Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) refers to a collection of lung diseases that can lead to blocked airways. This can make it hard to breathe and cause coughing, wheezing, and mucus production. People with COPD can often develop other conditions and diseases related to COPD. For those living with COPD, every breath can be difficult….
Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) happens when you repeatedly stop breathing during sleep. These pauses are temporary, but they’ll partially wake you up. This can make it difficult to get a good night’s sleep. Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) refers to a group of lung conditions. That classically involves emphysema and chronic bronchitis. These conditions make it difficult…
Starting emphysema treatment in the earliest (mild) stage, when you may have a nagging cough and increased mucus production, may help you maintain a better quality of life for a longer period of time. Emphysema is a disease in which tiny air sacs inside the lungs (alveoli) are damaged, causing shortness of breath. It primarily…
Quitting smoking can help preserve your current lung function. It may also alter the course of your chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) progression and reduce some symptoms. Cutting down or quitting smoking is the most important thing you can do to change the course of COPD. COPD is a progressive disease. At any stage of…
COPD might be the cause of your poor sleep. Here are tips to help you get a good night’s rest. When it comes to chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and sleep, it’s possible to fall into a vicious cycle. Your condition can increase your chances of sleep difficulties, but if you don’t get enough rest,…
Yes, doing breathing exercises may significantly increase your lung capacity. A 2021 study found that doing just 10 deep inhalations per hour can greatly improve lung function and decrease complications associated with respiratory issues. The study asked patients from a physical medicine and rehabilitation clinic to perform breathing exercises for 30 days, using an incentive spirometer to…
Knowing how your chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) diagnosis may progress can help you manage your condition and communicate with your doctors. The group of related lung conditions called COPD causes airway blockage and trouble breathing. COPD is progressive, which means that the condition will continue to develop, causing more severe symptoms over time. Doctors…
Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is an umbrella term for a group of chronic (long-term) lung diseases, including emphysema and chronic bronchitis. These lung conditions make it difficult to expel air from the lungs. COPD is progressive. This means it gets worse over time. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), almost 15.7…