If you struggle with breathing problems, either due to stress and anxiety, a recent surgery, or chronic illness, a chest physiotherapist could help you.
Find all the information you’ll need before coming to Hospital for treatment. Learn more about making an appointment, our luxurious accommodation and our exceptional facilities.
About Us
Founded in 1856, St John & St Elizabeth Hospital is one of the UK’s largest independent charitable hospitals. Our commitment to our patients is in the quality of our care, the range of our services and the quality of our consultants and staff.
Contact Us
Make an appointment, find our contact details and have your say by providing feedback. You’ll also find information on where to find us and how to get here.
Health Professionals
Find the useful information for Medical Practitioners, including information on patient referrals, careers, education and more.
Services
St John & St Elizabeth Hospital is renowned for its highly specialised clinics that provide exemplary care for patients. Our expert Consultants cover the full range of specialties and are able to treat almost any medical condition.
Consultants
We’re proud to be the chosen Hospital for some of the world’s leading Consultants. Our specialist Consultants cover a wide range of specialisms and are committed to our values as a Hospital.
Search
Respiratory Physiotherapy
A respiratory physiotherapist helps people that have problems with their lungs and breathing.
Why you might need to see a respiratory physiotherapist
Perhaps you’ve been struggling with breathing issues for a long time, or perhaps you’ve only just been diagnosed with a breathing problem. No matter your situation, if you’ve been diagnosed with, or are experiencing, any of the following, then seeing a respiratory physiotherapist could help:
- Bronchiectasis
- Asthma
- COPD
- Emphysema
- Persistent Cough
- Recurring chest infections or pneumonia
- Problems with hyperventilating
- Feeling breathless
- Abnormal breathing pattern / Breathing Pattern Disorders
- Struggling to clear phlegm from your chest
- Recent heart, lung, or abdominal surgery
- Emphysema
- Asthma
What to expect from your first appointment
You’ll come in and have a 1 to 1 session with our specialist physiotherapist. They’ll take a history and ask you lots of questions to understand how your condition affects you and impacts on your daily life, as well as assessing how you breathe and listening to your chest.
Once they have a clear picture of where you’re at, you’ll start treatment! This will involve learning techniques that you can do at home, which with regular practice will help you get on top of your problem.
Your treatment could involve
- Education about/on your condition ; Lifestyle advice to manage your condition to enable Self-management
- Learning airway clearance techniques or prescription of specialist respiratory adjuncts / equipment
- Provision of an individualised exercise programme aimed at improving your respiratory fitness
- Advice on using your inhaler correctly (if you use one)
- Learning tactics to help you manage an episode of difficult breathing
- Relaxation techniques
- Improving the efficiency of your breathing
Much of your treatment will take place at home and should become part of your daily routine. With regular and consistent practice, you should see an improvement and feel much better! We would also recommend booking a series of appointment so your physiotherapist can see how you’re progressing and tweak your treatment plan if needed.
Get in touch
To book an appointment, call 020 7806 4010 or email [email protected]
Patient information
Our Hospital is renowned for providing exemplary levels of care across more than 90 services. From orthopaedics, to urology, our private GP practice and Urgent Care Clinic, our services are led by some of London’s leading Consultants. For more information, and to find a service suitable for your care, find out more about the services that we offer.
Make an enquiry
If you have any questions relating to treatment options or pricing information, get in touch with us by filling out one of our contact boxes or giving us a call on +44 207 806 4060.
Our Appointments Team have a dedicated and caring approach to finding you the earliest appointment possible with the best specialist.
If you are self-paying you don’t need a referral from your GP for a consultation. You can simply refer yourself* and book an appointment.
If you have health insurance (e.g. Bupa, Axa Health, Aviva), you will need to contact your insurer to get authorisation before any treatment, and in most cases you will also require a referral letter from your GP.
If you are not registered with a GP, we have an in-house private GP practice you can use. Alternatively, we can suggest the most appropriate course of action for you to take, given your location and individual circumstances.
*Please note – for investigations such as X-rays and MRIs, a referral will be required. However, we may be able to arrange this for you through our on-site private GP.
