The nature of COPD is one of repeated bouts ofexacerbation, and your symptoms may vary with each episode.
The disease is a progressive one.
The sensation is also often described as “air hunger.”
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Initially, you may only experience dyspnea when you exert yourself.
However, as the disease progresses, dyspnea may occur even while youre resting.
As a symptom, dyspnea is the most anxiety-producing, disabling feature of COPD.
Get our printable guide for your next healthcare provider’s appointment to help you ask the right questions.
With advanced COPD, you might not even be able to walk from one room to another.
Healthy people generally need to breathe faster and deeper while exercising to get enough oxygen and energy.
With COPD, air actually becomes trapped inside the lungs, a condition described ashyperinflation of the lungs.
You will notice that you have to sit down and rest.
People with COPD often produce tenacious sputum when they cough.
A large amount of thick sputum is often associated with abacterial lung infection, which canexacerbate COPD symptoms.
The color and consistency of sputum may change when a bacterial infection is present.
Chronic Cough
Achronic coughin COPD is one that is long-term and doesn’t seem to go away.
Medically, it’s defined as a cough that lasts for a period of at least eight weeks.
A cough with COPD can be dry (non-productive) or produce mucus.
Wheezing
Wheezingis often described as a whistling sound heard during inhalation, exhalation, or both.
Its triggered by a narrowing or blockage of your airways.
Wheezing may or may not be accompanied by abnormal sounds heard with a stethoscope.
Airflow limitation directly correlates with the decline in lung function (and related symptoms) seen in COPD.
COPD makes you more susceptible to these illnesses because you’re unable to clear out your lungs sufficiently.
Fatigue
Fatigue-related to COPD is different than ordinary tiredness.
Overall, fatigue is three times more common in people with lung disease than in those without it.
While dyspnea is the most worrisome symptom among those with COPD,fatiguecan be one of the most bothersome.
But more than that, fatigue associated with COPD increases the risk of hospitalizations.
Good nutrition is important for everyone, but it’s particularly essential when you have COPD.
When not addressed, these symptoms can lead tomalnutrition, a serious condition that can also be life-threatening.
Many pulmonologists recommend nutritional counseling for patients with COPD.
Complications
Manycomplicationscan occur as a result of COPD.
Anxiety and Depression
The emotional effects of COPD, especially anxiety and depression, are often overlooked.
Medicationsand other non-pharmacological treatments can help manage these concerns.
Talk with your healthcare provider about treatment options.
Symptoms of pulmonary hypertension can be similar to COPD.
The condition is usually diagnosed via imaging and/or lab tests.
Respiratory Failure
Respiratory failure can be a complication of COPD.
You may also start breathing rapidly.
Symptoms of COPD may come and go and can overlap with those of other illness.
Get our printable guide for your next healthcare provider’s appointment to help you ask the right questions.
This is a medical emergency.
see to it you know how to call for emergency help.
A Word From Verywell
COPD symptoms can be a roller coaster ride of ups and downs.
Quitting smoking is the mostimportant lifestyle changethat may improve or delay worsening symptoms.
There arefour stages of COPD.
Stage I is considered mild and lung function is reduced but may not be noticed.
Stage II is moderate and is characterized by increased symptoms.
Stage III is severe and includes worsening shortness of breath.
Stage IV is very severe and is what would be considered the final stages of COPD with symptom exacerbation.
Those that occur with COPD but not CHF include frequent respiratory infections.
Those symptoms present for CHF but not COPD include heart palpitations, chest pain, and frequent nighttime urination.
Cough can be a symptom for both CHF and COPD.
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