In the United States, 12 million Americans have been diagnosed with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease, which is better known as COPD. While it is known that 12 million have the disease, it is believed that as many as 24 million have the disease in some varying degree and are not aware that they have it. COPD is a very serious disease and is the third leading cause of death in the United States.
COPD Symptoms and Detection
COPD is not only preventable, but it is treatable as well, but you should know the symptoms associated with COPD in order to see if it is something you have to worry about. If you have trouble breathing or have shortness of breath, you may have COPD. Here are some of the other symptoms of this lung disease.
- Constant coughing – a "smoker’s" cough
- Shortness of breath while being active
- Producing excessive sputum (phlegm or mucus)
- Feeling as if you can’t breathe or take a deep breath
- Wheezing
While having these symptoms does not automatically mean you have COPD, if you have any of these symptoms, you should speak with your doctor. The earlier a problem is detected, the easier it will be to treat.
Your doctor will have you take a test to detect whether or not you have COPD. The test, called Spirometry, is easy. All you have to do is breathe into a machine that will measure the amount of air you can blow out and how fast you can blow it. You will complete a health history and have other tests, such as a chest x-ray. If you are diagnosed with the disease, a treatment plan will be tailored to your needs.
Can Anyone Get COPD?
COPD is an equal opportunity disease that anyone can get, however, there are groups that are more at risk than others. The three main causes of COPD are:
- Smoking
- Air pollutants, irritants and fumes
- Rare inherited condition
It is believed that smoking causes 80% to 90% of COPD cases that are diagnosed. If you smoke, quit. If you don’t smoke, don’t start. That is one of the best ways to prevent or treat COPD. If you do work around chemicals, factory smoke or other pollutants, wear a face mask or respirator to avoid breathing pollutants and irritants into your lungs.
Treatments for COPD
No one treatment plan will fit everyone who is diagnosed with COPD as everyone is different. However, the treatments that are available for COPD include:
- Medications
- Pulmonary Rehabilitation
- Oxygen Therapy
- Nutrition
- Surgery could be required in very rare cases
If you think you might have COPD, or if you think someone you care about does, you need to see your doctor for a diagnosis and to get a treatment plan set up. To learn more about the disease and its treatment options, visit the informational pages for Regenerative Medication Solutions at http://www.myregenmed.com/. You can find out more about your COPD treatment options and what you can expect from those options.
How You Can Prevent COPD
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease, best known as COPD, is the third leading cause of death in the United States. While it is a devastating disease for many people, it’s not only treatable, but it is preventable. There are three main causes of COPD, they are:
- Smoking – it is estimated that 80 to 90% of all cases of COPD are caused by smoking.
- Air pollutants – we are exposed everyday to air pollution, which is worse in some areas of the country than it is in others. You may also be exposed to irritants and fumes on your job that can get into your lungs and cause the disease.
- Heredity – there is a rare form of the disease that is called alpha-1 (AAT) related emphysema. COPD resulting from this problem is caused by a lack of protective proteins in the blood and it is hereditary.
Can I Get COPD if I Don’t Smoke?
Even if you don’t smoke, you can develop COPD, however it is less like it will happen. Smoking is the number one cause of the disease, so if you don’t smoke, you may not ever get it. However, if you live in an area with an air pollution problem or if you work around chemicals, smoke and fumes, you can develop COPD by breathing those things into your lungs over a long period of time. Also, while it is very rare, there is an inherited condition that can cause COPD.
How to Prevent COPD
Fortunately, COPD is preventable. The best way to keep from getting this disease is to not smoke. So, if you are a smoker, you need to quit and if you are not a smoker, avoid contact with smokers so you won’t be exposed to second hand smoke and don’t start smoking. Know your rights when it comes to be exposed to second hand smoke in public places. In many areas, there are ordinances against smoking in public places or venues.
Learn about cleaning up the air you breath in at home and at work. In your home, check your air quality and fix any problems that you find. Gas leaks, radon gas, mold, rodent and insect infestations will affect the air quality in your home and you can end up getting very sick, including developing COPD. Taking care of any problems you find will help keep your lungs healthier.
It is important to learn which precautions you can take at work to prevent inhaling pollutants, fumes and irritants. You may need to wear a face mask or an air respirator while on the job in order to keep from breathing in pollutants so you can prevent lung issues in the future. Your employer should provide these safety items at no charge to you, find out if they have them on hand and learn about your rights to a healthy work environment.
Find out more about COPD and how to prevent it and what symptoms to look for by going to this website, http://www.myregenmed.com/do-you-know-the-signs-of-lung-disease/.
Find Out How to Prevent COPD
There are many diseases that can be passed from one person to another and some of these diseases are devastating. Whether from a virus or contact with another person’s blood, everything from the common cold to HIV can be contagious and move quickly through a community if precautions are not taken. However, some diseases are not contagious, though they may be a problem in a particular segment of a community and not in others.
Is COPD Contagious?
Health related diseases such as heart disease, high blood pressure, diabetes or COPD may pose a problem for people of a certain body type or with particular habits, but they are not contagious diseases. Most contagious diseases have to be passed on through a virus or from contact with someone else’s blood or other bodily fluids. Other forms of disease are caused by bacteria, which are not contagious, and bad habits.
How to Prevent COPD
COPD, which stands for Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease, is a disease that can be caused by a bad habit. The number one cause of COPD is smoking. Cigarettes, and to some extent cigars and pipe tobacco, contain chemicals that are poison to human lungs. As cigarette some is breathed in, the poisons cause damage to the lungs that obstructs the air that flows in and out of your lungs.
The air sacs of your lungs can be damaged by cigarette smoke, your air passages narrow and air tubes can get swollen from the chemicals and poisons in the smoke. The number one way to prevent getting COPD is to not smoke. If you are a smoker, you need to quit smoking. If you are not a smoker, try to avoid being around cigarette smokers.
You can also develop COPD from breathing in air pollution, chemicals or other irritants and fumes at your job. If you work in places with chemicals, asbestos, grain dust or other irritants, wear an air mask or an air respirator to avoid breathing those irritants and pollutants into your lungs. Your job should supply these items if you do work in such an environment.
Know the Symptoms
If you have had trouble breathing or if you are at risk for COPD because of your habits or your health, you need to know the symptoms of COPD. The symptoms are:
- Having a "smoker’s" cough or excessive coughing.
- Producing excessive sputum (phlegm or mucus).
- Having trouble breathing when active or shortness of breath
Wheezing - Feeling like you can’t breathe or can’t take a deep breath.
If you have these symptoms, you need to make an appointment with your doctor to be tested for COPD. There are treatment options for the disease that can help you live a better, healthier life, even with having COPD. Go here for more information about the signs and symptoms associated with the disease:. By learning about the symptoms, it can be detected earlier and treatment options put into place faster so you can live as normally as possible with this disease.