COPD, or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, pertains to two lung diseases: emphysema and chronic bronchitis. Basically, patients’ breathing is severely affected by an obstruction to airflow. Frequent symptoms include an excessively wet cough, wheezing, shortness of breath, and tightness in the chest.
Manage COPD Symptoms With These Breathing Exercises
COPD can transform daily life into a struggle. The good news is that there are breathing exercises that may help people better manage COPD symptoms and enhance quality of life. These exercises help strengthen the abdominal muscles and diaphragm, so individuals with COPD can take in more oxygen and expend less effort into breathing.
COVID-19 And COPD: What You Need To Know
Seniors with COPD have needed to remain especially vigilant since the COVID-19 pandemic started. Individuals with COPD are likely at both a higher risk for experiencing symptoms of the virus along with developing more serious complications as a result. COVID-19 and COPD can prove to be a challenging combination. A current study published by the European Respiratory Journal reported that people with COPD were more likely to be admitted to…
Early COPD Symptoms: How It’s Often Confused with Asthma
Coughing that won’t seem to go away. Wheezing. Shortness of breath. It’s likely an asthma attack, right? Before you reach for that inhaler or those cough drops, however, please consider if another culprit – COPD – may be a factor. With as many as 12 million people in America currently living with COPD (and as many as 12 million more who likely have the disease but have not yet been…
Tips for Coping with a Chronic Illness as an Older Adult
Have you ever started your day and thought, “It’s likely to be one of those days!” Perhaps your alarm didn’t go off, the hot water heater decided to quit working, and the dog chewed up one of your favorite shoes overnight. Now envision if every day were “one of those days!” For an individual coping with a chronic illness (and that’s much of the senior population), daily struggles and challenges…
New Chronic Disease Care Management Approach Puts Patient’s Goals First
Regarding chronic diseases, seniors are usually the experts, hands down, with as many as three out of four older persons impacted by a number of conditions that are ongoing, require extensive medical attention, and put limitations on activities. With the continuous barrage of bloodwork and other exams, physicians’ appointments and procedures and medications, chronic disease care management often takes both a physical and emotional toll, and that can quickly become…
A Healthy Diet for COPD Patients Helps Decrease Symptom Severity
The National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute estimates that upwards of 12 million adults are now diagnosed with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD), and still another 12 million could be living with the disease and not even realize it. COPD typically strikes in middle age, and smoking is the top risk factor. Ongoing exposure to chemicals and dust can also heighten risk.