Spring 2014 Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease How to Cope with the Pain of COPD If you have chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), you may find that pain is a fact of life. According to a recent study, about 60% of patients with COPD experience chronic pain—aching, soreness or discomfort that endures for months or years. When compared with healthy adults, people with COPD feel 2½ times as much pain, much of it moderate or severe. And among people with chronic conditions, only those with arthritis ache more. Why COPD Hurts The same inflammatory compounds that damage your lungs in COPD can also send pain searing through the rest of your body. And aching joints and bones sometimes come as a side effect of medications for COPD, such as steroids. What’s more, a thick, stiff chest wall can reduce your range of motion and cause discomfort when you move. If you are inactive often, it may aggravate other painful conditions, including arthritis, low back pain and weak bones. Many patients with COPD are trapped in a circle of pain. Distress prevents them from sleeping well at night, and contributes to depression, anxiety and a sense of helplessness. This, in turn, further impairs breathing and leads to more pain from oxygen-starved muscles and tissues. Soothing the Strain Following your treatment plan for COPD can reduce your pain. But your doctor can also suggest specific pain treatments. Start by keeping a “pain diary” for a week, writing down when you hurt and whether the pain feels sharp, dull or throbbing. Based on your entries, your doctor may recommend: • Exercise. Pain may limit your motions at first. Ask your doctor or a physical therapist for help designing a program, or ask your doctor about pulmonary rehabilitation. Over time, physical activity can improve function and independence, relieve tension, boost your mood and help you sleep. • Medications. Over-the-counter pills, such as acetaminophen and ibuprofen, relieve minor aches. Stronger drugs, including opioids, soothe pain other medicines can’t or suppress severe coughs. • Alternative therapies. Acupuncture, biofeedback and massage often relieve pain when given by quali- fied practitioners. Or, try calming music or guided imagery on your own. • Counseling. A therapist can teach you mental techniques to cope with pain. u A health coach can give you more advice on dealing with pain. Call 1.866.262.4764. Become informed! Find secure, personalized information about managing your COPD on our website. Go to www.bcnepa.com and click on “View our health & wellness resources” in the “Members” section. When Your Health Turns Critical Start with a Stretch Can you bend your way to better health? Perhaps. Stretching can ease tension, improve your posture, prepare you for more vigorous exercise and even help ease your COPD symptoms by loosening your breathing muscles. Discuss with your doctor or rehabilitation staff the best stretches for you. Try to stretch some every day. To do it: • Warm up your muscles first. Take a toasty bath or walk in place for 10 minutes. • Hold each stretch for 10 seconds. Repeat 3 times. • Don’t bounce or stretch to the point of pain. Keep breathing throughout the movement. Try these moves to lengthen and loosen your muscles: • Hip stretch. Stand with your feet parallel and put 1 foot in front of your body. Hold on to something stable with 1 hand, and lean back slightly, pushing your hips forward. Repeat with the other leg. • Chin tuck. Gently pull your chin in while lengthening the back of your neck. • Shoulder pinches. Move your shoulder blades back as if you were trying to squeeze a coin on your back. 2 • www.bcnepa.com The symptoms of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) tend to worsen with time. But every once in a while, you may experience a period during which you feel much worse than usual. This sudden eruption of respiratory symptoms is called a flareup or exacerbation. Symptoms often include increase in cough, mucus (more thick, and more yellow or green), wheeze and/or breathlessness. Sometimes, you can manage flareups on your own or with help from your doctor. But some severe symptoms require treatment in the hospital. Call 911 or go to the emergency room if you: • Can’t catch your breath at all— even at rest—and can’t talk • Have blue lips or nails • Cough up blood • Feel very drowsy, confused or disoriented • Have a rapid heartbeat or chest pain • Find the usual steps you take to manage your symptoms aren’t working. u Talk with your doctor about other signs and symptoms that may require emergency care. Together, you should develop a COPD action plan that outlines when to call the doctor’s office and when to head straight to the emergency room. Take a Hand in Your Health If you have COPD, you have a key role to play in managing your condition. Learn about your lungs and your condition. The more you know, the better you’ll be able to take care of yourself. Ask Questions With any health condition, it helps to know what the problem is and what you need to do to manage your symptoms. Ask your doctor: • What are my treatment options? • What does the medication I’m taking do? • What are the side effects of the medication? • How can I manage my symptoms at home? • What are the signs of a COPD flare-up? • What should I do if my symptoms suddenly get worse? • Should I try pulmonary rehabilitation? If you don’t understand something, let your doctor know. Many patients feel confused by health information, so don’t be embarrassed. Boost Your Lung Health IQ Take the time to learn how COPD affects your lungs and how it is treated. Knowing the facts will give you the confidence to manage your condition. There are many resources online or a phone call away. u You can get more tips on managing your COPD and find local support groups at the American Lung Association website, www.lungusa.org, or call the Lung HelpLine, 1.800.LUNGUSA (1.800.586.4872). Tools to Help You Quit Smoking It’s never easy to quit smoking. But research shows that quitting can make a big difference in your breathing. So what are you waiting for? Make a commitment to quit today. Here are 5 tips to help get you started: 1. Set a date to quit. Pick a day in the next 2 weeks. Mark your calendar. 2. Get support. Tell your family and friends about your decision to quit and ask for their support. If any of them smoke, ask them to quit with you or to not smoke around you. 3. Plan ahead. Think about what situations make you want to smoke, such as drinking alcohol or talking on the phone. Try to avoid these situations or make a plan for dealing with the cravings, such as sipping water or chewing on sugar-free gum or a toothpick. 4. Talk with your doctor. He or she may recommend using a nicotine patch or gum to help you quit. 5. Before the big day, throw away all your cigarettes. Don’t keep any “just in case.” And the same goes for all your matches, lighters and ashtrays. Learn more about why and how to quit with the American Cancer Society’s Guide to Quitting Smoking. Visit www.cancer.org and enter “quit smoking” in the search box. Spring 2014 • 3 PRSRT STD U.S. Postage PAID 19 North Main Street Wilkes-Barre, PA 18711 BlueCross of Northeastern Pennsylvania Nina M. Taggart, MA, MD, MBA Vice President, Clinical Operations BlueCare HMO Plans: This managed care plan may not cover all your health care expenses. Read your contract carefully to determine which health care services are covered. 1.800.822.8753. Self-funded group benefits may differ from the benefits and services described here. See your Summary Plan Description for complete details of your coverage. This material is not intended as medical advice. Please talk with your doctor about this and any other health information. Donna L. McAllister, RN, BSN Ext. 2002 Call 1.866.262.4764 or (TTY) 1.877.720.7771 weekdays between 8 a.m. and 8 p.m. ET to speak with a health coach. Look in this newsletter to find health information especially for you! Lead and Lipstick: What’s the Story? You can find a list of lipsticks tested by the FDA by visiting www.fda.gov/cosmetics and searching under “lipstick and lead.” Printed on Recyclable Paper Concern about lead in cosmetics—especially lipstick—motivated the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to develop a new method for analyzing lead content in lipstick. When the agency tested several lipsticks, scientists found that lead levels were in a safe range for topical use. As a result of its study, which was published in the Journal of Cosmetic Science, the FDA concluded that even when lipsticks contain lead the amount is so little that using them would not be harmful. But some lipsticks did contain more lead than would be allowed in candy. 542M-E Wondering whether it’s safe to use lipstick? Unless you plan to eat it, the answer is “yes.”