Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease Is Incurable,One Way To Prevent It..

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Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a lung disease that makes breathing difficult. The disease is incurable and gets worse over time, but there are treatments that can slow it down and prevent further damage to the lungs.

People who have COPD often have both of the following conditions:

- chronic bronchitis – a condition in which your bronchial tubes are inflamed and produce too much mucus;

- emphysema – a condition in which air sacs (alveoli) in your lungs become damaged and enlarged.

COPD may show no symptoms in the beginning, but as the disease progresses, the following symptoms start to appear:

- constant coughing;

- coughing up mucus;

- shortness of breath;

- chest tightness;

- wheezing;

- frequent colds and flu.

Smoking is a major risk factor for COPD. Smokers may or may not develop the disease, but about 75% of people diagnosed with COPD smoke or used to smoke. Even if you are not a smoker, exposure to secondhand smoke increases your risk of COPD, too.

Other risk factors include:

- exposure to air pollution in your environment;

- exposure to chemical fumes, vapors, and dust at your workplace;

- a rare genetic disorder called alpha-1-antitrypsin deficiency;

- age – symptoms of COPD usually start to show in people aged 40 and older, though they may appear earlier.

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COPD can cause complications and increases your risk of other health problems, which include:

- catching a cold and the flu more often, increased risk of pneumonia;

- heart disease;

- lung cancer;

- high blood pressure in lung arteries (pulmonary hypertension);

- depression  — dealing with the challenges of a progressive disease is hard.

While there is no cure for COPD, you can take measures to slow the damage to your lungs, in addition to treatment:

- besides giving up smoking, try to avoid secondhand smoke, air pollutants, and other irritants;

- strictly adhere to the prescribed treatment plan;

- if you’re exposed to lung irritants at work, always use respiratory protective equipment;

- if you’re depressed, talk to a therapist – depression and COPD can make each other worse.