What is COPD? And how can you recognize it and begin to treat or prevent it?
These are 2 very common questions for most people but for those people living with COPD it is a very serious thing. Here is what you need to know about COPD to help protect your family.
COPD is Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease which effects the lungs of people suffering from Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease and their breathing tubes and bodily airways become narrowed.
COPD factors and consists of two very common and serious diseases that co-exist together to break down your health and narrow the patients airways as well as hinder your immune system mainly in the lungs. These two co-existing diseases COPD refers to is emphysema and chronic bronchitis.
What causes Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease?
COPD is caused by many different factors such as bad air conditions, smoking and even second hand smoke. To be more precise though COPD is caused by gases and harmful particles which are noxious to the human body. The most common cause for COPD still remains to be long term smoking of nicotine and cigarettes. When these harmful toxins and agitating gases or smokes enter your lungs and cause an abnormal effect this is known as COPD. Various things can trigger an effect like this which is an unusual inflammatory response in the lungs.
How do Chronic Bronchitis and Emphysema remain to be main factors in this disease and how do they effect people suffering from COPD?
Emphysema is a process in which the lung tissues in the aveloi are broken down and slowly suffer major destruction. This is caused by the unusual inflammatory responses in the lung directly related to COPD. For those of you just learning about or reading about COPD for the first time, or unfamiliar with the human anatomy, aveloi is a compartment so to say inside the human body and tissues that is an anatomical structure which is hollow inside. These hollow spaces relate to COPD because they give the body and disease a space in the lungs to trade fluids known as gas and blood. This is where carbon dioxide from the rest of the body is brought and the oxygen is to be released to all your cells in your body. Only mammals have aveloi in their respiratory systems.
Symptoms of Emphysema include an expanded chest and shortness of breath, especially on the exhaling breath. So if you are having trouble breathing for a prolonged period of time, you should definitely get checked by your doctor for Emphysema and sicknesses like Bronchitis because they are the first signs of COPD.
Chronic Bronchitis is a lasting inflammation in the bronchi of the lungs. You may recognize if from when you get a bad cold and suffer from Bronchitis only this does not subside as it is chronic inflammation. This can be caused by long term smoking and other bad long term fume inhalations.
Symptoms of Chronic Bronchitis include an long term deep, chesty cough with fever, fatigue, chest pains, shortness of breath, wheezing and the most common symptom is the expectorant cough which produces mucus, also known as sputum to be coughed and spit outside of the lungs. This mucus is often green or yellowish in color but can also be pink or orange in color and can have black resins of dirt and other things like tar which is inhaled into the respiratory system due to environmental causes.
What are the warning signs of COPD?
Warning signs you can watch out for and recognize of COPD include all the symptoms of Emphysema and Chronic Bronchitis. As well as if you have a cold or flu that does not seem to go away this may be a chronic disease and not just a regular cold.
There are other warning signs that you can watch out for other then the expected shortness of breath, possible dizziness to lack of air, mucus productions and sputum release form the lungs, coughing, wheezing and the difficulty to relax yourself while trying to speak due to airway problems. Some more tell tale signs of COPD that you can watch out for include a symptom called purse-lipped breathing and finger clubbing and central cyanosis.
Pursed lipped breathing is a technique that if you are interested in learning more about here is a great website. http://www.cchs.net/health/health-info/docs/2400/2408.asp?index=9443
Central Cyanosis is a term used to relate a blue coloration to the skin from lack of oxygen to the blood cells. Search Google for more information on this symptom of COPD.
Finger Clubbing is a term for when your fingernails grow in with a ridge or multiple ridges on them making large bumps horizontally across your nails. Finger Clubbing can also be a sign to other serious diseases and health problems, so you should always check with your doctor. This can even create a split through your nail and cost people to lose their nails and can be very painful.
How can you prevent COPD in yourself and your family and how can you help people suffering from Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease?
Some simple prevention tips for avoiding COPD is to quit smoking, avoid toxins in the airs and heavily polluted areas. As well as cutting back on your toxin intakes and to eat healthy, drink water and exercise. Which are all important vital issues for maintaining a healthy and happy body.
If you or a loved one is suffering from COPD there are a few things you can keep in mind to help them. Avoid long winded conservations and hard to handle tasks such as steep stairways and singing. Speak slowly or tell your loved one that you understand and when short on breath not to speak at all. Avoid at all costs getting exasperated or worn out. The number one thing you can do is to avoid smoking and second hand smoke.
Coping with COPD and family members or friends having COPD can effect your life greatly and you will not be able to preform or do many of the tasks you once did and loved. There are help groups and doctors and nurses who can give you support if Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease.
Ask for help with COPD for you or your loved one before it is too late. Treatments are available that can help you better your condition or prevent your COPD from becoming worse then it already is. Please make yourself aware of what COPD is and what you can do to avoid Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease.
