Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) Frequently Asked Questions

COPD is strongly linked to cigarette smoking and other types of tobacco smoking. Additional risk factors include exposure to second-hand smoking, air pollutants, family history or advancing age.

COPD and asthma have similar symptoms, but they’re actually quite unique lung conditions. Here’s how to know the difference:

COPD

• Usually diagnosed after the age of 40
• Symptoms persist despite treatment
• Chest X-ray shows lung changes

Asthma

• Usually starts before the age of 20
• Symptoms tend to come and go
• Chest X-ray is normal

Quitting smoking is the best way to prevent COPD from getting worse. There are other COPD treatments like: pulmonary rehab, medications, oxygen therapy, surgery (bronchoscopic lung volume reduction (BLVR)) or even lung transplant in severe cases.

There is currently no cure for COPD, since the damage it causes to the lungs is not reversible.

There is no time limit on how long a person can live, even with very severe COPD. If you exercise safely and effectively, and pay attention to early warning signs of acute exacerbation of COPD—and act on those early warning signs—you can live a full life.

Needless to say, exercise has many benefits not just for lungs but also heart, blood pressure, depression, etc. It decreases shortness of breath and improves your energy level. For COPD patients, exercise improves overall quality of life.

If your health care provider has prescribed oxygen for activity, it is also very important that you wear it in the shower. Showering is a very demanding activity. Therefore, as with any other activity, you should wear your oxygen.

This is a good question to ask your health care provider. Some people may need to continue oxygen therapy routinely to maintain the oxygen level in their blood. It is decided depending on the progression of the disease.