COPD - Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease

Emphysema, chronic bronchitis and asthmatic bronchitis are the principal diseases that come under the umbrella term COPD. COPD suffers have developed smaller air passageways as a result of the disease and have partially destroyed alveoli (air sacks in the lungs). The air ways also become clogged with mucus.

COPD Symptoms

The primary symptom of COPD is shortness of breath accompanied by a cough and/or wheezing. If you have been a smoker for many years and have morning “smoker’s cough” or have had bouts of asthma or bronchitis these are additional symptoms of COPD. Also, indications of COPD are colds that last for weeks, not days; frequent feelings of breathlessness during ordinary activity; and a vague feeling of a lingering cough that feels “more shallow,” as though something is stuck inside the chest.

Bronchitis

Bronchitis is distinguished by an inflammation of the bronchial tubes; this is the airway that connect the windpipe into the lungs. Acute bronchitis often evolves from a severe cold for flu. A bout of acute bronchitis usually lasts about 10 days with a feeling of tightness or a burning sensation in the chest. Chronic Bronchitis is characterized as a recurrent mucus-producing cough that lasts three or more months and recurs year after year.

Bronchitis Symptoms

A characteristic symptom of bronchitis is a yellowish-gray or green mucus producing cough. When the bronchial tubes become inflamed and large amounts of discolored mucus come up when you cough, bronchitis is usually the diagnosis. Othesr bronchitis symptoms may include:

            • headache
            • generally feeling ill
            • chills
            • fever (usually mild)
            • shortness of breath
            • soreness and a feeling of tightness or burning sensation in the chest
            • wheezing (a whistling or hissing sound with breathing)
            • overall malaise

Emphysema

Emphysema is identified by the enlargement and destruction of the alveoli (air sacs) within the lungs. Emphysema causes a person's lungs to become stretched out and floppy, unable to bounce back after each breath. Breathing becomes difficult leading to large holes in the lung, obstruction of the airways, trapping of air and difficulty exchanging oxygen because of reduced elasticity of the lungs.