COPD
Everything You Need To Know About COPD
COPD is a lifelong medical condition that actually combines the worst aspects of two other diseases: emphysema and chronic bronchitis. All of this affects your lungs to the point of being unable to bring enough air into them, making breathing difficult and starving the rest of your body for oxygen. There is no cure for this condition, only treatments and medications to make dealing with it easier to handle.
If you are older and have begun to have problems catching your breath, you may have the beginning signs of COPD. Contact Trinity Primary Care today for a lung assessment, and consultation on treatment plans.
Causes
COPD is caused by smoking, or prolonged exposure to second hand smoke, caustic chemical fumes, dust, and air pollution. All of these can cause the fibers that circulate air throughout the lungs to lose their flexibility, and no longer operate as they should. It can also cause the airways, the primary source of oxygen in the lungs, to become inflamed and irritated, making drawing a breath nigh impossible to achieve. Inflammation of the airways can also cause mucus to build up and obstruct the airways over time.
Symptoms
The primary symptom of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease is a cough that occurs frequently, without cause, and lasts for longer periods of time as the disease progresses. It can go from a dry, hacking cough to a wet, mucus generating cough that can make catching your breath difficult to achieve.
Shortness of breath is another hallmark symptom of this disease. It begins with episodes of being unable to catch your breath after light exercise, like walking or climbing the stairs. Over time, it progresses to the point where you find it difficult to catch your breath after doing simple tasks, like dressing yourself, or preparing a meal. This can interfere with your quality of life, making just getting out of bed difficult to achieve without losing your breath. Eating and drinking can also become impossible, sparking the final symptom, weight loss.
Diagnosis
This disorder can sometimes be difficult to diagnose immediately, because its symptoms are similar to other lung diseases, like asthma, pneumonia and allergies. Since it strikes most often patients who are in their sixties, the doctors will test for it by listening to your lungs and having you do breathing tests to see how your lungs have been affected. Follow-up tests can include chest x-rays to determine the extent of damage that has already been done.
Treatment
First, you need to understand that once the lungs have been damaged by COPD, there is no way to reverse that damage. The only treatment plans that have any effect is avoidance of irritants, and medication that will ease its effects. Oxygen therapy is also employed, so that your blood remains at a decent level of oxygen saturation. Major organs, tissues and muscles need oxygen to function.
COPD
Everything You Need To Know About COPD
COPD is a lifelong medical condition that actually combines the worst aspects of two other diseases: emphysema and chronic bronchitis. All of this affects your lungs to the point of being unable to bring enough air into them, making breathing difficult and starving the rest of your body for oxygen. There is no cure for this condition, only treatments and medications to make dealing with it easier to handle.
If you are older and have begun to have problems catching your breath, you may have the beginning signs of COPD. Contact Trinity Primary Care today for a lung assessment, and consultation on treatment plans.
Causes
COPD is caused by smoking, or prolonged exposure to second hand smoke, caustic chemical fumes, dust, and air pollution. All of these can cause the fibers that circulate air throughout the lungs to lose their flexibility, and no longer operate as they should. It can also cause the airways, the primary source of oxygen in the lungs, to become inflamed and irritated, making drawing a breath nigh impossible to achieve. Inflammation of the airways can also cause mucus to build up and obstruct the airways over time.
Symptoms
The primary symptom of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease is a cough that occurs frequently, without cause, and lasts for longer periods of time as the disease progresses. It can go from a dry, hacking cough to a wet, mucus generating cough that can make catching your breath difficult to achieve.
Shortness of breath is another hallmark symptom of this disease. It begins with episodes of being unable to catch your breath after light exercise, like walking or climbing the stairs. Over time, it progresses to the point where you find it difficult to catch your breath after doing simple tasks, like dressing yourself, or preparing a meal. This can interfere with your quality of life, making just getting out of bed difficult to achieve without losing your breath. Eating and drinking can also become impossible, sparking the final symptom, weight loss.
Diagnosis
This disorder can sometimes be difficult to diagnose immediately, because its symptoms are similar to other lung diseases, like asthma, pneumonia and allergies. Since it strikes most often patients who are in their sixties, the doctors will test for it by listening to your lungs and having you do breathing tests to see how your lungs have been affected. Follow-up tests can include chest x-rays to determine the extent of damage that has already been done.
Treatment
First, you need to understand that once the lungs have been damaged by COPD, there is no way to reverse that damage. The only treatment plans that have any effect is avoidance of irritants, and medication that will ease its effects. Oxygen therapy is also employed, so that your blood remains at a decent level of oxygen saturation. Major organs, tissues and muscles need oxygen to function.