1. Introductory remarks
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD hereafter), is a disease of the lungs serious in nature that makes those affected by it hard to breathe. It is of two types, viz, chronic Bronchitis and Emphysema. Chronic Bronchitis is an inflammation that takes place in the main airways of the lungs that persists for a long period and Emphysema refers to a condition that reflects damage in the air sacs area of the lungs. The seriousness of COPD could be judged by the statistics that by affecting more than 16 million Americans, it is the fourth major cause of deaths in the USA.
2. Causes and symptoms
Smoking is traced to be a major culprit in the causing of COPD. Persons above 40 and having a history of smoking, present or past, have a greater chance of falling victims to this disease. Some chemicals, dust, or harmful pollutants wherever they are present could be yet another cause. Of course heredity has a hand in it. Having respiratory infections frequently in the childhood could affect the efficiency of the functioning of the lungs at a later age which could affect its normal functioning. Untreated asthma could progress into COPD.
As in the case of many other diseases, COPD also masks itself and hence symptoms do not show up that easily. It starts showing distressing signs in the form of difficulties in breathing anywhere between 50 and 70 years. However, a keen observation of incidences of coughs with mucus with or without blood & or sneezing, headaches, noticing shortness of breath even when engaged in mild activities, swelling in the ankles, feet, or legs which could not be traced to any other causes could all indicate emerging condition of COPD.
3. Treatment
Tests to establish its presence, from simpler ones as to listening to the sounds of wheezing and or abnormal breathing to the most accurate one that measure the lung functioning are necessary to determine the severity of COPD and the treatment.
Unfortunately, there is no permanent cure for COPD. The distress could be mitigated through several medical and non-medical measures. Medications are inhalers medically termed as bronchodilators as Ipratropium, Salmeterol etc which are basically steroids but work by opening the airways, and breathing support in severe cases that involve non-invasive ventilation and or providing low-flow oxygen through breathing tubes. In extremely severe conditions, surgery to remove parts of diseased lung is resorted to.
4. Concluding remarks
Ceasing smoking, avoiding breathing cold air and reducing inhalation of pollutants by keeping the internal environment as clean as possible and minimizing the exposure to external environment are all things that one can do to reduce the severity of COPD.