It probably won’t come as a surprise to hear that living with a chronic illness is difficult. Chronic illness not only impacts patients physically, but emotionally, socially, mentally and financially. To say that it can be challenging to navigate how to live with a chronic illness is an understatement. In…
4 Tried-and-True Tips for Coping With a Chronic Illness
Patients with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) are likely to experience symptoms for years before their diagnosis, a British study reports. University of Nottingham researchers analyzed symptoms in the medical charts of newly diagnosed patients to reach their conclusion. Breathlessness was the most common symptom, the team found. The research,…
Breathing exercises are important for pulmonary fibrosis patients as they help to better control breathing if they experience a sudden shortness of breath, strengthen their diaphragm and clear excess mucus. Here are four breathing exercises that may benefit people with pulmonary fibrosis, using information from the Lung Institute…
A small bacterial protein called R1R2 reduced fibrosis-promoting cells’ ability to go from the blood, where they normally reside, to lung tissue, a mouse study shows. The research, “R1R2 peptide ameliorates pulmonary fibrosis in mice through fibrocyte migration and differentiation,” was published in the journal PLOs One. Scientists…
Life can be extremely difficult when you’re coping with a chronic lung disease like pulmonary fibrosis (PF). As well as dealing with the physical effects of the disease, you also have to cope with the emotional fallout that comes from living with PF. MORE: The realities of a pulmonary fibrosis…
As my idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) progresses, I have been having multiple discussions with my personal and professional networks about how they can best support me. Most of the time, I admit, I do not know how they can help or what I need from others. I also…
Pulmonary rehabilitation programs can significantly improve exercise ability, breathing, and overall quality of life in patients with pulmonary diseases, including idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF), and should be considered as “a first line therapy” for these people, researchers report. Indeed, the study “Effectiveness of pulmonary rehabilitation in patients with…
Long-term use of Boehringer Ingelheim’s Ofev (nintedanib) prevents disease progression in patients with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF), according to the latest results of the TOMORROW trial and its open-label extension. The study, “Long-term treatment of patients with idiopathic pulmonary…
As I sit down to write this column, I am consciously aware of, and thinking specifically about, where I feel pain in my body. Right now, both of my calves are sore. They feel as if the muscles are wound tightly around one another. My right forearm is…
Many people are passionate about traveling, as it can be both exciting and rejuvenating. When diagnosed with a life-threatening illness such as idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF), or any other type of interstitial lung disease (ILD), a very real fear for some is that their ability to travel will be taken…
