COPD

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) can cause breathing difficulties and affect your quality of life when left untreated. If you have symptoms of COPD, Absolute Healthcare in Spring Hill, Port Richey, and Tampa, Florida, offers comprehensive care for chronic lung conditions to help patients breathe more easily. To find out how the practice can help you, call the nearest office or book an in-person or telehealth consultation online today.

What is COPD?

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, also known as COPD, is a chronic condition that is caused by inflammation in the airways. The inflammation narrows your airway passages and causes swelling, leading to breathing difficulties. Your body also produces extra mucus that makes it even harder to breathe. 

You may experience symptoms such as:

• Coughing
• Tightness in your chest
• Wheezing
• Shortness of breath
• Fatigue or lack of energy

Emphysema and chronic bronchitis come under the umbrella of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. While emphysema involves damage to the air sacs in people’s lungs, chronic bronchitis is long-term inflammation of the airways. Over time, you might produce yellowish or greenish phlegm.

Who is at risk of developing COPD?

The most common cause of COPD is long-term exposure to first-hand smoke. However, you can also develop COPD if you: 

• Breathe second-hand smoke 
• Have long-term exposure to air pollution, dust, fumes, or chemicals
• Have a history of childhood respiratory infection

Approximately 80 to 90 % of COPD cases are caused by cigarette smoking.

How is COPD diagnosed? 

To diagnose COPD, your provider at Absolute Healthcare conducts a physical exam and asks about your symptoms and their severity. They also review your medical history and order pulmonary function tests. 

Depending on your symptoms, your provider might recommend a peak flow or spirometry test. Spirometry measures the narrowing inside your bronchial tubes by evaluating how much air you can exhale after a deep breath. During a peak flow test, they evaluate how quickly you can exhale. 

If these measures aren’t enough to determine the problem with your lung function, your provider might recommend an X-ray, CT scan, or other lab tests to rule out other conditions. 

How is COPD treated?

Absolute Healthcare offers effective treatments that ease your symptoms and improve your quality of life. 

COPD treatment depends on your medical history and the severity of your symptoms. Once your provider determines that COPD is the cause of your breathing problems, they may recommend treatments such as:

• Bronchodilators
• Combination inhalers
• Inhaled or oral corticosteroids
• Pulmonary rehabilitation
• Supplemental oxygen
• Quitting smoking

For an expert assessment and treatment of COPD, call the nearest Absolute Healthcare office or book an in-person or telehealth consultation today.