Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease is one of the most common diseases that lead to illness and death worldwide, and its incidence increases every year. COPD patients develop persistent coughing, difficulty breathing, and frequent chest infections mostly due to long-term cigarette smoking. According to a newspaper report TIME NOW NEWS COPD usually appears after age 35 but is diagnosed as late as age 60.
It is common for symptoms of COPD to be confused as a smoker’s cough long before it is officially diagnosed. The risk of developing chronic obstructive pulmonary disease is directly related to the number and duration of cigarette smoking. Diagnosing COPD requires a simple spirometry test called spirometry.
The difference between asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease
COPD is usually misdiagnosed as asthma as the symptoms can be very similar to asthma, however, it is very important to differentiate between the two because the treatment and outcome of both diseases can be very different.
Asthma symptoms are often intermittent and completely reversible, and the long-term outcome of asthma is better than COPD in general. COPD is often irreversible and the patient usually experiences symptoms of coughing and shortness of breath daily..
Treatment options
The single most important and effective treatment for COPD is to quit smoking. Quitting smoking may be difficult, but it can become a lot easier with the help of some medications and counseling that help deal with nicotine withdrawal symptoms It is never too late to quit smoking and there is great help available to quit Successfully quit smoking in designated smoking cessation clinics.
Medicines can be provided to patients in the form of inhalers to relieve symptoms and improve their quality of life.Other important aspects of treating COPD are influenza vaccination and pneumonia and pulmonary rehabilitation Pulmonary rehabilitation is a customized exercise program that includes building endurance, strengthening muscles, and breathing control exercises that continue. The entire program is for up to 6 weeks and can even be offered at home by an experienced physical therapist. Some patients may need long-term oxygen therapy at home.
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