Most of us take for granted that we can breathe without thinking about it. There’s no second guessing, no worrying, no pain involved. But for people who’ve experienced an acute event impacting the lungs or heart, and for those managing pre-existing respiratory conditions, respiratory care in a short-term rehabilitation setting is a saving grace. This sometimes overlooked but critical part of rehab addresses breathing problems in post-surgical patients, patients with chronic respiratory conditions (like asthma, COPD, emphysema, or pulmonary fibrosis), survivors of heart attacks or strokes, people recovering from respiratory infections like COVID, bronchitis, or influenza, and patients on bedrest or with limited mobility.
There are numerous benefits of respiratory care that speed up recuperation time and help patients improve their daily lives or return to normalcy. To fully understand how respiratory care contributes to recovery, it helps to distinguish it from respiratory rehabilitation—two approaches that, while related, serve different purposes in a patient’s healing journey.
Although there is some overlap between them, it’s important to note that respiratory care and respiratory rehab offer patients distinct kinds of support.
Respiratory rehab is not usually a part of short-term rehabilitation, but rather a long-term program for helping patients with chronic lung diseases improve their breathing, quality of life, strength, and stamina. Typically offered on an outpatient basis, it involves a collaborative care team including doctors, physical therapists, and nutritionists, and focuses on supervised exercise training, education to support disease management and nutrition, and psychological support.
Respiratory care focuses on clinical care for patients with significant breathing impairments and is provided by respiratory therapists and trained clinicians in hospitals, short-term rehab and long-term care settings, outpatient clinics, or home health environments. It involves airway management, oxygen therapy, ventilator support, patient education, medication provision, emergency interventions, and more.
Whether a patient is regaining strength after surgery, recovering from a respiratory illness, or managing a chronic lung condition, targeted respiratory interventions can make a measurable difference in both speed and quality of healing. Below are six key ways respiratory care helps patients recover more quickly, breathe more easily, and regain independence during short-term rehab.
Respiratory therapists are trained to identify and assess breathing problems that might otherwise go unnoticed in a short-term rehab setting. Using tools like pulmonary function testing and pulse oximetry, and by closely observing symptoms, they help the larger respiratory care team pinpoint the causes of respiratory difficulty—whether it's fluid buildup, airway obstruction, or worsening of a chronic condition. These insights lead to more precise diagnoses and allow providers to tailor treatments such as oxygen therapy, medications, or airway clearance techniques to the patient’s unique needs.
When they have the right treatment plan, individuals in rehab are far more likely to experience a faster and safer recovery, with better control of their symptoms, enhanced lung capacity, and improved energy for performing daily activities and increasing exercise tolerance.
One of the core goals of respiratory care is to help patients breathe more efficiently and comfortably. Through interventions like breathing exercises, nebulizer treatments, chest physiotherapy, and incentive spirometry, respiratory therapists work to expand total lung volume, loosen mucus, and strengthen the muscles involved in breathing. These treatments make breathing easier and also reduce the risk of complications like pneumonia or lung collapse (atelectasis). As pulmonary function improves, patients are better able to participate in physical therapy and progress toward discharge.
Oxygen is essential for healing—every cell in the body depends on it to repair tissue, fight infection, and produce energy. Respiratory care helps patients get adequate oxygen by monitoring blood oxygen levels and delivering supplemental oxygen when needed. In some cases, devices like CPAP, BiPAP, or high-flow oxygen systems are used to support more effective breathing. By improving how oxygen is delivered and absorbed throughout the body, respiratory therapists help speed up recovery, reduce fatigue, and support overall organ function during rehabilitation.
Many patients in short-term rehab are managing ongoing respiratory conditions. Respiratory care plays a crucial role in stabilizing cases of COPD, pulmonary fibrosis, and other chronic lung diseases, helping to prevent flare-ups and complications during recovery. Therapists monitor symptoms closely, adjust treatments as needed, and provide education on inhaler techniques, breathing strategies, and medication adherence. This proactive approach not only reduces the risk of complications but also empowers patients with the knowledge and confidence to manage their condition after discharge—improving both short- and long-term outcomes.
In short-term rehab, patients can sometimes experience sudden episodes of respiratory distress—whether due to a pre-existing condition, a post-operative complication, or limited mobility. Having trained respiratory therapists on-site ensures that these situations are recognized and addressed immediately. From administering emergency oxygen to clearing blocked airways or adjusting ventilatory support, these professionals can stabilize patients quickly and prevent a worsening crisis. Early intervention not only improves outcomes but can also reduce the need for hospital readmission or escalation to ICU-level care.
Even when an ICU stay is unavoidable, respiratory care can play a major role in shortening its duration and supporting a faster recovery. By improving breathing efficiency, preventing complications, and facilitating earlier weaning from oxygen or ventilator support, respiratory therapists help patients transition more quickly to rehab. In a short-term rehab setting, ongoing monitoring and interventions—such as breathing exercises, airway clearance, and oxygen management—further reduce the risk of setbacks that could otherwise lead to readmission or prolonged recovery. The result is a smoother, safer path from hospital to home.
Respiratory care is a vital part of the recovery journey for many patients in short-term rehab. Whether it’s helping someone bounce back after surgery, managing a chronic condition, or preventing an emergency from becoming a crisis, respiratory therapists are essential members of the care team. By improving breathing, oxygen flow, and overall lung function, they make it possible for patients to heal faster, feel stronger, and return to daily life with greater confidence and independence.
If you or a loved one is considering short-term rehab, look for a highly respected facility with empathetic staff and a safe, welcoming environment. The right support can make all the difference—in how quickly recovery happens and in the quality of life that follows.
Rehab Select offers comprehensive short-term rehabilitation services to help patients get back to work and life swiftly at the highest feasible level of independence.
Learn more about our programs and schedule a tour at one of our five locations throughout Alabama in Alabaster, Talladega, Montgomery, Albertville, and Guntersville.