Are You Living With COPD Symptoms and Ignoring Them?
Only half of the 26 million people with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) have been diagnosed, reports Everyday Health. Are you among those living with COPD and ignoring the symptoms? If so, it is imperative to talk to your doctor and find out. Here’s what you need to know.
What is COPD?
MSN Healthy Living defines COPD as a disease that includes emphysema and chronic bronchitis, both of which make breathing more difficult. Smoking is the cause of 80 to 90 percent of COPD cases, reports Everyday Health, though other causes include genetics and prolonged exposure to pollutants that damage your lungs.
COPD Symptoms
The most persistent COPD symptoms, according to Everyday Health and MSN Healthy Living, include:
- Shortness of breath while completing everyday tasks, such as bathing, dressing and walking up stairs
- Continual cough that you might call a "smoker’s cough"
- Excess mucus production (called sputum)
- Tightness in the chest
- Wheezing or whistling while breathing
- Feeling unable to take deep breaths
- Blue lips or fingernails, a severe symptom that means you’re not getting enough oxygen (in which case you should report to the ER immediately)
COPD Testing
Instead of making excuses for your symptoms and simply cutting back activities to feel better, talk to your doctor about getting tested for COPD. All your doctor needs to do is run a non-invasive breathing test called spirometry. In essence, all that’s required is for you to breathe through a tube into a machine that measures how much and how quickly you can expel air from your lungs in a certain amount of time. The results can reveal if you’re living with COPD.
Healthy Lifestyle Changes
Once you've been diagnosed, you should plan to make some important changes to make living with COPD easier. Here’s what Everyday Health suggests:
- Quit smoking - If you still smoke, it’s important to quit. That’s the number one lifestyle change you can make to improve your breathing ability.
- Avoid pollutants - Avoid harsh chemicals, dust, toxic fumes, secondhand smoke and indoor pollutants to decrease COPD symptoms.
At this time of uncertainty, be honest with yourself and your doctor. Early diagnosis helps you get control over your condition.
http://www.domorewithoxygen.com//bid/297868/are-you-living-with-copd-symptoms-and-ignoring-them?sour...
