COPD : Early warning signs of chronic lung disease you should not ignore

It is important to recognize the early warning signs of COPD (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease) in order to effectively treat it. Here are some common symptoms of chronic lung disease that people may ignore.

COPD: It is possible to manage the disease through medications, oxygen therapy, and pulmonary rehabilitation among other things.

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a chronic disease of the lungs that causes inflammation in the airways of your lungs. The disease leads to a reduced flow of air in and out of your lungs and it becomes difficult to get rid of carbon dioxide from the body. Chronic coughs, a lot of mucus production, shortness of breath, fatigue, and unexplained weight loss are some of the symptoms of COPD. COPD has no cure and the person suffering from the health condition will find the symptoms deteriorating over time if not treated timely. It is possible to manage symptoms of COPD if symptoms are diagnosed in time.

Women have higher chances of developing the disease than men as they are more vulnerable to lung damage from cigarette smoke and other pollutants and their lungs to are smaller. Estrogen may also play a role in worsening lung disease. It is possible to manage the disease through medications, oxygen therapy, and pulmonary rehabilitation among other things.

Dr. Jeenam Shah, Consultant Chest Physician & Interventional Pulmonologist at Bhatia Hospital Mumbai in an interview with HT Digital talks about early signs and symptoms of COPD that should not be ignored.

CHRONIC COUGH

People suspected of COPD have unexplained chronic coughs. They keep on coughing throughout the day. Generally, a cough which is lasting for more than 4 to 8 weeks is an early indicator of COPD.

YELLOW OR GREEN PHLEGM

The second indicator is a lot of mucus production, that is phlegm. If the sputum is yellow or green in color, then it indicates that there is some infection in the lungs.

SHORTNESS OF BREATH

The third symptom is shortness of breath. After walking for long hours or climbing, if you start realizing that you are feeling fatigued, and if throughout the day you feel very tired, these are again early signs that your lungs are getting weaker.

UNEXPLAINED WEIGHT LOSS

The fourth symptom is unexplained weight loss. Lots of time because of breathlessness people start losing weight and when this is not intentional, then these are early signs of COPD.

Published in Hindustan Times on Nov 16, 2022