VigorBuddy.com | Review and Benefits of TurboForte® as a Respiratory Physiotherapy Device for Lung Expansion and Mucus Relief | In recent years patients with respiratory diseases use various devices, which help the removal of mucus from the airways and therefore the improvement of pulmonary function.
The present devices of physiotherapy for patients with respiratory diseases are used as an alternate therapy method or a supplemental therapy, and that they can motivate patients to use therapy by themselves. These devices seem to extend patients’ compliance with daily treatment, because they present many benefits, as an independent application, full control of therapy, and straightforward use. Current devices such as Turboforte® seem to be effective in terms of mucus expectoration and pulmonary function improvement because it is shown by published studies.
The selection of an acceptable device for every patient may be a challenge for the physiotherapist so as to realize better compliance in daily treatment. More controlled studies are needed thanks to the very fact that the amount of published studies is restricted.
Breathing Made Easy with TurboForte®
TURBOFORTE® may be a cost-effective mucus clearing hand-held device that gives positive expiratory pressure for sufferers of COPD, Asthma, CF, Bronchitis, and other chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.
TURBOFORTE® is a Drug-Free Lung Enhancement Medical Device that does what it calls PEP – or positive expiratory pressure – therapy for patients with mucus-producing respiratory conditions including:
- Bronchitis
- Bronchiectasis
- Cystic Fibrosis
- COPD – Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease
- Asthma
- Asbestosis
- Colds and flu
- Other conditions producing retained secretions.
- Performance Athletes also can enjoy regular use of the Turboforte™ to help them
TURBOFORTE® helps take care of bronchial hygiene in patients through a simple, lightweight pipe-shaped respiratory physiotherapy device that is designed to assist in expelling mucus by providing positive pressure and vibration within the lungs.
Turboforte’s innovative design has wonderful benefits for those striving for all-round health and well-being.
The Benefits and Functionalities of TurboForte® lie in the following:
- Vibrates the airways which loosen mucus from the lungs and airway walls.
- Intermittently increase endobronchial pressure which assists to take care of the clearing of the airways while an individual exhales in order that mucus doesn’t become trapped because it moves up the air canal.
- Accelerate expiratory airflow which facilitates the upward movement of mucus through the airways in order that it’s more easily cleared.
How TurboForte® Works
This small pipe-shaped hand-held device has a mouthpiece and a perforated cover which encases a stainless steel ball resting in a circular cone.
The individual is instructed to inspire slowly to a volume slightly greater than tidal volume and perform an end-inspiratory breath hold for two to three seconds. Inhalation occurs through the nose or through the mouth by breathing around the mouthpiece.
Following the breath-hold, the individual is instructed to exhale through the device, with enough flow velocity, against a small expiratory resistance, using their abdominal muscles at a rather faster rate than normal.
Individuals may stabilize their cheeks (buccal muscles) with their other hand during expiration, if necessary, to make sure better airflow reaches the lungs. this is often repeated consecutively for the prescribed number of breaths.
When the device is tilted a touch more down there’s lower pressure and frequency to mobilize phlegm from the distal airways.
When the device is tilted a touch more up there’s a better pressure and frequency to mobilize the phlegm from the proximal airways
Optimal oscillation frequency and flow are those which give reinforcement of airway resonance/vibration within the lower chest and upper abdominal region. Individuals are generally taught to recognize this tactile feedback and use this to adapt their technique.
This form of therapy employing a mouthpiece device is usually performed in an upright seated position. It is often applied in other positions, as long as effective oscillation remains achieved.
Depending on the daily secretion production, this sort of OscPEP therapy could also be applied daily, or twice daily during a stable clinical state. During an acute infection, the frequency, the number of breaths per cycle, and therefore the number of cycles may alter. In pediatric patients, it’s going to also depend upon other factors as discussed in conjunction with the therapist and family.
The patient should tend written instructions including the technique, prescription, and cleaning of the device.
What Happens Inside the Device (Physiology)
When you exhale through the Turboforte® device, the air you exhale moves the steel ball inside. This in turn causes vibrations in your airways that loosen mucus while a slight increase in pressure aids in keeping your airways open. Them, this combined action of vibration and pressure results in the mucus moving up your airways until you can cough it out.
While the user exhales into the device, the chrome steel ball inside the device rolls up and down the cone. It creates interruptions in the expiratory flow and generates a positive expiration pressure (PEP) within the range of 18 to 35cmH20.
This oscillatory vibration of the air within the airways is additionally generated which shear secretions from the airways and reduces their viscoelasticity.
The oscillations are mid-range in frequency and mimic the cilial beat frequency and are determined by the angle at which the device is held. Thus, the position of the user is crucial in its effectiveness.
Why the need to clear your airways?
In many chronic pulmonary conditions, there is a build-up of secretions in the airways. These secretions may block air passages and make breathing difficult. Besides this, the mucus that stays in the airways becomes an ideal environment for bacteria to multiply and thrive. That is ideal for infection and foreboding lung damage.
Thus, airway clearance is important to your overall lung health. Daily use of Turboforte® can help relieve and break the cycle of lung infection and damage.
Contraindications
Always consult your doctor or healthcare professional if you are unsure if the below conditions affect you:
- Untreated pneumothorax
- Tuberculosis
- Haemoptysis (coughing up of blood)
- Oesophageal surgery
- Right-sided heart failure
- Middle ear pathology, such as a ruptured tympanic membrane.
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References on the Review and Benefits of TurboForte®:
https://bronchiectasis.com.au/physiotherapy/techniques/oscillating-positive-expiratory-pressure-therapy/attachment/how-to-use-a-turboforte
https://www.the-cma.org.uk/articles/the-turboforte-is-effective-in-helping-to-promote-and-maintain-bronchial-hygiene-especially-for-those-suffering-from-breathing-difficulties-4941/
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2580042/