People living with emphysema often cope with difficult emphysema symptoms. These symptoms include shortness of breath, fatigue, and coughing. Emphysema and chronic bronchitis fall under the larger disease category of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Emphysema, chronic bronchitis, and COPD affect people differently. For some people, emphysema progresses quickly, and for others, it progresses slowly. Because emphysema … Read more
After learning information about chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), the COPD stages, prognosis and life expectancy, and specifics about stage 1 COPD, it’s time to go in-depth in the next COPD stage: moderate COPD or stage 2 COPD. Because each stage of COPD differs in symptom severity, rate of progression, and how COPD affects your life, having a good understanding … Read more
Pulmonary fibrosis is a condition in which the tissue of the lungs becomes damaged and scarred. Many things can lead to pulmonary fibrosis, although doctors often cannot identify a specific cause. If you’re living with a chronic lung disease like pulmonary fibrosis (PF), interstitial lung disease (ILD) or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), you’ve likely heard your doctor talk … Read more
Lung function naturally declines with age. Aging affects the entire body, including the lungs, and while the majority of the population can extend youthful function through healthy habits, smokers and those with lung diseases, such as COPD, experience the decline at an accelerated rate. Lung Function with COPD Some age-related changes in the lungs include: Decreases in peak … Read more
Although symptoms of emphysema may seem only slight inconveniences at first, it’s important to live a lifestyle that allows as much energy as possible for daily tasks and to simply enjoy life. Check your vitals regularly, and know that a significant decline in your pulmonary function indicates that it’s time to see a doctor. Let’s talk about Emphysema Fatigue: … Read more
If you’re living with a chronic lung disease like pulmonary fibrosis (PF), interstitial lung disease (ILD) or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), you’ve likely heard your doctor talk about stages. For people with COPD, the GOLD System and the BODE Index are often used to place COPD into stages, ranking it by disease severity. The GOLD System uses the forced … Read more
People living with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), pulmonary fibrosis, emphysema and other types of chronic lung diseases have had a spirometry test. Typically, doctors use spirometry to help them better understand the severity of your chronic lung disease symptoms and how they affect your life. Here we break down the key facts about a spirometry test and what your … Read more
Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a complex and progressive chronic lung disease. Typically, COPD includes emphysema and chronic bronchitis. COPD is characterized by the restriction of airflow into and out of the lungs. The obstruction of airflow makes breathing difficult. The causes of COPD include smoking, long-term exposure to air pollutants, and a rare genetic … Read more