COPD, or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease

COPD, or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, is a lung disorder that makes it hard to breathe. The first symptoms can be so mild that people mistakenly chalk them up to "getting old." People with COPD may develop chronic bronchitis, emphysema, or both. COPD tends to get worse over time, but catching it early, along with good care, can help many people stay active and may slow the disease.

Symptoms
 COPD can clog the airways and damage the tiny, balloon-like sacs (alveoli) that absorb oxygen. These changes can cause the following symptoms:Shortness of breath in everyday activities
Wheezing
Chest tightness
Constant coughing
Producing a lot of mucus
Feeling tired
Frequent colds or flu

Severe COPD can make it difficult to walk, cook, clean house, or even bathe. Coughing up excess mucus and feeling short of breath may worsen. Advanced illness can also cause:
Swollen legs or feet from fluid buildup
Weight loss
Less muscle strength and endurance
A headache in the morning
Blue or grey lips or fingernails,due to low oxygen levels
 

Chronic Bronchitis

This condition is the main problem for some people with COPD with a nagging cough with plenty of mucus. In the lungs, the small airways have swollen walls, constant oozing of mucus, and scarring. Trapped mucus can block airflow and become a breeding ground for germs. A  "smoker's cough" is typically a sign of chronic bronchitis. The cough is often worse in the morning and in damp, cold weather.
 Emphysema damages the tiny air sacs in the lungs, which inflate when we take in a breath and move oxygen into the blood. They also push out carbon dioxide which we breathe out. When you have emphysema, these delicate air sacs can't expand and contract properly. In time, the damage destroys the air sacs, leaving large holes in the lungs, which trap stale air. People with emphysema can have great trouble exhaling.

 Diagnosis
Your doctor will listen to your chest as you breathe. The amount of oxygen in your blood may be measured with a blood test or a pulse oximeter, a painless device that clips to a finger.Spirometry is the main test for COPD. It measures how much air you can move in and out of your lungs, and how quickly you do it. You take a deep breath and blow as hard as you can into a tube. You might repeat the test after inhaling a puff of a bronchodilator medicine, which opens your airways. Spirometry can find problems even before you have symptoms of COPD. It also helps determine the stage of COPD.
 

Treatment

Bronchodilators are medications that relax the muscles of the airways to help keep them open and make it easier to breathe. Anticholinergics, a type of bronchodilator, are often used by people with COPD. Short-acting bronchodilators last about four to six hours and are used on an as-needed basis. Longer-acting bronchodilators can be used every day for people with more persistent symptoms. People with COPD may use both types of bronchodilators.If bronchodilators don't provide enough relief, people with COPD may take corticosteroids, usually taken by inhaler. They may reduce inflammation in the airways. Steroids may also be given to treat flare-ups of COPD.

Breathing exercise
Breathe in normally through your nose. Then slowly blow the air out through your mouth with your lips in a whistle position. Your exhale should be longer than the inhale. To strengthen your diaphragm, you can lie on your back on a bed with one hand on your abdomen and one on your chest. Keep your chest as still as possible but let your stomach rise and fall as you breathe.

 People with COPD are at greater risk for lung infections than normal people. If your cough and shortness of breath get worse or you develop fever, visit your doctor. These are signs that a lung infection may be taking hold, and your doctor may prescribe medications to help knock it out as quickly as possible. You may also need adjustments to your COPD treatment regimen.

Surgery
 A small number of people may benefit from surgery. Bullectomy and lung volume reduction surgery remove the diseased parts of the lung, allowing the healthy tissue to perform better and making breathing easier. A lung transplant may help some people with the most severe COPD who have lung failure, but it can have serious complications.

Walking
Walking is one of the best things , start with just five or 10 minutes at a time, three to five days a week. If you can walk without stopping to rest, add another minute or two. Even if you have severe COPD, you may be able to reach 30 minutes of walking at a time. Use your oxygen while exercising if you are on oxygen therapy. 

Who gets COPD
Normally  smokers or passive smokers get COPD. In rare cases, the DNA passed down through a family can lead to COPD, even in "never smokers." One of these genetic conditions is called Alpha-1 Antitrypsin (AAT) deficiency.

this is only for your information, kindly take the advice of your doctor for medicines, exercises and so on.
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