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Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a type of lung disease characterized by breathing difficulties. This condition may result due to damage to lungs wherein the airways are getting constantly narrowed. This disease cannot be cured but treated effectively. There are certain significant symptoms associated with this disease and mainly include, coughing up of mucus. Diagnosis of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease can be best done with a test, spiromery, which verifies lung functioning and detects the inconsistencies. In some cases, during a general physical examination, a doctor can feel the irregularity in the breathing sound through stethoscope. Causes This disease is one amongst the most common lung diseases. The disease can be categorized in two types: chronic bronchitis, which is not so severe but has chronic cough with mucus and COPD known as emphysema, characterized by continuous destruction of lungs and breathing airways. There are many people, who have a combination of both these types. Smoking is loosely related to this disease and most of the patients have fallen prey to the disease due to their smoking habits. Nevertheless, in some rare conditions, nonsmokers also get this disease. Many other risk factors involve exposure to pollution and fumes. Genetics may also be one of the risk factors to this disease. Symptoms Signs and symptoms may show up in a patient suffering COPD. As soon as the signs are noticed, diagnosis and then treatment for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease should begin immediately. Some common symptoms of COPD are as follows: Dyspnea – People with COPD usually complain about dyspnea. People face problem with breathing and find it difficult to breathe effortlessly or feel shortness of breath. Long-term cough and sputum will be related to COPD. However, sometimes, cough will show up without mucus. Infections related to the respiratory tract Fatigue Wheezing sounds, which are clearly heard though stethoscope There may be difficulty in diagnosing COPD, as the symptoms show up late. People may not even realize that they are sick. Diagnosis When people show up symptoms such as wheezing, coughing, breathlessness, and any respiratory infections, diagnosis of COPD can be suspected. To confirm the disease, at times even physical examination is sufficient, as a physician can listen to the sound of lungs with his stethoscope and detect the irregularities and the wheezing sound. Nevertheless, doctors usually do not rely only on physical examination, and recommend a few diagnostic tests for this. One common test for COPD is spirometry. Chest x-rays also can be recommended by doctors. In a few cases, patients may be required to give a blood test, arterial blood gas test. Treatment This disease in non-curable, however, treatment is possible. As a precautionary measure, patients should quit smoking and avoid exposure to fumes at workplace. In severe conditions, intravenous steroids are administered to clear the airway and facilitate breathing. For usual treatments anti-inflammatory medications or inhalers are given to the patients. One of the types of lung diseases,Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease is characterized by breathing problems as the lung gets damaged and airway loses its elasticity with this disease. Smoking is a major risk factor of this disease and it can be treated with inhalers to facilitate oxygen supply to the lungs.
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