COPD - CHRONIC OBSTRUCTIVE PULMONARY DISEASE

CHRONIC OBSTRUCTIVE PULMONARY DISEASE (COPD)

The greatest wealth one possesses, is a healthy mind and a healthy body. Even the media today addresses the need for a healthy diet and a healthy lifestyle. But just give a thought about how adulterant free or chemical free is the food that you eat; how pure is the air that you breathe. Unfortunately, you are not eating or breathing healthy. Everywhere you turn you are surrounded by pollution; you breathe dust, lead, carbon monoxide, and many other harmful gases, which might result in serious health complications. And moreover, if you are a smoker then you are planning against your own health and might be at a greater risk of developing Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD).

Symptoms of COPD

Few symptoms of COPD that you should not ignore are

• Continuous coughing sometime called as “smoker’s cough”
• Increase sputum production
• Shortness of breath while doing activities
• Feeling like you can’t breath
• Problem in taking a deep breath
• Wheezing
• Tightness of chest

The symptoms of COPD develop over a period of time. It is not necessary that everyone with the above said signs are suffering from COPD and not very COPD patient shows the same symptoms. COPD is often accompanied with cold or flu.

In severe condition COPD may have the following symptoms

• Swelling in ankle, feet, and leg
• Difficulty in breathing even while sitting quietly or talking
• Due to low oxygen your lips and nail may turn blue or gray
• Rapid heartbeat
• Mentally disturbed or not alert
• Treatment for symptoms isn’t working

Causes

Most people suffering from COPD don’t even know that they have been affected.

The main thing that tops the list of causes for COPD is smoking. COPD often affects people above 40 years of age and who have a long history of smoking. Smoking causes COPD in 9 out of 10 COPD-related deaths. But it is also found that 1 out of 6 people affected with COPD have never smoked.

Long-term exposure to chemicals in workplace that harms or irritates your lungs may cause COPD. Dust, fumes, air-pollution, gases, vapor, mist, long-term exposure to second hand smoking results in COPD.

Many people who have never smoked and never have been exposed to harmful chemicals also get COPD, the reason is a genetic condition called Alpha-1 antitrypsin deficiency (AAT deficiency). As many as 100,000 Americans are AAT deficient.

Preventing COPD

There are many things you can do to help yourself if you are diagnosed with COPD and also to prevent COPD.

• Quit smoking
• Avoid being exposed to pollutants and harmful chemicals
• Take flu and pneumonia shots every year

Diagnosis

If you have the above said symptoms and suspect that you might be suffering from COPD, do not delay talking to your doctor, he will ask for your smoking history and the type of environment you work every day. He might recommend a breathing test called Spirometry to confirm whether it’s COPD or any other disease.

Spirometry is a simple, non-invasive breathing test that detects the amount of air that you can blow out of your lungs and how fast you can blow it out. Depending on the test readings your doctor can say whether you have COPD or not. Spirometry test can detect COPD before the symptoms becomes worse. Spirometry also shows the severity of COPD and the best treatment option.

A chest X-ray is also taken to see the signs of COPD. An arterial blood gas test helps to find the amount of oxygen present in the blood.

Using inhaled medicine

Inhaled medicine delivers a specific amount of medicine into your lungs using a handheld canister or a nebulizer machine. People with severe COPD who find it difficult in using a handheld canister can use a nebulizer as it converts liquid medicine into vapor that you can be inhaled easily. After use, rinse and gargle your mouth with plain water to avoid side-effects. Follow your doctor’s instruction to take the right amount of medicine.

Complications of COPD

COPD results in frequent cold and flu. You might also suffer from high blood pressure.

Conclusion

Many times you might have ignored COPD as a simple cough or cold. It usually develops mildly but the complications are serious and might prove fatal in many. Therefore it is necessary that you know the basis difference between COPD and other diseases with similar symptoms. If you suspect that you might have COPD, talk to your doctor and get a simple breathing test done. Take steps at the earliest to prevent or to reduce the severity of the disease. Early detection will help you live a longer and lead a more active life.

About COPD

COPD is actually a serious lung disease that gets worse over a period of time if proper treatment is not given. COPD is not a single disease, it includes two main diseases: Chronic bronchitis and emphysema.

The lungs, the organ of respiration, have two main parts – the bronchial tubes and the alveoli (the air sac in the lungs). The air that you breathe in, enters your lungs through the bronchial tube and reaches the alveoli, from the alveoli oxygen mixes with the blood and carbon-dioxide is sent out. But if you are suffering from chronic bronchitis your bronchial tubes may be red, swollen and filled with mucus that blocks the bronchial tube thereby causing difficulty in breathing. Similarly, if your alveoli is stiffened and irritated, they lose the capacity of holding air in them, making it difficult for your body to get enough oxygen and sending out carbon-dioxide, a condition called emphysema.

COPD is the 4th leading cause of death in US. It is estimated that about 120,000 Americans die due to COPD every year. In some, it causes serious long-term disability. More than 12 million people are suffering from COPD and the number might increase in the near future as many with COPD are still undiagnosed.