Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease

Symptoms

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) makes breathing increasingly more difficult. But it develops slowly over many years and you may not be aware you have it at first.

Most people with COPD don't have any noticeable symptoms until they reach their late 40s or 50s.

Main symptoms

Common symptoms of COPD include:

increasing shortness of breath this may just occur when exercising at first, and you maysometimes wake up at night feeling breathless
a persistent chesty cough with phlegm that never seems to go away
frequent chest infections
persistent wheezing

The symptoms will usually get gradually worse over time and make daily activities increasingly difficult, although treatment can help slow the progression.

Sometimes there may be periods when your symptoms get suddenly worse known as a flare-up or exacerbation. It's common to have a few flare-ups a year, particularly during the winter.

Other symptoms

Less commonsymptoms of COPD include:

weight loss
tiredness
swollen ankles from a build-up of fluid (oedema)
chest pain and coughing up blood although these are usually signs of another condition, such as a chest infection or possibly lung cancer

These additional symptoms only tend to occur when COPD reaches a more advanced stage.

When to get medical advice

See your GP if you have persistent symptoms of COPD,particularly if you're over 35 and smoke or used to smoke.

There are several conditions that cause similar symptoms, such as asthma , bronchiectasis , anaemia and heart failure. Asimple breathing test can help determine if you have COPD.

.While there's currently no cure for COPD, the sooner treatment begins, the less chance there is of severe lung damage.

Medically Reviewed by a doctor on 12 Sep 2016

Articles for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease

Introduction

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is the name for a group of lung conditions that cause breathing difficulties. COPD is a common condition that mainly affects middle-aged or older adults who smoke. Many people don't realise they have it.

Symptoms

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) makes breathing increasingly more difficult. But it develops slowly over many years and you may not be aware you have it at first. Common symptoms include shortness of breath, a persistent cough and wheezing, etc.

Causes

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) occurs when the lungs and airways become damaged and inflamed. It's usually associated with long-term exposure to harmful substances such as cigarette smoke, or fumes at work, etc.

Diagnosis

See your GP if you have persistent symptoms of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). They may also carry out or arrange for you to have a breathing test called spirometry and some of the other tests like chest x-ray, etc.

Treatment

If your COPD is affecting your breathing, you'll usually be given an inhaler. This is a device that delivers medication directly into your lungs as you breathe in. If you experience symptoms regularly throughout the day, a long-acting bronchodilator inhaler will be recommended instead.

Living with

It's important to take good care of yourself if you have COPD. Some of the main things you'll be advised to do are; take your medication, stop smoking, exercise regularly, maintain a healthy weight, etc.