Overview
Respiratory therapists specialize in caring for people with breathing difficulties.
For someone with a lung disease, such as chronic bronchitis or emphysema, or for an accident victim, breathing can be a struggle. Respiratory therapists monitor, assess and provide the necessary treatment to facilitate the ease of breathing for people who have a lung disorder.
Respiratory therapists also help patients who have weak respiratory muscles due to neuromuscular disorders such as amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD), multiple sclerosis (MS) and SCI (and spinal cord injury), among others.
Respiratory therapists at The Ottawa Hospital Rehabilitation Centre (TOHRC) offer innovative, non-invasive airway management techniques to ease the work of breathing for people at risk of neuro-respiratory complications.