Emphysema / Chronic Bronchitis / COPD

As many may know Emphysema and Chronic Bronchitis come under the umbrella term COPD.

For those who are not clear on this below are Patient UK links explaining:

COPD  https://patient.info/health/chronic-obstructive-pulmonary-disease-leaflet

Emphysema:  https://patient.info/health/chronic-obstructive-pulmonary-disease-leaflet/emphysema

Alpha1 Deficiecy: https://patient.info/health/alpha-1-antitrypsin-deficiency-leaflet

Added Protection for the lungs are an annual flu shot and a pneumonia vaccine.

Highly recommended is a pulmonary rehabilitation course, for education and management in order to help slow down the progress of COPD

Shortness of Breathe is common with most all lung disease, its something we learn to live with, shortness of breath should not prevent us from activity tweaked to suit us as individuals, that is where PR and regular exercise come in.  With regular exercise, lung function can improve so that fitness levels improve, breathing becomes more efficient and we are able to do more.

Lung function can improve but the Lung damage remains, we can help ourselves to slow down the progress of the lung disease but the damage cannot be reversed, at best we hope to remain stable with as few lung infections as is possible. 

Use our medication as prescribed is important, seeking treatment for a lung infection without delay can help avoid further lung damage.  Revisit to the doctor if the infection does not clear, providing a sputum sample before taking the antibiotics can help identify which bacteria to help the doctor prescribe the correct anti biotic.  Your doctors surgery usually carries sterile sample pots you can ask for one to keep at home for when you may need it.

Further information can be found on the Patient UK site by using the search box top right.

In addition people in UK can contact the BLF helpline for any queries or concerns they may have on their specific lung condition, the British Lung Foundation website covers many different lung diseases not just COPD.  If you search in your browser British Lung Foundation the BLF . org site should come up.

Bullous Emphysema information explanation can be found by asking What is Bullous Emphysema, the lung foundation in the country you reside, your specialist consultant or just by putting that question into a search engine, be selective in reading ie from reliable sources, such as recognise health authorities. 

For newly or recently diagnosed, hope you find some of the information here helpful.

 

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