Respiratory Therapy
Mike Hauge, RRT. The Respiratory Care Department at Ringgold County Hospital provides a full range of services to all areas of the hospital for patients with respiratory illnesses or disease. We have a registered respiratory therapist on duty during business hours. The respiratory care team offers oxygen and nebulizer therapy for our patients as well as pulmonary function tests, arterial blood gas analyses and incentive spirometry. Walled vacuum outlets in patient rooms provide efficient suction for our critical care patients. Sleep studies are also available and coordinated through the department with an independent mobile sleep study partner.
Diagnostic Testing
Your physician may order respiratory tests that include one or more of the following.
Pulmonary function tests are various screenings that can help determine how well your lungs are working. These tests are quick, noninvasive, and painless.
The most common PFTs we perform at Ringgold County Hospital include:
- Spirometry – You will be asked to blow into a special device that can measure how much air your lungs can hold, as well as how forcefully you can expel air from your lungs.
- Pulse oximetry – A small, clip-on device sends beams of red and infrared light to the blood in your finger. The amount of light that bounces back can help determine the level of oxygen in your blood. Oxygenated blood supports cellular turnover throughout the body, speeding healing, boosting immune system function, and improving heart and respiratory function.
- Lung volume test (aka “body plethysmography”) – This test is more accurate than a spirometry. Plus, it can measure things a spirometry can’t, like total lung capacity (TLC) and the residual volume (RV) of your lungs – or how much air remains in your lungs after you exhale.
Oxygen & Respiratory Therapy
RCH respiratory therapists can help with setup, management, and removal of various forms of respiratory devices, including ventilators and supplemental oxygen. Our respiratory therapists also administer and provide patient guidance regarding nebulizer treatments (the delivery of medications that are inhaled).
Cardiopulmonary rehab is designed specifically for patients with heart or lung disease. At Ringgold County Hospital, we offer customized and comprehensive, medically supervised exercise and education for these patients.
Find out more on our Cardiopulmonary Rehabilitation page.
This is a hand-held device that can help you take slow, deep breaths. It may be used after surgery or an illness like pneumonia to strengthen and expand lung function.
This is the delivery of supplemental oxygen to breathe, typically via tubes in the nostrils or a face mask. It can temporarily boost oxygen levels in your blood to relieve symptoms such as breathlessness, fatigue, and confusion.
Ventilators are machines that move air in and out of your airways and lungs for you. It may be applied to a patient using a face mask or a breathing tube, depending on a patient’s condition and medical needs. There are risks associated with prolonged ventilator use, so it is generally recommended for use until a patient’s lungs are able to function properly without such assistance.
At Ringgold County Hospital, our patient rooms are equipped with vacuum outlets, which provide the efficient suction power necessary for our critical care patients.
Sleep Studies
Do you or your physician think you may have obstructive sleep apnea or another condition that may be disrupting your sleep? At Ringgold County Hospital, we coordinate sleep studies as needed for patients with our mobile sleep study partner.
Curious about whether you may need a sleep study? Take this brief questionnaire to find out your Epworth Sleepiness Scale score.
WHAT IS SLEEP APNEA?
More than 18 million American adults suffer from sleep apnea. It causes a temporary stop in your breathing while you sleep and can occur hundreds of times every night. This will not only leave you feeling tired and groggy the next day, it can also lead to high blood pressure, heart disease, liver problems, type 2 diabetes, and more. Sleep apnea occurs most often in adults 60 and older – although even children can have sleep apnea.
SIGNS OF SLEEP APNEA
- Loud snoring
- Alternating between loud snoring and being very quiet
- Observed pauses in breathing during sleep
- Excessive sleepiness
- May fall asleep while watching TV, reading, attending meetings, or driving
- Wakes up tired, even after a full night of sleep
- Morning headaches
- Trouble concentrating or forgetfulness
- Frequent nighttime awakenings and urination
- Irritability, short-temper, lack of energy, lack of energy, depression, or other mood changes
- Restlessness with frequent tossing and turning at night
- Dry mouth
CAUSE OF SLEEP APNEA
This condition occurs when the muscles in the back of the throat fail to keep the airway open despite your efforts to breathe. It may seem like a simple health problem, but it can cause other health concerns. Besides interrupted sleep, the pauses in breathing can cause blood oxygen levels to drop and cause changes in your heart rate and blood pressure. This can lead to an increased risk of high blood pressure, heart attack, and stroke.
TREATMENT OF SLEEP APNEA
If you complete a sleep study and it shows that you have sleep apnea, there are many treatment options available with the most common being a C-Pap (continuous positive airway pressure). The treatment involves wearing a mask that supplies a continuous pressure through the nose during sleep. The mask will help prevent airway restriction or collapse. The use of this mask can bring an end to snoring, gasping, and interrupted sleep.
Losing weight, sleeping on your side, and eliminating the use of alcohol and tobacco can also help to decrease the severity of sleep apnea.
Respiratory Therapy in Mount Ayr, IA
The respiratory therapists at Ringgold County Hospital in Mount Ayr, Iowa, work with RCH doctors and other providers to deliver respiratory therapy and other treatments to our patients. For more information about our services, call the RCH respiratory care team at (641) 464-4407.
