Recognizing Symptoms Of COPD
Country music star Patty Loveless has known loss due to COPD. Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), took the lives of two of Loveless’ family members; she opens up. In this in-depth article from Lifescript.com, a leading women’s health information resource, Loveless shares about her losses and how it’s led to her involvement in COPD education.
Why is it important to know about COPD?
It’s a condition that hurts more than 12 million people in the United States; and an equal amount of people in America have it but go undiagnosed. The main reason they go undiagnosed is simply because they can’t recognize the symptoms of COPD: shortness of breath, too much mucous, and a relentless cough among them. Or they’re unaware of the various risk factors including smoking and exposure to toxins.
COPD is a group of diseases that cause labored breathing, including the conditions chronic bronchitis and emphysema. With COPD, the lungs can’t expel air at a normal rate.
COPD is often refered to as a silent killer, because many patients don’t connect the symptoms as being related to their lungs; they assume fatigue and difficulty breathing come hand-in-hand with getting older or being out of shape.
In this story, Loveless shares about her losses — her sister’s battle with COPD and her father’s death due to black lung disease. Loveless’ sister lost her battle at the age of just 48.
Loveless discusses her own throat troubles, and shares about the throat surgery that almost caused her career to end. Read on to learn more about lung disease risk factors, including:
• Smoking cigarettes
• Exposure to secondhand or passive smoke over the long-term
• Family members who have COPD
• Exposure to pollutants or toxins
• History of frequent lung infections during childhood
• 50 years old or older
• A rare genetic disorder called Alpha-1 antitrypsin
For more in-depth COPD information, and to learn ways to reduce your risk factors and help heal your lungs, check out the full article from Lifescript.com. Find resources including:
• Online screening test to determine your risk levels for COPD
• How to talk to your doctor about risk factors
• What’s included in a medical evaluation and screening for COPD
• Doctor-recommended ways to prevent COPD
• Lifestyle changes you can make to reduce your risk of getting COPD
The information contained in this article is provided for informational purposes only and is not, nor is it ever intended to be, a substitute for professional medical advice or professional recommendations, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician(s) or other qualified healthcare provider(s).