COPD is a complicated disease that comes with a variety of extraneous health concerns, including an increased risk for several other serious diseases. One of those diseases is lung cancer, a condition that is quite different from COPD, but still linked to the chronic lung disease in numerous ways.

Around 70 million people in the United States suffer from some form of sleep disorder such as narcolepsy, insomnia, or obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). These conditions can appear anytime during our lives and they have a significant impact on our general health and well-being.

Many people with COPD or other respiratory diseases, are shocked when their doctors inform them that they need to start using supplemental oxygen, and this shock doesn’t go away every time they recommend you rely on supplemental oxygen more and more, until eventually you are using your oxygen device, 24/7.

If you have COPD, the first sign that something was not right was likely feeling shortness of breath, to the point that you wanted to see your doctor about it. It also could have been that incessant cough throughout the day and night.

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is an umbrella term used to describe one of two different respiratory ailments: chronic bronchitis and emphysema. The former is characterized by swelling and inflammation of the bronchial tubes and the latter is characterized by damaged alveoli, the small air sacs in the lungs that are responsible for the transmission of oxygen and carbon dioxide to and from the blood.

If you’ve been prescribed supplemental oxygen, you’ve likely taken some time to research what options are available to you in the way of oxygen machines. On one hand, you could go with a standard oxygen tank which is heavy, bulky, and difficult to move around. Or on the other, you could go with a portable oxygen concentrator which is light and easy to maneuver.

Most chronic respiratory conditions are considered “debilitating.” What this means is that they have a tendency to make the patient weak and physically incapable of certain tasks like rigorous exercise. Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is one such condition because it prevents carbon dioxide-rich air from escaping the lungs upon expiration. This results in frequent breathlessness, chest pain, fatigue, and more.

If you were to honestly ask yourself: What stops me from exercising? And your answer is that your COPD makes it too hard for you to breath, this article is for you!

If you have COPD, symptoms like difficulty breathing and muscle fatigue are most likely the main reasons you avoid from working out or beginning an exercise program in the first place. This is unfortunate because the best way to improve exercise tolerance and decrease breathlessness in COPD is to be active.

In this fast-paced, busy world that we live in, it can be difficult to find the time or the means to practice mindfulness. From going to work to cooking dinner, dealing with family matters, and spending time with friends, we often don’t take the time to decompress and ensure that our thoughts and feelings are in line with what we’re trying to accomplish.

The clear and simple answer is that there is currently no cure for Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD). That being said, there is evidence that shows early diagnosis, combined with disease management programs, can reduce the impact of COPD and slow the disease from progressing into a more severe state.

If you are struggling with accomplishing activities you used to do with ease by becoming short of breath, experiencing chest tightness or low energy, or getting frequent respiratory infections, being diagnosed with COPD can be a blessing in disguise.