copd awareness month

November is COPD Awareness Month, and it couldn't come at a more perfect time! With a worldwide pandemic that targets individuals with lung diseases specifically, now more than ever is the time to understand what COPD is and how to protect your health during these at-risk times. 

COPD stands for Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease, and includes two main conditions: chronic bronchitis and emphysema. When you have chronic bronchitis, your airways are inflamed and full of mucus, and when you have emphysema, the walls between the air sacs in your lungs are frequently damaged. You can imagine that this makes it difficult for an individual to breathe overtime, and many people don't even realize that they have it or are experiencing symptoms!

To recognize signs for COPD Development, look for:
+ chronic cough (aka smoker's cough)
+ shortness of breath
+ noticeable mucus
+ tightness in chest

Even though there is no known cure for COPD, with diagnosis and treatment, people can feel better, stay active, and slow the progression of the disease. Make sure to ask your provider about COPD if you think that you are showing symptoms, and be sure to visit nhlbi.nih.gov/breathebetter for more information!