Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is term used to describe several progressive and obstructive lung diseases, such as obstructive bronchitis, non-reversible asthma, and emphysema. COPD is characterized by breathing difficulties and tightness in the chest. The main cause of COPD is damage to the lungs caused by the long-term exposure to irritants like chemical particulate matter, gas, and most often cigarette smoke. The disease begins with mild breathing issues and gradually progresses to shortness of breath, chronic cough with sputum production, and severe breathlessness that impedes daily activities.
Patients with COPD can never undo the damage to their lungs and are significantly more prone to several life-threatening issues such as lung cancer and heart disease. However, several COPD treatments can make life more comfortable and help prevent further lung damage:
1. Smoking cessation
The first thing any medical professional will recommend for a COPD patient is to quit smoking. While smoking may be an addictive habit, it only exacerbates COPD symptoms and further damages the lungs.
2. Pulmonary rehabilitation
Your doctor may recommend a pulmonary rehabilitation program to treat your progressive COPD symptoms. Pulmonary therapies often call on several health specialists and combine counseling, education, exercise, and healthy nutrition to help improve quality of life while preventing further damage to the lungs. Studies show that COPD patients who take part in some type of pulmonary rehabilitation program require hospitalization less often.
3. Oxygen therapy
Some people with severe COPD are given oxygen therapy or supplemental oxygen. Oxygen therapy provides extra oxygen in cases where COPD has done extreme damage to the air sacs in the lungs, or in cases where the airways are too inflamed or clogged with mucus. Oxygen therapy can be administered via:
- Facemasks that provide oxygen via a mask that covers the entire nose and mouth and attach to an oxygen tank.
- Oxygen tubes (or nasal cannula) that offer oxygen via small tubes that fit in your nostrils and attach to an portable oxygen tank.
- Transtracheal therapy, or surgery that cuts a hole in the trachea (windpipe) to fit a tube connected to an oxygen tank.
4. Safeguarding against infection
Patients with any chronic health condition are more susceptible to contracting infections due to decreased health and malnutrition. COPD patients are at increased risk of developing viral, bacterial, and fungal infections in the lungs. As a result your doctor may recommend a healthy eating plans as well as a daily vitamin or supplement regimen.
