What is COPD?
Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease or COPD isn’t just one disease. It’s a group of lung diseases that cause serious progressive breathing issues. COPD diseases include:
Emphysema
Emphysema develops when your lung air sacs (alveoli) grow damaged. This leads to a reduction in oxygen absorption and lung stretching, making it harder to breathe.
Chronic bronchitis
When you suffer from a mucus-producing cough daily for three months, for two or more years in a row, it’s called chronic bronchitis. This condition has a direct connection to bronchial tube irritation, swelling, and damage. Bronchitis can cause a very painful cough and breathing difficulties.
Refractory (irreversible) asthma
If you have refractory asthma, it’s not relieved with standard asthma medicine. Usually, inhaled medications can open constricted airways during an asthma attack, but if you have refractory asthma, your airways remain painfully tight.
Some COPD sufferers have more than one condition. Symptoms usually happen in flare-ups, and while you might have times of respite, COPD problems always return.
What is bronchiectasis?
Bronchiectasis is a problem with the bronchi, the main passages to your lungs. If you have bronchiectasis, bronchi walls are inflamed and/or infected, which causes thickening that limits your breathing.
Bronchiectasis isn’t a type of COPD, but it’s possible to develop bronchiectasis as a complication of COPD. The connection between bronchiectasis and COPD diseases like emphysema, bronchitis, and refractory asthma isn’t fully understood at this time, but research is ongoing.
What causes COPD?
The most common cause of COPD is prolonged cigarette smoke exposure, but other airborne substances like dust, chemical fumes, and air pollution can also cause COPD. Most COPD sufferers are longtime smokers, but you can also get COPD from years of second-hand smoke exposure.
How is COPD treated?
Treatment varies by specific causative illness, symptoms, other health problems, and other factors specific to your situation. The Heart and Medical Center and Urgent Care team tailors a COPD management plan for you.
Your treatment may include inhaled, oral, and injected medications along with lifestyle changes. COPD may be chronic, but that doesn’t have to mean chronic misery. The internal medicine specialists at The Heart and Medical Center and Urgent Care can help you have fewer flare-ups, improved breathing, and better quality of life overall.
Use the online scheduler or call The Heart and Medical Center and Urgent Care for the best COPD treatment now.
