Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a group of lung conditions that includes chronic bronchitis and emphysema. Restricted airflow characterizes all these conditions, and COPD causes difficulty when breathing. The inability to get enough oxygen into the lungs raises the risk of developing hypoxia. Hypoxia is a condition where not enough oxygen makes it to the cells and tissues in…
What is a lung cleanse? Our lungs do a lot for us. Even though most of us don’t think of the lungs as something we can exercise, it’s possible to take steps to help them work better. The air we breathe can be contaminated with many kinds of pollutants. Everything from pollen to chemicals to secondhand smoke can be trapped in the…
A connection found between asthma, eczema, and osteoarthritis indicates that drugs to treat allergic conditions could be used in future studies aimed at slowing the progression of osteoarthritis. Stanford Medicine scientists and their colleagues have found that having asthma or eczema increases the likelihood of developing osteoarthritis — signaling that there may be an allergic…
Fewer acute exacerbations, and better lung function were seen with a year of regular use People with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) may experience fewer acute disease exacerbations if they regularly use noninvasive ventilation at night, a small study in Greece reported. “Good” nighttime use of continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP), a…
Those who smoke are much more likely to develop symptoms of COPD, but secondhand smoke can also be the cause. Treatments are available; in some cases, your lung tissue can regenerate. Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is the name for a group of diseases that impact the health of your lungs and your ability to breathe….
Many people with COPD have anxiety, for a variety of reasons. When you have trouble breathing, your brain sets off an alarm to warn you that something is wrong. This can cause anxiety or panic to set in. Anxious feelings may also arise when you think about having a progressive lung disease. You may worry about experiencing an…
If you’ve been living with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) for a long time, you may have experienced exacerbations or sudden flare-ups of respiratory symptoms. Symptoms of breathlessness, coughing, and wheezing are indications of COPD exacerbations. Without quick and careful treatment, these symptoms could make it necessary to seek emergency treatment. COPD flares can be frightening and uncomfortable, but their…
Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) refers to a group of lung diseases that affect your breathing. This includes chronic bronchitis and emphysema. People with COPD typically have blocked airways and experience breathing-related problems. These problems result from reduced functional lung capacity along with lung inflammation and damage. Some people with COPD also experience excessive mucus production, which can make…