RESPIRATION is the process by which an organism obtains energy. It is a complex cellular function which sustains life. The act of breathing - inhaling and exhaling - is vital for respiration to occur .
Breathing itself is a complex act which involves both the neurological as well as the muscular systems. In normal healthy individuals, the brain senses an increase in waste gas (carbon dioxide), and triggers the diaphragm to move. This initiates a breath. Air, which is a mixture of oxygen and other gases, is inhaled and the body is satisfied. This cycle repeats itself several times a minute.
There are many conditions which can interrupt the delicate process of respiration. These include pulmonary diseases like asthma, bronchitis, emphysema,and COPD* ; genetic diseases like cystic fibrosis ; neurological and muscular diseases like muscular dystrophy, amyotropic lateral sclerosis ("ALS"), multiple sclerosis and spinal muscular atropy ("SMA") ; lung scarring and deterioration from diseases like pneumonia, tuberculosis and lung cancer ; and the intermittent cessation of breathing which occurs in sleep apnea . Therapies are available to resolve or mitigate the respiratory difficulties caused by most of these conditions.
Access Respiratory Homecare ("ARH") is staffed by expert Respiratory Therapists who are thoroughly familiar with respiratory problems and with the state of the art techniques and equipment used to treat them. ARH has a full line of both stationary and portable oxygen systems, nebulizers, airway clearance devices, and invasive and noninvasive ventilatory devices. ARH staff will help you identify the appropriate therapy, training you to use them properly and assuring correct fit as required.
* Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease
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