admin Respiratory health

Stop Smoking Program

Better Breathing for Life offers a unique evidenced based STOP SMOKING programme

“Smokers are 5 times more likely to quit for good with dedicated support compared to will power alone” 


We offer you a bespoke STOP SMOKING NOW programme in the Marbella area.  This unique programme utilises the beneficial effects of a natural herbal product made from the seeds of the “Golden Rain Tree” (Cytisus Laburnum).

This plant based product has been recognised as the closest substance to nicotine and is called Cytisine. In the brain it acts just like nicotine and stimulates the release of pleasure chemicals such as dopamine, which means that withdrawal symptoms from nicotine are greatly reduced. However, it has NONE of the side effects of smoking.

When combined with a stop smoking behaviour change programme, smokers who use Cytisine (taken as a small tablet), are more likely to stop smoking completely at 4 weeks than those who use patches (nicotine replacement therapy). Even after 6 months Cytisine is more effective than   patches and when compared to a dummy tablet or “will power” Cytisine doubles your chance of success.

For best results Cytisine should be taken as part of a stop smoking programme, incorporating education, action planning and behaviour change techniques.

Rachel Garrod Ph.D is a trained smoking cessation counsellor and respiratory specialist.

This comprehensive stop smoking programme consisting of;

  • Assessment of blood pressure and lung function measures.
  • Provision of herbal tablets (Cytisine) proven to reduce the urge to smoke and aid long term quitting
  • 3 specialised coaching sessions to help you stop smoking including hypnotherapy focused on facilitating sub-conscious activity to enable long term cessation of smoking

Comprehensive programme €350 per person

 

Please contact the clinic if interested.

admin Respiratory health

Quit smoking – with a little help from the Golden Rain Tree. 

Do you want to stop smoking? Like many of us you´ve probably tried numerous treatments such as patches, gum, acupuncture, hypnosis, etc – but – you´re still hooked. There are so many reasons not to smoke. Yet it´s one of the hardest addictions to give up.  And living here in Marbella doesn´t make it any easier!

But now there is another treatment that is generating interest among the scientific world. From the seeds of the “Golden Rain Tree” (Cytisus Laburnum) there is a product that has been in use for over fifty years in Eastern Europe and during the Second World War Russian soldiers even called it “false tobacco”.

In the West, until recently, this treatment was largely unknown as no proper testing or trials had been done. This plant based product has been recognised as the closest substance to nicotine and is called Cytisine. In the brain it acts just like nicotine and stimulates the release of pleasure chemicals such as dopamine, which means that withdrawal symptoms from nicotine are significantly reduced.

A large study, published in the highly respected medical journal, New England Journal of Medicine, has shown some exciting results. Cytisine (taken as a small tablet) in combination with what´s known as behavioural support was compared to nicotine replacement therapy, in this case patches. After a month more smokers had stopped completely on cytisine compared to patches (40 % versus 31%) and after 6 months and the cytisine group still showed clear benefit compared to patches. In other studies cytisine has been shown to double your chances of quitting compared with placebo (dummy tablet).

For best results cytisine should be taken as part of a behaviour change programme, incorporating education, peer support and behaviour change techniques. So if you want to stop smoking this year, why not take a helping hand from nature ?

Rachel Garrod PhD

admin Respiratory health

I have a lung disease – Am I able to fly?

Flying, particularly long haul can be a considerable worry for people with respiratory problems. Whilst mobility issues can be dealt with fairly easily through pre-ordering of a cart and/or wheelchair at the airport, the question of oxygen requirements during a flight can be trickier to address.

Normally we breathe 21% oxygen from the air, however this decreases at higher altitudes. In an aeroplane the air is pressurised to ensure we have enough oxygen, but at higher altitudes (> 8000 feet) the amount of oxygen falls to around 15%. Whilst for most people this is still sufficient to breathe comfortably, those with an underlying respiratory disease such as Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease or Fibrosis, may find they require additional oxygen. If you already use oxygen you will of course need it when flying. But if you manage well without oxygen on the ground it can be harder to know how your body will respond in the air.

Here at Atlantic Clinic we provide a reliable and accurate method of assessing your oxygen needs during a flight. We simply ask you to perform a timed walking test (usually 6 minutes) whilst monitoring heart rate and oxygen levels with a non-invasive clip called a pulse oximeter. The level of desaturation (or fall in blood oxygen) will tell the physiotherapist whether oxygen should be worn or not.

The person wanting to fly will then be provided with a Fitness to Fly certificate and instructions on how to obtain oxygen for the flight, if indeed it turns out they need it.

 

Dr Rachel Garrod

PhD MSc MCSP

Consultant Physiotherapist

rachelgarrod1@gmail.com

admin Respiratory health

What´s happening with respiratory health in Spain?


As you may know I have a special interest in the physiotherapy management of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD). This long-term condition is generally caused by cigarette smoking but can also have genetic factors. COPD leads to impairment in lung function with patients suffering breathlessness on exertion, particularly when going upstairs or up slopes. They may have wheeze and cough and can also experience panic or anxiety associated with breathing. COPD is a very common disease and is one of the most frequent reasons for seeking medical attention. In the past decade or so there have been many advances in its treatment, not least the recognition of the role of the physiotherapist and the effectiveness of pulmonary rehabilitation. Pulmonary rehabilitation is an exercise and education programme -generally offered twice weekly for 8 weeks – designed for people with lung disease. There is plenty of evidence showing that pulmonary rehabilitation results in improved breathlessness, increased exercise tolerance and better quality of life. In the U.K you´ve got a good chance of being offered pulmonary rehabilitation as our guidelines specifically state that all patients with COPD troubled by breathlessness should be offered pulmonary rehabilitation.

But what about the situation here in Spain? A recent study published in the International Journal of COPD reports on a national audit of treatment of COPD in Spanish hospitals. Lopez-Campos and colleagues looked at 17,893 clinical records of COPD patients in outpatient respiratory clinics from 59 Spanish hospitals. They then compared the recorded notes with recommendations from the Spanish National Guideline for the treatment of COPD. The results show poor adherence to the guidelines in many therapeutic areas. Notably only 27% of patients had their inhaler techniquechecked; only 22% of smokers were offered a specific smoking cessation intervention; exercise performance (using a validated walking test) was reported in less than half the study population and only 41% of patients were even given advice regarding the importance of exercise. As to how many patients were offered pulmonary rehabilitation we simply don´t know!

On the other hand, the study showed that the Spanish hospitals recorded data on severity, diagnosis, frequency of chest infections and present medical treatments in most patients but many other aspects of recommended practice were not followed, or followed only in specialised centres.

Spain´s public health is to be commended for many outcomes, however there is a severe shortage of specialised nurses and physiotherapists, particularly those working in the community. It´s these gaps that need addressing in the management of COPD in Spain.

If you need physiotherapy help for your COPD please call or email

Dr Rachel Garrod

PhD MSc MCSP

Consultant Physiotherapist

rachelgarrod1@gmail.com