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November is COPD Awareness Month

COPD Treatment

COPD (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease) is a lung disorder that can cause breathing problems. Although there is no cure, COPD treatment may help people living with the disease to control their symptoms and live comfortable lives.

Most people do not develop COPD symptoms until their lungs have serious damage. Symptoms include:

  • Shortness of breath

  • Wheezing

  • Tightness in your chest

  • A cough that creates clear, white or greenish mucus

  • Coughing that gets worse with physical activity

  • Fatigue

  • Swelling in your feet and ankles

  • Blueness in your lips or fingernails

  • Unexpected weight loss

  • COPD can also lead to hypoxia (low oxygen in your tissues, which can also result in low blood-oxygen or hypoxemia)

COPD takes a long time to develop and is the result of exposure to harmful irritants over a long period of time. Many people who get COPD are or were smokers, but people who have experienced long-term exposure to air pollution, chemicals, fumes and dust may also require treatment for COPD. Most often, people who have COPD also have a history of the following lung conditions:

  • Chronic bronchitis: A condition where thick mucus blocks the flow of air to your lungs.

  • Emphysema: A long-term condition that damages the walls of the air sacs in your lungs (alveoli).

Many people that have COPD have both emphysema and chronic bronchitis. Asthma and frequent lung infections can also increase your risk of getting COPD.

COPD cannot be reversed. However, you can slow down the disease and manage your symptoms with medication. You can also manage COPD symptoms by making healthy lifestyle choices such as exercising. Smokers with COPD are advised to quit to prevent further damage to their lungs

Other treatment for COPD may include: 

  • Fast-acting bronchodilators: Inhale these medications to relieve coughing and breathing problems.

  • Long-acting bronchodilators: This daily medication can control long-term symptoms.

  • Inhaled steroids: These relieve inflammation and other symptoms.

  • Antibiotics: Fight lung infections and prevent them from coming back with these medications.

  • Pulmonary rehabilitation: This combines education, exercise training and needs-based counseling.

  • Oxygen therapy: For this therapy, a provider gives you extra oxygen to increase the amount of oxygen in your blood. 

For more information on COPD and how to get help, read here.

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Useful Links:

  1. COPD (Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease) | Aetna Medicaid (aetnabetterhealth.com)

  2. Be Mindful of Your Lung Health - Connect Community - BCBSIL

  3. COPD: When Lungs Break, the Heart Often Follows - Connect Community - BCBSIL

  4. Try Your Breathe-easy Action Plan | Aetna (aetnamedicare.com)