Tobacco is the main trigger for this disease, however, there are other risk factors that cause it.
Feeling of lack of air, shortness of breath, tiredness when doing some simple activity. All this can be experienced by a person suffering from COPD, which stands for Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease, a group of conditions that damage the respiratory system and that generally occurs in two ways:
Bronchitis: The bronchial tubes become inflamed, so the air in and out of the lungs is much less. In addition, mucus is produced excessively, which is why the airways are obstructed. When the pathology lasts for more than three months, it becomes chronic bronchitis.
Emphysema: It is a disease where the alveoli-air sacs that are found within the lungs they become overly dilated or inflated, leading to collapse of the respiratory tract. A key example is imagining that the alveoli are a pair of balloons that are loaded with excess air, as if they were about to explode.
Symptoms
Difficulty sleeping, because the affected person wakes up with a cough or without air.
Feeling tired, even after doing simple activities.
Trouble breathing, shortness of breath, and wheezing.
Cough and mucus.
Chest pain
Changes
To counteract the damage caused by COPD, it is necessary for the patient to change some lifestyle habits. If you smoke, you should stop doing it, you also have to maintain a balanced diet and stay away from places where air pollution is present. It is necessary to avoid very cold temperatures and follow an exercise program indicated by your doctor, which allows you to expand your respiratory capacity much more.
To avoid respiratory infections that can aggravate COPD, it is essential that the patient is vaccinated against diseases such as the flu.
Lifestyle changes can make a difference, however, it is not the only phase of treatment, it includes the use of drugs and in some cases surgery can be used. When the patient does not improve despite changes in their habits and the use of medications, the doctor may recommend the removal of a part of the lung or a transplant of this organ, but it will never be the first option.
It is much better to diagnose the disease when it is in its early stages because the necessary changes can then be made to slow lung damage.
The healthcare professional will perform a physical examination. The tests that are useful to make the diagnosis of this disease are:
Spirometry: It is a study that measures the entry and exit of air from the lung, through a small device whose function is to measure lung capacity. Chest X-ray. It is an X-ray exam that generates images of the heart, lungs and airways. It allows ruling out other diseases whose symptoms are very similar to COPD.
Echocardiography: They are used to rule out cardiac disorders that present the same symptoms. An echocardiography, allows the obtaining of images of the heart by means of an ultrasound. The electrocardiogram is a test that records the electrical activity of the heart.
Blood test. It is used to know the amount of oxygen that is in the bloodstream. In young people who have never smoked, a test is done to determine the amount of a protein called alpha1-antitrypsin, which is present in the blood. Those with low concentrations of it can develop COPD.
Stop doing it
Quitting the cigarette is a challenge that patients must face if they really want to improve their living conditions. In addition, it will bring benefits both for your health and for the well-being of your family and friends, since the latter will not have to be contaminated with the smoke exhaled by the smoker.
It is necessary to emphasize that smoking is harmful to health and although quitting it may seem very complicated, there are therapies and support groups that can facilitate the work of those who decide to quit. Asking the doctor or specialist about these programs is essential. With professional help, you can! This is a call not only for those who suffer from COPD, but also for smokers in general, it is in your hands to prevent the appearance of these pathologies.
Causes
The main trigger for COPD is long-term cigarette use. However, there are other factors that cause the disease, such as exposure to certain chemical fumes and pollutant dusts that are produced in some industries. Similarly, a passive smoker, that is, one who inhales second-hand smoke generated by others, is more likely to develop some type of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease.
A person is more susceptible to COPD if they have had other lung infections or have a family member who has developed emphysema. Also, those with asthma, white people, and people over 60 years of age are more likely to develop COPD
Lifestyle changes can make a difference.
