CF Sympathizer - Whats a PT?

[anonymous]

Sorry, new to CF awareness. Trying to learn anything I can so I can help my friend in any way possible. Ive read posts all over the place on this site on all sorts of subjects, I saw the vest mentioned about 7 times before it was explained, and I still dont know what a chest PT is. All I know is that the vest is a sort of replacement therapy for PTs.Can anyone describe for me what a PT is, and how its done? ---------------Dave21/m/SoCaliCF SympathizerIf you have a good full description of what it is and howto do it, please email it to me at Boredomfiend@yahoo.comsince I might not find my way back to this site

 

[anonymous]

Sorry... let me correct that. I know PT is Physical Therapy I just want to know full details about it such as exactly how it is done and what it accomplishes when done right.Dave

 

[AbsintheSorrow]

There are different ways to do PT. The manual "old-fashioned" way (that I still prefer, by the way) is being pounded on the back, sides, chest, and shoudlers with cupped hands. There's also a thing called the Vest which you put on and it vibrates, and does basically the same thing. There's a thing called a Flutter that you breathe into and it provides the same purpose, and there's this massager thing (looks kind of like a shower head) that you put on your chest and it does the same thing. The purpose of them all is pretty much to shake the mucus in the lungs loose, so that it's easier to cough up. So it doesn't matter which way, really, but that's what is referred to when people talk about PT. <img src="i/expressions/rose.gif" border="0">