Understanding and managing COPD
Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), is a lung disorder that makes it hard to breathe. The first symptoms can be so mild that people mistakenly chalk them up to "getting old". People with COPD may develop chronic bronchitis, emphysema, or both. COPD tends to get worse over time, but catching it early, along with good care, can help many people stay active and may slow the disease.
About 90% of people with COPD are current or former smokers, and their disease usually appears after age 40. Secondhand smoke and exposure to environmental irritants and pollution also can increase your risk of COPD. In rare cases, the DNA passed down through a family can lead to COPD, even in 'never smokers'.
Inside the lungs, COPD can clog the airways and damage the tiny, balloon-like sacs (alveoli) that absorb oxygen. These changes can cause shortness of breath in everyday activities, wheezing, chest tightness, constant coughing, producing a lot of mucus (sputum), feeling tired and frequent colds or flu.
Severe COPD can make it difficult to walk, cook, clean house, or even bathe. Coughing up excess mucus and feeling short of breath may worsen. Advanced illness can also cause swollen legs or feet from fluid buildup, weight loss, less muscle strength and endurance, headache in the morning and blue/grey lips or fingernails (due to low oxygen levels).
Diagnosis can be made through physical examination and some tests. Your doctor will listen to your chest as you breathe, then will ask about your smoking history and whether you have a family history of COPD. The amount of oxygen in your blood may be measured with a blood test or a pulse oximetre. Spirometry is the main test for COPD. Spirometry can find problems even before you have symptoms of COPD. It also helps determine the stage of COPD. A chest X-ray is not used to diagnose COPD, but it may help rule out conditions that cause similar symptoms, such as pneumonia. In advanced COPD, a chest X-ray might show lungs that appear much larger than normal.
Bronchodilators are medications that relax the muscles of the airways to help keep them open and make it easier to breathe. Short-acting bronchodilators last about four to six hours and are used on an as-needed basis. Longer-acting bronchodilators can be used every day for people with more persistent symptoms. People with COPD may use both types of bronchodilators. If bronchodilators do not provide enough relief, people with COPD may take corticosteroids. These are usually taken by inhaler. Steroids may also be given by pill or injection to treat flare-ups of COPD.
Pulmonary rehabilitation classes teach people ways to keep up with their daily activities without as much shortness of breath. Specific exercises help to build muscle strength, including the muscles used in breathing. If you have COPD and need supplemental oxygen, you will typically get the oxygen through tubing from an oxygen tank to the nostrils.
Walking is one of the best things you can do if you have COPD. Start with just five or 10 minutes at a time, three to five days a week. If you can walk without stopping to rest, add another minute or two. Even if you have severe COPD, you may be able to reach 30 minutes of walking at a time. Discuss your exercise plans with your doctor.
It is important to stay active, even if you feel short of breath. You may need to pace yourself or use oxygen therapy, but staying active will make you stronger. Avoid secondhand smoke, chemical fumes, and other lung irritants. Be sure to get vaccinated against the flu and pneumococcal disease. Wash hands frequently, and avoid hacking, sniffling people during cold and flu season.
Source: WebMD
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