Try to imagine what it might feel like to take every breath through a straw. For many people with lung diseases like chronic obstructive pulmonary disease or COPD, they don’t have to imagine because that’s what breathing can feel like on many days, especially days when air pollution levels are high. With COPD it often…
Smoking is to blame for about 14 million major medical conditions among American adults yearly, a new study shows. That number is higher than the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) last estimate, in the year 2000, which found that American adults suffered from 12.7 million smoking-attributable conditions. Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)…
Young kids who were exposed to Bisphenol A (BPA) before birth are more likely than others to have a wheeze before age five, according to a new study that found no connection to BPA exposure after birth. Many plastic and aluminum consumer products contain BPA, and most Americans have detectable BPA concentrations in their urine,…
Exercise may seem daunting to your patients, but has many proven benefits for people with COPD. It will improve their ability to do more without feeling breathless and help them to rediscover activities they could no longer do. Exercise can bring specific benefits to people with lung disease, as well as general improvements to health…
Smokers who try to quit can double or triple their chances by getting counseling, medicine, or both. Individualized smoking cessation plans and education based on your patient’s needs and goals are key to improving the chances of your patients quitting. Studies show that smokers assisted by a health care provider have a much greater chance….
Who Gets Pet Allergies? Six out of 10 people in the United States come in contact with cats or dogs. The total pet population is more than 100 million, or about four pets for every 10 people. Allergies to pets with fur or feathers are common, especially among people who have other allergies or asthma….
More than a quarter of patients with cardiovascular disease (CVD) and a history of smoking also have air flow limitation compatible with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), Japanese study data show. Strikingly, the vast majority (87.7%) of patients found to have such airflow limitation had not previously been diagnosed with COPD, report Katsuya Onishi (Onishi…
Sending children back to school comes with a long checklist of items to remember. For example, you need to know what school supplies to buy. You will want to visit the school to find the classroom and meet the teacher. You will also plan after-school activities full of fun enrichment opportunities. If you have a…