Symptoms of Chronic Obstuctive Pulmonary Disorder ( COPD ) or Chronic Bronchitis

Symptoms of Chronic Obstuctive Pulmonary Disorder ( COPD ) or Chronic Bronchitis
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What is Chronic Bronchitis or COPD?

Chronic Bronchitis differs from acute bronchitis in multiple ways. One such way is that for a diagnosis of chronic bronchitis, symptoms must be present for at least 3 months. Chronic bronchitis itself causes problems for the patient such as an increased susceptibility to respiratory infections, difficulty in breathing, and even disability. (UVHS)

COPD Symptoms

Though some people do not display symptoms, the most common include:

  • Mucus-Producing Cough

    This type of cough is also called ‘productive’ because it produces phlegm. Interestingly, the mild form of this cough is sometimes called “Smoker’s Cough”. (Penn State)

  • Fatigue

    Defined as feeling drained of energy, this symptom is commonly present in chronic obstructive pulmonary disorder. This is likely due to the inhibited oxygen intake.

  • **Dyspnea (Shortness of breath)**This will usually get worse even when participating in mild activities.

  • Swelling in the lower extremities

    The swelling will appear on both sides of the body and may occur in the legs and feet.

  • Other SymptomsInclude:

    • headaches
    • blue lips and skin
    • wheezing

According to information from the University of Virginia Health System, patients usually experience many years of productive coughing before the symptom of dyspnea sets in.

Treating Chronic Bronchitis Symptoms

Though there is no cure for COPD (chronic bronchitis), there are ways to address the symptoms.

These include:

  • medication
  • avoiding smoking and exposure to cigarette smoke,
  • avoiding other smoke (fireplace, crop/trash burning)
  • avoiding cold air
  • reducing exposure to airborne pollutants
  • drinking plenty of fluids to keep the mucus from thickening

Other treatment options include oxygen, surgery and transplantation.

Which treatment options are best suited for you will depend upon various factors such as health and medical history, progress of the disease, and personal preference. (UVHS)

References

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. U.S. National Library of Medicine and National Institutes of Health (NLM) – Medline Plus. https://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/000091.htm

Respiratory Disorders – Chronic Bronchitis. University of Virginia Health System (UVHS).https://www.healthsystem.virginia.edu/uvahealth/adult_respire/chrnbron.cfm

Chronic Bronchitis. Health & Disease A – Z. Penn State – Milton S. Hershey Medical Center, College of Medicine. Last updated October 31, 2006. https://www.hmc.psu.edu/healthinfo/b/bronchitis.htm

Image Credit

U.S. Government. Public Domain. Wikimedia Commons. https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Copd.JPG