what is COPD and COPD symptoms

What is COPD

COPD may only cause mild symptoms at first. COPD symptoms include:

A cough that produces a lot of mucus Shortness of breath, especially with physical activity Wheezing Chest tightness with proper management, COPD symptoms can become more severe and can even become life threatening.

A large portion of patients with COPD are active or former smokers.

Long term exposure to other lung irritants, such as air pollution, chemical fumes, or dust, also may cause or worsen COPD.

There is no cure, but many treatments may help relieve symptoms. Bronchodilators, inhaled and oral steroids, and Tiotropium are safe and effective medications often used to help COPD patients.

Oxygen therapy, surgery, or even lung transplants are sometimes necessary for certain patients.

Patients with COPD or trying to prevent COPD should avoid smoking or working in settings with poor air quality.

A healthy diet, proper exercise, and other healthy lifestyle choices can also help prevent or manage COPD in many patients.

COPD Symptoms,

1. Chronic smokers cough, COPD Symptoms

Ongoing cough one among the primary symptom of COPD is typically a long-term or chronic cough.

Coughing helps to guard the airways from inhaled irritants like cigarette smoke.

It also helps to get rid of phlegm (mucus) from the breathing passages.

Although the lungs are responding normally to irritation, a chronic cough is a sign that the lungs aren’t functioning normally.

2. Increased mucus, COPD Symptoms

In coughing usually goes hand-in-hand with a second early-stage symptom: the assembly of an outsized amount of mucus or phlegm.

Humans lungs produce mucus to assist trap or keep inhaled irritants out. Tobacco smoke and other irritants can cause the assembly of up to 3 times the traditional amount of mucus.

3. Shortness of breath, COPD Symptoms

 Shortness of breath or a sense of breathlessness is when your lungs take more effort than usual to maneuver air in and out. Initially, breathlessness may occur only with increased physical activity, like playing sports or walking uphill.

4. Fatigue, or tiredness, COPD Symptoms

Fatigue or tiredness is another one common symptom COPD? You may find that you simply get tired more easily than you probably did within the past.

A loss of energy or stamina can also occur. If you are feeling more tired than usual, ask your doctor to work out if it’s a result of COPD. ngs are disturbing.

At What Age Does COPD Start?

There is no set age to COPD. It depends on how many years have you smoked for and how many packs a day do you smoke.

The term that we often use is pack years. So that’s the number of packs per day times the number of years you smoked.

So I’d say someone who was a 70 pack year smoker, meaning someone either smoked one pack day for 70 years or someone who smoked two packs each day for 35 years.

So the more you smoke, the more chances of you getting COPD. And the earlier you start, the earlier you get COPD.

COPD and food

It is normal for COPD patients having their weight altered, either by excess or by defect.

As lung capacity decreases, nutritional status deteriorates, which increases energy needs, oxygen demand increases, which in turn worsens lung function.

As we can see, there is a danger of entering a vicious circle.

Half of those affected by COPD suffer from malnutrition, which takes away their quality of life, because it weakens both muscle strength and the immune systems response, which poses a greater risk of worsening the disease.

On the opposite hand, the continued use of corticosteroids exposes the person to osteoporosis, which may be partially counteracted by increasing the consumption of foods rich in calcium. Osteoporosis increases the danger of hip fracture in underweight people.

 So additionally to consuming foods rich in calcium, it's advisable to resort to foods with high energy density, like nuts, for instance , which are easy to organize and attractive , to combat the shortage of appetite.

On the contrary, it is advisable to avoid foods that fill without really nourishing, such as carbonated drinks or ultra processed products. And even better:

Put yourself in the hands of a professional who gives advice on diet, and assesses whether oral nutritional supplements are necessary.

There are others who are overweight, which increases the feeling of shortness of breath, and carries with it an increased risk of coronary heart disease, diabetes and hypertension.

To lose weight, the main thing is to avoid overeating.

The intake can be divided into 5 or 6 shots throughout the day to lighten the respiratory load.

If you still have trouble breathing, opt for a soft, easy-to-chew, soft-textured diet.

If oxygen is required, it is ideal to administer it before and after a meal, since digestion requires energy, and this increases the oxygen demand.

It is a good idea to avoid foods that constipate, so that belly work is not exhausting, as well as those that produce flatulence, because they increase dyspnea.

Is another reason to avoid carbonated drinks? In addition, legumes, cabbages, melon, onion and cucumbers should be limited to the extent that they favor gases.

Cured meats and sausages such as chorizo or sausage, increase the inflammatory response, which results in worsening lung function.

Just the opposite of what is achieved with diets rich in fiber. And water is best taken outside of meals to maintain hydration without compromising nutrient intake.

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