Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease is a progressive lung disease. It is incurable. Chronic inflammation of the airways and a permanent restriction of airflow in the lungs characterize this disease. COPD is most often caused by smoking. In this blog post we explain other warning signs and what those affected should do and what treatment options you can think of?
People with COPD often ignore potential symptoms for a relatively long time and only see a doctor when the disease is already quite advanced. By then, the lung tissue is often extensively damaged. Early detection through lung function tests, for example, as part of an annual check-up, therefore plays a crucial role. Quitting smoking can slow down this disease.
The 4 stages of COPD
Narrowed airways are an important indicator for doctors of how far Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease has progressed. They classify the disease into four severity levels based on this: GOLD 1 to GOLD 4.
- GOLD 1 is a
- GOLD 4 indicates a very severe form of COPD.COPD in its early stages.
- GOLD 2 is a moderate COPD.
- GOLD 3 is a severe form of COPD.
What makes Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease such an insidious disease?
Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a disease that involves chronic inflammation in the airways and cannot be cured – and is obstructive, i.e., it involves a narrowing of the airways in the lungs.
How does COPD develop?
The main causes determining with their ratio are:
- Smoking approximately 80% of all cases
- harmful substances in the workplace is 15%
- Environmental influences is 5%
In fact, those people who have never smoked can be affected. Continued contact with the triggers eventually leads to inflammation, which constitutes the disease and causes the symptoms.
What are the causes?
COPD is caused by many factors that can trigger inflammation in the lungs. These are following:
- Smoking
- Outdoor/indoor air pollution
- Socio-economic status
- Childhood and environmental factors
- Genetic factors
- Prevention
Identifying and avoiding risk factors is the most important step in preventing this disease. These include:
- To encourage smokers to quit smoking
- Avoiding exposure to secondhand smoke for unborn babies and toddlers
- Avoiding air pollution from biomass fuels
- Prevention of COPD exacerbations
Which kind of symptoms appear?
There are four main symptoms that appear in COPD, which can occur one by one or it can appear altogether:
- Persistent cough
- Problem in breathing
- Continuous respiratory infections
- Physical consequences of COPD
Methods of COPD examination
Examining COPD requires following:
- Medical history
- Imaging procedures for example X-rays or CT scans
- Pulmonary function tests are important to determine the degree of airway obstruction.
This is because COPD is classified into four stages. These stages range from mild to very severe and are derived from the degree of airway obstruction and the frequency of the corresponding COPD symptoms.
How is COPD treated?
As you know already, COPD is not curable. COPD treatment is not only based on the stages of the disease, but also on the individual symptoms and limitations of people with COPD. While staging (according to GOLD criteria) guides diagnosis and monitoring, therapy is determined by the actual severity of COPD symptoms, exercise tolerance, and the frequency of exacerbations. Treatment is thus individually tailored to shortness of breath, cough, and sputum production in order to maintain the best possible quality of life for patients. Early treatment can control the disease before the disease becomes worse.
Stop smoking:
Do you smoke and are you diagnosed with COPD? Itself quitting smoking immediately can prevent the lung disease from progressing further. Also, make sure you are not exposed to secondhand smoke in your environment.
Medications can help you with COPD
Medication is also used to treat COPD. Which medication is used depends on your symptoms and the severity of your COPD. These include bronchodilators. They widen the bronchi and thus make breathing easier. You inhale these medications. Cortisone may also be used as an inhaler or in tablet form. It has an anti-inflammatory effect. Sometimes antibiotic therapy is also necessary.
Greater mobility despite illness
There is another treatment option. Many COPD patients benefit from portable oxygen devices, which allow them greater independence despite their chronic respiratory condition.
Rehabilitation:
Therapy of the respiratory system and physical training can improve the quality of life.
Summary
We mostly ignore one important fact in our discussions about bronchitis and COPD that is the emotional burden on those who are suffering from this disease. Continuous problems in breathing can lead you towards anxiety, and the limited activities in your daily life can trigger depressive moods. It is important to take these psychological aspects of the illness seriously and to seek a pulmonologist in Lahore for help if necessary. Today, the various therapeutic options can increasingly be used in a targeted manner where they will be most effective.