How do you know if you have COPD What are the symptoms?

Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) is a progressive lung disease characterized by long-term respiratory symptoms and airflow blockage. To determine if you have COPD, it's important to recognize the common symptoms, which include: 1. Chronic cough: This is often the first noticeable symptom and can be mistaken for a persistent cold or allergies. 2. Producing excess mucus or phlegm: This is known as sputum and is often a sign of inflammation in the airways. 3. Tightness in your chest: This can occur during physical activity or even at rest and is due to the lungs' inability to fully expand. Other symptoms that may indicate COPD include: 4. Shortness of breath: This can be a result of the lungs not being able to take in enough oxygen or expel carbon dioxide effectively. 5. Wheezing: A high-pitched sound when exhaling, which can be a sign of airway constriction. 6. Frequent respiratory infections: Repeated lung infections such as bronchitis and pneumonia can be a sign of COPD. It's important to note that these symptoms can also be associated with other conditions, so a definitive diagnosis of COPD requires a thorough medical evaluation, which may include spirometry, a lung function test.

You may be experiencing COPD symptoms like a chronic cough without knowing what they are. ... A constant or chronic cough that many people call a ��smoker's cough�� Producing excess mucus or phlegm (known as sputum) Tightness in your chest when you breath.