When you have difficulty breathing, it's important to find the right care for your lungs. Maui Health's respiratory therapists offer inpatient treatments for many respiratory conditions to help you feel better.
Our specially trained respiratory therapists
The team of respiratory therapists at Maui Memorial Medical Center (MMMC) is here to make sure that people who are hospitalized and are experiencing a respiratory condition receive the specialized, therapeutic care they need. All our respiratory therapists are trained in the most recent, evidence-based therapies and medical advancements to ensure our community receives the best quality of care and continue to live the fullest life possible.
How to spot COPD flare-ups
Many COPD flare-ups are due to an infection. They can put you at risk of hospitalization.
Learn how to spot them early on.
COPD flare-ups: How to spot trouble
If you have chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), symptom flare-ups could put you in the hospital. However, knowing the warning signs of a flare-up can help you take action to protect your health.
Learn how to spot a flare-up.
Head symptoms:
- Fever.
- Confusion.
Throat symptoms:
- Increased mucus.
- Mucus that is yellow, green, tan or bloody.
Chest symptoms:
- Wheezing or increased wheezing.
- Increased coughing.
- Increased shortness of breath.
- Shallow or rapid breathing that's worse than usual.
Feet/ankle symptoms:
- Swelling in your feet or ankles.
Avoiding flare-ups:
- Don't smoke. And avoid other triggers, like pollution and dust or fumes at work.
- See your doctor and dentist regularly, even when you feel fine.
- Get a flu shot every year.
- Ask a healthcare provider about pneumonia and pertussis shots.
- Avoid crowds during cold and flu season to lower your risk of infection.
- Drink plenty of water to help keep mucus thin and prevent it from building up in your lungs.
- Wash your hands regularly and use hand sanitizer to keep germs away.
- Brush your teeth twice a day.
- Avoid touching your mouth, eyes and nose to prevent infection.
- Get plenty of sleep, because you're more likely to get sick when you're tired.
Handling a flare-up:
As soon as you experience signs of a COPD flare-up, contact a healthcare provider. He or she may be able to prescribe medications to prevent hospitalization.
Sources: American Lung Association; American Thoracic Society; COPD Foundation
Respiratory conditions our therapists treat
Our team treats a wide range of conditions that affect breathing, including:
- Asthma.
- Bronchitis.
- Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.
- Cystic fibrosis.
- Emphysema.
- Lung and other types of cancer.
- Pneumonia.
No matter what the condition, our respiratory therapists will create a treatment plan that is unique to the patient's needs. Some of the treatment options our respiratory care team can help patients with at MMMC include:
- Diagnostic lung testing.
- Education for cardiopulmonary illnesses and medications.
- Inpatient respiratory care, such as inhaled bronchodilators.
- Life support equipment management.
- Smoking cessation.
