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More than 12 million people in the United States are diagnosed with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), a disorder that causes difficulty breathing and worsens over time. It’s the 4th leading cause of death in the United States.

Most of the patients who are diagnosed with COPD are over the age of 40 when symptoms arise. Although it’s much less common for the age group, under-40 patients can have COPD and its symptoms. An example is a patient with alpha-1 antitrypsin deficiency, a rare genetic condition that causes COPD.

Some of the symptoms of COPD to watch out for include:

• A chronic cough
• A “smoker’s cough” or one that includes large amounts of mucus
• Shortness of breath; especially during physical activity
• Wheezing (a squeaky sound or whistling when you breathe or cough)
• Tightness in the chest

Such symptoms often persist for years before a patient receives a COPD diagnosis. And the symptoms often occur for years before air flow into and out of the lungs declines. But experiencing these symptoms doesn’t always mean a patient has COPD. Not every patient of COPD experiences these symptoms. Your physician will need to determine whether you may have COPD.

Keep reading to get the comprehensive, expert-written article at Lifescript.com, your online resource for women’s health information. Find out doctor-recommended tips on signs, symptoms and getting diagnosed, including:

Tests to diagnose COPD:

Lung function tests can reveal how much air your lungs can breathe in and out, how fast the air is expelled from your lungs, and how well of a job your lungs are doing delivering oxygen to your blood.

A spirometry exam is the most common lung test to determine if it’s COPD. The painless test involves a patient taking a deep breath and blowing into a spirometer machine tube, which measures the power and amount of air held in the lungs and exhaled.

Your physician may prescribe one or more of the various inhalers available to help open your airways; or you may blow into the spirometry machine once more.

Spirometry often detects COPD long before symptoms appear; allowing your doctor to devise a long-term treatment plan and goals. The spirometry can also determine if it may be another condition to blame — such as heart failure, asthma or other malady.

For more COPD information and to read the full article, check out Lifescript.com, a leading online resource for women’s health information.

The information contained in this article is provided for informational purposes only and is not, nor is it ever intended to be, a substitute for professional medical advice or professional recommendations, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician(s) or other qualified healthcare provider(s).

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