ABILENE, Texas — Hendrick Health’s Better Breathers Club celebrated Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease Awareness Month by puckering up their lips for the clubs first ever “Harmonicas for Health: Music to Maximize the Lungs.”
The club is a free community outreach program for people of all ages with long-term breathing disorders and meets every second Tuesday of each month.
Greg Young, the pharmacist and manager of operations at Hendrick Pharmacy on Ambler facilitated the harmonica program.
“What you’re doing is blowing air in and out of the harmonica,” Young said. “That is exercising your breathing apparatus. It’s also helping your brain. You also get a good feeling of accomplishment because you’re learning how to play an instrument.”
Playing the harmonica can strengthen the muscles that pulls and pushes air out of the lungs. Strengthening the muscles helps with shortness of breath.
“Pursed lips breathing basically creates a little bit of resistance,” Young explained. “A little resistance is good to make those muscles work. It also opens the breathing passages.”
According to Kelly Couch, a Hendrick Health respiratory therapist, playing harmonicas is not only good for health, but it’s also good for the soul.
“A lot of times with breathing disorders its very depressing,” Couch said. “So, what we’re doing today with the harmonicas, that sparks different parts of your brain. So, it brings a good feeling to yourself.”
For more information on the Better Breathers Club contact Hendrick Pulmonary Rehabilitation at 325-670-2280.
