COPD – What Happens in Your Lungs?
COPD is a chronic lung disease in which the lungs are inflamed and damaged. It's a collective term for chronic bronchitis and emphysema. Simply put, COPD is a disease in which the lungs are constantly filled with small inflammations that cause permanent damage.
If you have COPD, you often feel short of breath. One of the most common symptoms of COPD is constant shortness of breath. Sometimes this can even be so severe that you need supplemental oxygen every day. In addition to shortness of breath, coughing is one of the symptoms of COPD. Coughing is common with this lung condition because there is a lot of mucus in the lungs. Shortness of breath is also a symptom of COPD. In the early stages of the disease, this mainly occurs during strenuous physical exertion, but later, even the smallest things can make you short of breath.
Most people develop COPD later in life. Smoking tobacco is the cause of COPD in 8 out of 10 people. Even people who have quit smoking for years are at increased risk of developing COPD. In some cases, a (hereditary) disease is the cause of COPD. Poorly treated asthma can also eventually lead to COPD, as can frequent bouts of pneumonia. Unfortunately, COPD cannot yet be cured. However, with the right treatment and lifestyle changes, the progression of the disease can be influenced.
Medication helps reduce symptoms such as shortness of breath and coughing. Sometimes people with COPD need supplemental oxygen. Not smoking, eating a healthy diet, and exercising regularly are things you can do to make living with COPD easier.
More information about COPD, its symptoms, treatment, and what you can do can be found at www.longfonds.nl/COPD.
Would you like to know your risk of COPD? Then take the COPD risk test at www.longfonds.nl/copdrisicotest.