Nearly 16 million U.S. adults have chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) which prevents airflow to the lungs, causing breathing problems. There’s no cure for the condition, but to provide relief from symptoms a variety of treatments exist, including regular physical activity and specific, targeted breathing techniques.
Enter the University of Texas Medical Branch’s Harmonicas for Health support group for those diagnosed with COPD. Spearheaded by UTMB nurse practitioner Sarah Lindsay, the collective, which meets monthly, is comprised of UTMB patients who are currently battling the chronic disease.
Members gather in person, along with Lindsay and others from the care team to discuss a relevant patient education topic, such as tips related to COPD management, nutrition and more, and then they transition to a harmonica lesson.
“We have about nine members so far,” said Lindsay, who originally got the idea for the group from the COPD Foundation, which is a nonprofit U.S. organization that has a mission to help people with COPD live longer and healthier lives. “I adapted the foundation’s program to meet the needs of our community here. So far, there’s twelve months of topics planned out with ideas for guest speakers along the way.”
Designated as a Joint Commission Center of Excellence for COPD since 2015, UTMB is equipped to effectively diagnose and manage COPD for patients.
But why harmonicas, one might wonder? The act of playing the instrument employs a lot of the same techniques and practices physicians like Dr. Alexander Duarte, professor in the UTMB Division of Pulmonary, Critical Care and Sleep Medicine within the Department of Internal Medicine, encourage and recommend COPD patients to use to improve their symptoms.
“Harmonica playing is a way of performing pursed lip breathing and this technique allows people to breathe through their nose and exhale through puckered lips that provides symptomatic relief,” he said. “It improves lung capacity, strengthens breathing muscles and provides a respite for breathlessness.”
Response to the program thus far has been positive with members singing, or rather playing, their praises and appreciation.
“We are learning so much in the support group and are having a great time in the process,” said Vicky Baldwin, who attends the meetings along with her husband David Baldwin who suffers from COPD. “Who would have ever known that playing the harmonica, a small, simple, hand-held instrument, could provide such great therapy for your lungs?”
Currently, meetings only take place in person, and to date they have been held in the Randall Room in the Rosenberg Library in Galveston. However, Lindsay is exploring a virtual option as well.
“This support group is a place to learn and understand their condition deeper as well as reduce loneliness and connect to other people with the same condition,” said Lindsay. “We laugh a lot too!”