Having a lung disease is never an easy thing to live with. Our lungs are very important to healthy life and function. If you have a serious lung disorder known as chronic obstructive pulmonary disorder or COPD, you know that breathing doesn’t always come easily. COPD is basically a combination of two other respiratory diseases - emphysema and bronchitis. With these diseases, just like with COPD, the flow of air through the lungs and bronchial tubes is decreased. This is in most instances, a permanent condition which gets worse over time, making it very difficult for the sufferer to breathe. What causes chronic obstructive pulmonary disorder and what can be done about it? The primary cause of COPD in the United States is smoking. Statistics show that nearly 1 in 6 smokers will develop chronic obstructive pulmonary disease . Cigarette smoke does damage to the human lungs in a multitude ways. One of the best ways to prevent COPD or to keep it from progressing is to stop smoking right away and try to avoid being around smoke since the exact effects of second hand smoke on chronic obstructive pulmonary disease are not completely established . There are other factors that can cause or contribute to COPD as well. Indoor and outdoor air pollution can cause or worsen the disease . Stoves used for cooking as well as silica and similar pollutants are dangerous as well. Another cause of COPD is a rare genetic condition called AAT. This causes about 1% of the cases of COPD each year. If you have COPD, it is important that you learn as much as you can about why you got it and what type you have. You can do this by working together with your doctor and talking about your past, medical history, family history and symptoms. Your doctor can help you formulate the best plan of treatment for your COPD. Untreated COPD will most certainly always worsen . The good news for those suffering from this disease is that there are treatments that can help this obstruction in the air passages, making it easier for you to breathe normally again. There are many helpful medications that can assist and even reverse many of the symptoms of COPD. The earlier you seek treatment for your chronic obstructive pulmonary disorder the better your chances of reversing damage. To learn more about related topics, click on lung disease or lung disease symptoms. George McKenzie is a former TV news anchor, medical reporter and radio talk show host.
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COPD, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, lungs, lung disease,
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