COPD

What is COPD?

COPD, or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, is an inflammatory lung disease that obstructs your airflow.

Smoking is its most common cause. Untreated COPD often leads to difficulty breathing and other bothersome symptoms. Dr. Raja can diagnose and treat COPD to help you breathe easier, cough less, and live your best life.

What are the symptoms of COPD?

Common COPD symptoms include:

• Chest tightness
• Shortness of breath
• Difficulty breathing during exercise
• Wheezing
• Chronic coughing that produces mucus
• Fatigue
• Unexplained weight loss
• Ankle, feet, or leg swelling
• Frequent respiratory infections

Your symptoms might be mild, moderate, or severe. They may not develop until you have significant damage to your lungs. If you continue to smoke or breathe in toxic fumes, COPD can progressively get worse.

Complications associated with untreated COPD may include heart problems, respiratory infections, lung cancer, high blood pressure in lung arteries, and depression.

What are the risk factors for COPD?

The most common risk factors for developing COPD are:

• Smoking
• Exposure to secondhand smoke
• Asthma
• Genetics
• Exposure to chemicals, fuel fumes, or dust

The best way to reduce your risk of COPD is to avoid smoking and exposure to airborne chemicals or pollution.

How does my doctor diagnose COPD?

To find out if you have COPD and develop an effective treatment plan, Dr. Raja asks about your medical history, symptoms, medications, and lifestyle habits. He checks your vital signs, listens to your breathing, and completes a physical exam.

You may also need lung-function tests, lab tests, chest X-rays, CT scans, or other diagnostic tests to determine the severity of your condition.

How is COPD treated?

Common treatments for COPD include using an inhaler and not smoking. Get regular exercise and eat nutritious foods. You might need to take oral medicine, require oxygen therapy, in-home noninvasive ventilation, or pulmonary rehabilitation. You may need more than one treatment to achieve the best outcome.

Dr. Raja personalizes each COPD treatment to improve the ability to get a full breath of air and enhance your quality of life.

To get screened or treated for COPD, call Manikanda Raja, MD, or use the online scheduler today.