Signs and Symptoms of COPD

Signs and Symptoms of COPD

COPD is not something that should be taken lightly if you are experiencing daily symptoms that are impacting your day-to-day living. You need to remind yourself that help is out there with COPD support, especially with COPD Spiriva medication options and other doctor-prescribed breathing therapies. Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) symptoms include the following:

1. Persistent coughing
If you find that you have a cough that just won’t go away and is sticking with you, this is a sure sign that you have COPD. Some people might confuse it with asthma, which is why it’s always a good idea to get a professional opinion from your doctor. If you have a persistent cough, there is a good chance you are unable to get comfortable in bed and sleep soundly. This can lead to many sleepless and restless nights for you and your partner.

2. Persistent wheezing
This symptom can be very scary, as it can feel like you are unable to catch your breath when the wheezing hits. The unnerving part about wheezing is that you never know when it’s going to hit, and it can feel like you are going to faint. It takes so much air out of your lungs. As mentioned earlier, this can be confused with asthma, as there are many of the same symptoms. However, you have to be familiar with your lifestyle. If you have lived a life of smoking or been around dirty air for prolonged periods of time, there is a good chance you have COPD. Even though there is no cure, there is relief in the form of rescue inhalers and a healthier lifestyle.

3. Chest congestion with phlegm
The pain on your chest can also feel like there is someone putting heavy weights on your chest, and you can’t break up the congestion and phlegm, no matter what you do when it strikes. This is clearly no way to live life, especially if you are at your place of employment or at home. It’s causing you to feel exhausted from lack of sleep and trying to clear up your chest. This can also lead to frequent chest infections.

4. Increasing breathlessness when active
It is important to have an active and healthy lifestyle, no matter what, even if you have COPD. However, if you are finding that even the lightest of activities are forcing you to run out of breath and feel exhausted right away, you need to take action and be able to regain your stamina. One of the best cures for COPD is being able to lose weight, stay active, and keep moving.

Overall, these are just a few warning signs that might occur if you have COPD. The important thing is to stay on top of your COPD and not let it define or destroy your life.