Incentive spirometry, sometimes referred to as “IST,” is a very simple exercise that helps to expand and contract the lung tissue. There is a breathing machine, called incentive spirometer, at each bedside for surgical patients.
When a person has had a chest injury, back injury, or abdominal operation, they tend to take shallow breaths to avoid pain. Also, post-surgical or injured patients will be more prone to pneumonia due to being immobile.
Unfortunately, this can lead to inefficient use of the lungs, shallow breathing, oxygen deprivation and/or carbon dioxide retention. It is difficult to take a deep breath when you are in pain, but deep breathing in these instances is extremely important. So, what can someone do who is having a difficult time expanding their lungs?
An incentive Spirometer is a volumetric tool that allows you to expand lung tissue by taking in deep breaths while keeping a small float in the device in a “goal” also called the incentive spirometer goal area. Simply put, an incentive spirometer is a breathing machine that can be used anytime, anywhere to keep lung tissue functioning as it should.
An incentive Spirometer is indicated for anyone who has trouble deep breathing. Just like any other exercise, the incentive spirometer goal will change as the patient performs it regularly. There are no contra-indications for this therapy.
An incentive spirometer is a small, plastic tower with graduated markings for different volumes. It comes with a mouthpiece and a guide for use. To use, set a goal on the device, take in a slow, deep breath and try to keep the “floating ball” in the range of your goal by holding your breath.
At first, using incentive spirometer will be difficult, and the person may not be able to hold their breath for any length of time. If performed multiple times per day, the lung tissue will get stronger, and the goals will need to be advanced to higher volumes.
Incentive spirometer exercise is recommended to be performed at least six times per day and for at least ten breaths per session. IST forces a person to take deep breaths that they normally wouldn’t. Incentive spirometer benefits by expanding the lung tissue and increasing the volume of air a person can take in on each breath.
The human lungs are large organs made of very elastic tissue. This tissue needs to be able to expand and contract with each breath a person takes, and in the process, oxygen is delivered through the body and carbon dioxide is expelled by breathing.
A normal adult human takes in approximately 500cc of air with each breath. This volume can decrease significantly when a person has had an injury or surgery. When the volumes decrease, the lungs are no longer able to flush out the residual carbon dioxide, nor are they able to deliver oxygen efficiently to the body.
The result of this could be pneumonia or atelectasis (a condition where the small air sacs in the lungs are closed from not being recruited when breathing. helps the lungs
Using an incentive spirometer for pneumonia also allows the patient to cough more and expel any mucus or fluid from the lungs to facilitate expansion. The use of an IST breathing machine helps a person get back to normal function sooner. Moreover, an incentive spirometer can also be used in pulmonary rehabilitation or in the prevention of postoperative pulmonary complications.
Smiths Medical Portex Flow Based Incentive Spirometer CliniFLO is an effective breathing treatment machine for elderly, pediatric, and debilitated patients. It is safe to say that by using CliniFLO Incentive Spirometer, virtually every patient can maintain the minimum inspiratory effort required for effective therapy with flow settings ranging from 100ml/sec to 600ml/sec. The slow inspirations improve collateral ventilation when completing post-surgical breathing exercises and reduce patient discomfort by providing oxygen during IST is simple with the O2 port.
Schiller America SPIROVIT SP-1 is a stand-alone pulmonary function testing Incentive Spirometer. Subsequently, it features four modes for measuring inspiratory and expiratory values. Schiller America IST device has a high-resolution user-friendly screen that displays real-time flow or volume loops and detailed measurement matrices. The data can be either printed within seconds or transmitted to a PC. It is a unique solution to simplify complex lung function testing.
AirLife Incentive Spirometer with One-Way Valve simplifies deep breathing therapy with an intuitive design that prompts patients to correctly perform and monitor their breathing exercises, even without direct supervision. A patient goal indicator can be adjusted, allowing patients to monitor their progress.
Shop Nebulizer is your online respiratory supplies partner dedicated to providing the best respiratory aids at the best prices. We have an assortment of effective incentive spirometer to choose from. Incentive Spirometer breathing machine available at Shop Nebulizer are inexpensive and very useful tools for lung health. A physician’s order is not normally necessary to purchase an IST device, but always check with your healthcare provider.
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