For people who have COPD, living in a clean environment should be a top priority. Because the disease makes the lungs hyper-sensitive to irritants, even small amounts of dust and allergens can set off coughing fits and make daily COPD symptoms worse.

Regular physical activity is a vital part of keeping yourself healthy if you have COPD. Unfortunately, the very nature of the disease makes exercise more difficult, with fatigue and breathing difficulties being some of the major symptoms.

Everyone experiences bloating every now and then, often the result of a big meal or a minor stomach illness. However, bloating tends to be a frequent problem for people with COPD for different reasons, and it's a problem that is frequently underestimated.

Having a dry mouth is a symptom that many COPD patients experience, although it is often overlooked. Compared to more visible or more serious ailments, like coughing and shortness of breath, many patients consider their dry mouth symptoms to be low priority or never bring them up with their doctor at all.

Living healthily and happily with COPD is all about developing healthy lifestyle habits and learning how to keep your symptoms under control. Because it is a chronic disease with no real cure, the only way to manage it is by keeping up with daily medication and carefully following treatment goals.

That's why all COPD patients should have a personalized COPD action plan to help them keep track of their medications and other treatment goals.

A COPD action plan is a comprehensive set of instruction on how to manage and treat your COPD. It's the most important tool you have for keeping your symptoms under control and preserving the health of your lungs and the rest of your body.

COPD is a complex disease to manage, and most patients use a mixture of several different medications and techniques to keep their symptoms under control. Along with standard treatments, like prescription bronchodilators, exercise regimens, and breathing techniques, there are other, less well-known therapies that patients can add to their treatment regimen to better manage their disease.

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) has often been linked to smoking cigarettes as well as long-term contact with second-hand smoke, chemicals, air pollution, and dust fumes. However, recent research from Weill Cornell Medical College suggests that along with polluted air and cigarette smoking, a genetic predisposition linked to excess iron in the lungs may exacerbate some people's susceptibility to COPD.

There are many different conditions that can cause lung problems and emphysema, including a variety of heritable diseases. One of these is Alpha-1 antitrypsin deficiency (also known as AAT deficiency or Alpha-1), a rare, incurable genetic disorder that most people have never heard of.

Alpha-1 is the result of a protein deficiency that can cause mild or severe damage to the lungs and liver. Many people with AAT deficiency experience asthma-like symptoms including breathlessness, wheezing, and coughing that can occur in childhood or later in life.

Pulmonary hypertension is a serious, chronic disease that affects the heart and the blood vessels in the lungs. Although it is somewhat rare, the disease can result from a large number of health conditions, genetics, or even occur spontaneously. 

Unfortunately, most cases of pulmonary hypertension are chronic and incurable. But especially with early diagnosis and proper medical treatment, people with the disease are able to manage the symptoms of pulmonary hypertension and maintain a good quality of life.

Many people with respiratory diseases COPD and Cystic Fibrosis have to deal with extra phlegm and congestion in their lungs and airways. It's an unfortunate symptom that can be difficult to manage, especially during periods of illness and exacerbations.