophils – they are just a type of white blood cells that are laden with reactive chemicals which get released under specific conditions to cause mayhem in the body
What is BMD Assessment and its Significance in Treating Osteoporosis
Osteoporosis is that creepy monster lurking in the dark, waiting to manifest itself as you age and get less active.
Signs of Testicular Cancer
Men have a pair of testicles located in a sac-like pouch called the scrotum. It forms part of their reproductive system and are responsible for sperm production.
Signs and Symptoms of Kidney Stone
Your kidneys are very important organs in the body; they regulate water content, filter waste from blood, and produce hormones.
Treatment For Liver Failure
Treatment for liver failure depends largely on the causative agent; for example of it’s due to hepatitis virus infection, then hydration and supportive care needs to be provided while the body’s immune system fights back. If it’s due to gallstones,
Related Blogs
Ten Effective Remedies That You Can Refer to When You Are Suffering from Muscle Cramps
Finally starting off with the gym life can get too overwhelming until you hit those muscle cramps along with the weights.
Skin Tags - Benign Tumor or Cancerous Tumor?
Skin tag if observed is a narrow stalk that hangs about your skin, bulging at the end. They are usually freshly colored and can grow anywhere on your body.