Why is COPD one of the biggest breathing problems?

Asthma is one of the biggest breathing problems. Besides asthma, there is another respiratory disorder that is prevalent these days i.e. the COPD or the chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. So, what is COPD? COPD is an umbrella term or a disorder that is an amalgam of several other disorders such as asthma, chronic bronchitis, emphysema. All of this are respiratory disorders and can cause trouble in breathing. Believed to be irreversible in nature, the limitation in the airway is progressive in nature and is usually associated with the swelling up of the airways.

In general terms, COPD is a condition wherein the flow of the air is obstructed irreversibly during the inhaling as well as the exhaling process. The sufferer of this disease may just not be able to return back to normal state. What usually happens is that, when a person tries to breathe out the air, the airways begin to get constricted. Conclusively, the air is trapped in the lungs leading to problems in breathing. 

One of the biggest cause of COPD is cigarette smoking, it is seen that smokers are more prone to breathing problems. Besides this, there are other causes of COPD. These include dusts, pollens, passive smoking, chemicals and passive smoking exposure. 

COPD is progressive in nature so for a person to actually experience breathlessness because of the disease may take several years. Usually, the initial symptoms of COPD involve development of chronic cough. Later, in the stages the cough is characterized by the production of more and more throat secretions or phlegm. Moreover, this disease tends to be manifested from one person to the other. Hence, if you see anyone suffering from persistent cough, it is recommended to keep away from such individuals as the symptoms of COPD may pass from one individual to another. Wheezing is another symptom of COPD that is seen in the later stages of the disease.  In this, whenever you breathe air in and out, a type of hissing sound is produced.

So, what can be done to treat COPD? The asthma and COPD experts suggest consumption of different medications and the drugs to treat COPD. Moreover, the patients of COPD must completely give away smoking and keep away from all forms of tobacco. Passive smoking too can prove to be fatal sometimes. So, just keep yourself away from it. Using a short acting bronchodilator can also prove to be helpful. Such treatments are dedicated to widen the airways to allow easy flow of air.

Read more >> 5 Respiratory Diseases Characterized By Wheezing