COPD: Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease is a very serious disease of the lungs.  It's actually made up of two or more diseases that a person suffers from at the same time.  The two main diseases are emphysema and chronic bronchitis.  Asthma may also be a part of this group, however the symptoms can be controlled fairly easily.  Emphysema and chronic bronchitis on the other hand, are not as simple to control.  These two diseases, together, result in the progressive limitation of airflow in the lungs and, at this time, is medically incurable.  Please keep in mind as you read this; as serious as COPD is, and even though there is no medical cure at this time, you can add years to your life by stopping smoking now. 

Let's first take a look at emphysema.  This disease is usually diagnosed between the ages of 50 and 75 years of age.  Fatigue and shortness of breath are the first signs.  At first, it's only noticeable after overly exerting yourself.  Over time it takes less and less exertion to feel the symptoms.  In order to understand this better let's examine the area of the lung that is affected by emphysema.  It's called the alveoli, which are sacs located at the very end of the airways.  When they become damaged they develop large holes in the lungs.  Air then gets trapped in these holes which makes it difficult to inhale and exhale.

Chronic bronchitis is an inflammation of the bronchi.  The symptom is a productive cough that brings up sputum.  What makes chronic bronchitis different from common bronchitis is when the cough lasts for three months at a time for two consecutive years.  What's then happening in your lungs is a narrowing in the airways caused by scarring.  The airways then become clogged with excessive mucus.  The result is difficulty for air to pass through. 

The treatment for COPD:  there is a variety of ways to treat this disease.  There are medications that can be taken either by ingestion, some are injected and some are inhaled.  Additionally your doctor may prescribe an oxygen machine (many are portable so you can continue to be mobile).  There's also pulmonary rehabilitation, vaccinations and surgery. 

Any of the above treatment options can be very effective, but only, if you stop smoking first.  If you're a smoker who just cannot quit cold turkey, then please try the next best thing called, "Quit Smoking While Still Smoking."  It's a quit-smoking plan that helps you quit completely but at a gradual pace.  Learn more at http://www.quitsmokingwhilestillsmoking.org