Confronting a COPD diagnosis can be scary, but with the right knowledge and professional support, you can lead a long, healthy, and comfortable life. From symptoms, causes, diagnosis, and management strategies, the following facts can help you face this condition with confidence.
What is COPD?
COPD, short for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, is a disease that obstructs the passage of air into the lungs. Generally, this happens as a result of two lung conditions occurring at the exact same time: chronic bronchitis and emphysema.1
Chronic bronchitis causes the bronchial tubes to be inflamed, which can lead to coughing and excess mucus production. Emphysema happens when the alveoli, which is the smallest air passage of the lungs, is destroyed by prolonged exposure to smoke or pollutants.
COPD is a condition that progressively worsens over time. There is no cure, but lifestyle changes in combination with personalized treatment strategies, the condition can be managed and the patient can’t live a good life.
Causes and Risk Factors
COPD is a condition that develops through long-term exposure to airborne irritants. Over time, this exposure can lead to chronic bronchitis and emphysema. Primary causes of COPD include:
- Smoking
- Air pollution
- Occupational exposures to harmful air pollutants
Genetics may play a role in the development of COPD as well. Physicians call it alpha-1 antitrypsin (AATD) deficiency. AATD is an inherited, genetic condition that inhibits the production of a protein called Alpha-1. Alpha-1 protects the lungs from the genetic form of emphysema. While smoking is far and away the leading cause of COPD, other risk factors include age, gender, and respiratory infections.2
Symptoms of COPD
Unfortunately, symptoms of COPD don’t begin to present themselves until a lot of damage has already been done. You should still familiarize yourself with the common and uncommon signs of this debilitating condition.3 Symptoms of COPD include:
- Shortness of breath
- Wheezing
- Chest tightness
- Frequent respiratory infections
- A chronic cough
- Weight loss
- Lack of energy
- Swelling in the legs, ankles, and feet
- Periodically worsening symptoms (exacerbations)
If you notice any of the symptoms mentioned above, consult a medical professional. You should seek immediate medical care if you are running a fever, can’t catch your breath, can’t slow your heartbeat at rest, or if you have trouble concentrating and feel foggy.
Diagnosis of COPD
Diagnosing COPD involves a thorough analysis of your symptoms and family history before running any tests. Should your doctor deem it necessary, they’ll likely run one or more of the following tests:
- Chest exam: a traditional examination involving a stethoscope.
- Spirometry: a type of lung function test that measures how much air a person breathes out, as well as how fast they blow air out.
- Chest x-ray: a standard x-ray to look for the signs of emphysema.
- CT scan: a CT scan is used to help the physician determine if someone suffering from emphysema can benefit from surgery.
- Arterial blood and gas analysis: these tests are used to determine how effective your lungs are at delivering oxygen to your blood.
There’s no telling how many of the above tests you’ll be expected to undergo. These are just the tools that doctors have at their disposal. If your doctor determines that you do indeed have COPD, they’ll prescribe a combination of medical treatment options and lifestyle adjustments aimed to ease your symptoms and enhance the functionality of your lungs.
Treatment and Management
As touched on earlier, there is no cure for COPD. Instead, doctors rely on a combination of medical treatments, lifestyle changes, and surgery to off-set the damage and increase the patient’s quality of life.
Medical Treatments
Physicians rely on a variety of medications to treat COPD. Some must be administered on a regular basis while others can be used as needed. The most common medical treatments include:
- Bronchodilators: inhalers that are used to relax the muscles around the airways.
- Inhaled steroids: used to reduce the inflammation of the airways.
- Combination inhalers: these are inhalers that combine bronchodilators with inhaled steroids to simplify administration.
- Antibiotics for infections: respiratory infections and COPD are closely linked. As such, doctors often prescribe antibiotics to patients who are experiencing respiratory infections.
Lifestyle Changes
In addition to medications, a doctor will likely prescribe a number of lifestyle changes to help enhance the lungs as well as mitigate risk.4 Some of these changes include:
- Smoking cessation: smoking is the leading cause of COPD. Quitting not only prevents more damage, but also improves oxygen intake and breathing ability.
- Diet and exercise: eating a healthy diet, maintaining a healthy weight, and staying active with gentle exercise like walking, gardening, or golfing can improve endurance and mitigate symptoms.
- Pulmonary rehabilitation programs: a doctor may also prescribe a pulmonary rehabilitation program that’s designed to improve lung function.
Surgical Options
In some cases, where medication and treatment doesn’t work, surgery may be suggested to relieve symptoms.5 Surgical interventions for COPD include:
- Lung volume reduction surgery: used to treat patients with severe emphysema, this surgery removes approximately 30-percent of the most damaged lung tissue to allow the remaining lung tissue to work more effectively.
- Bullectomy: a procedure that involves removing one or more of the damaged air sacs from the lungs.
- Lung transplant: in the event that the lungs are so damaged that they can no longer function normally, a doctor may consider a patient for a lung transplant.
Breathe Easy With Personalized Support
COPD can impact a patient’s quality of life dramatically. It’s a lifestyle condition that is usually the result of prolonged exposure to harmful substances like smoke and pollution, though there are some genetic factors that can lead to the development of the disease. There is no cure, but personalized treatment plans that include lifestyle modifications, medication, and surgery can help ease discomfort and limit the severity of symptoms.
The key to living a long, healthy life with COPD comes down to awareness and immediate intervention. It can be difficult to spot the symptoms of COPD until it is already advanced, the earlier you seek treatment the better. If you suspect you might have COPD, consult professional help as soon as you can. You can’t be rid of it entirely, but you may be able to adopt strategies that will allow you to live comfortably.