Understanding Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease

COPD is short for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and is a disease that affects the way our lungs should work.

The major cause of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease is smoking, and around the world countless people have been diagnosed with this disease and it is suspected that a similar amount of people suffer from this same illness but have not yet been diagnosed. It has become the fourth cause of death and may go up in the scale as the population grows older, many of whom are or were smokers.

Another important point is that it is a progressive disease, which means it grows worse in time which is why it is classified as a chronic illness. Chronic means that it develops and worsens over time, while acute implies a severe and sudden onset of the illness - a heart attack or the breaking of a bone, for example. In chronic illnesses there can be acute attacks: in the case of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease an acute attack of shortness of breath can be very complicated.

Understanding chronic obstructive pulmonary disease
As we breathe in and out, our lungs inflate the air goes down the windpipe and into airways (bronchial tubes). Imagine these airways as branches of a small tree. At the ends of these branches there are very small elastic air sacks - think of a bunch of grapes (with air instead of juice) - that inflate when we breathe in and deflate as we breathe out. These grape type air sacks are called alveoli. The breathing process makes them expand (like air balloons) and as the air is released (when we exhale) they recover their original size.

In chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, it is precisely the alveoli (bunch of grapes) that have been damaged and so in both counts, when we exhale and when we inhale, less amount of air comes in and out.

Some of the alveoli, the ones that have been affected, swell up and lose their elasticity. The airways, which would be the branches in the above description, have also been affected and are both swollen and slightly clogged as they have also been affected. Another aspect is that much more mucus is produced and this also tends to block the airways.

The end result of all this is that less air comes in and is distributed around our body. The air we breathe is made up of approximately 21% oxygen, about 1% other gases, and the rest, 78%, of carbon dioxide. As less air is inhaled and distributed there is a lack of oxygen in our system and this is the major problem of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

One of the ways to assist patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease is by oxygen therapy but as always when concerned with medical matters you should and must refer to a pulmonologist.

Valuable Information on Respiratory Problems

Respiratory issues or problem in breathing has become a part of our daily life. Most of the times when we suffer from breathlessness, we are caught unaware because of lack of knowledge. But a greater understanding of your symptoms alongside proper medical diagnosis and effective treatment can help you fight better. It hardly matters the type of breathing problem you have. Daily monitoring is essential to living an upbeat life.

So what exactly causes breathing problems?

There is no one cause of breathing problems. Some individuals may find it hard to breathe during winters. Other may have trouble because of Sinusitis. It may take 1-2 weeks until the swelling wears off and the congested sinuses begin to deplete.

Unfortunately, many respiratory issues are long term. For instance, sinusitis, allergies and asthma are all part of long term breathing problems. These problems can make way for other problems like sneezing, runny nose, chest congestion and low breathing.

The nasal passage is an ideal gateway for viruses and allergens to enter your lungs. So the nose and sinuses are often correlated with numerous lung disorders. An inflammation in the nasal passage may trigger asthma attacks. And allergies play a big role in causing asthma attacks.

How to diagnose breathing problems?

A respiratory problem doctor diagnoses breathing issues by performing a physical test, taking a patient’s family health history into account. One of the simple breathing tests in Spirometry. It measures how much and how fast you blow air out of your lungs. This test is performed to establish the amount of airway obstruction.

In some complex cases, a pulmonologist may choose to do an X-Ray to peek into your chest, including the heart, lungs, and bones. A chest X-Ray is perfect to diagnose pneumonia. For some people an X-Ray may not be enough. They might require a CT scan.

How breathing problems are treated?

Breathing problems are caused generally by triggers and avoiding them in any way is a sure shot way to control allergies and asthma. For example, while doing the household work you can wear a mask to lessen the exposure to allergy triggers. On the other hand, people suffering from asthma must keep their airways open and minimise sensitivity to asthma triggers which includes viral infections, pollen, dust mites, fragrances and many more. 

How to Treat Asthma during Pregnancy

Asthma is a chronic disorder of the respiratory system where periodic inflammation occurs in the air passage and normal airflow into the body gets affected. It is triggered due to irritation of the lining of the air passage caused by allergens, irritants, infections, cold weather conditions, hormonal changes and so on. An asthma attack is identified with symptoms like breathing difficulty, wheezing, chest tightness, cough, etc. Asthma attacks during pregnancy are fairly common. Those women who have a medical history of asthma tend to get the attacks more frequently during pregnancy. On the other hand, some women develop asthma during pregnancy.

Treating asthma during pregnancy

Many women try to avoid asthma treatment during pregnancy as they feel that medicines can cause harm to their unborn baby. It is true that taking asthma medicines may not be good for the baby but an uncontrolled asthma attack during pregnancy is even worse. It decreases the amount of oxygen supply to the mother and the foetus. This can lead to serious complications like high blood pressure in the pregnant mother, pre-eclampsia, low birth weight of the infant, premature baby birth, etc.

For treatment during pregnancy, you have to involve both your pulmonologist and the obstetrician. Do not stop taking medicines on your own when you come to know about your pregnancy. Rather, you must inform your obstetrician about the medicines that you are taking. When you inform your pulmonologist that you are pregnant, then he or she may change the dosage of the medicine or give you new medicines. 

The most popular medicine used for treating asthma during pregnancy is steroid inhalers. It opens up the air passage and alleviates symptoms. It may be accompanied by oral steroid medicines or injections. The dosage of these medicines depends on the frequency of the asthma attack and severity of the symptoms. Do not worry as your doctor will select suitable medicines for you that have minimum side effects on you and your baby.

If asthma is triggered due to exposure to allergens, then doctors prescribe antihistamines for controlling the allergy symptoms. A nasal congestion due to upper respiratory tract infection is often treated with oral decongestants. Those who are prone to flu attack may be advised to take flu shots to prevent aggravation of the problem. Regular intake of medicines is not enough, you also have to visit your pulmonologist to monitor the lung function from time to time. Your gynaecologist will also recommend frequent ultrasounds to check foetal growth.

Treating an Asthma Attack at Home

Along with the medicinal treatment, you have to take a few remedial measures at home to control asthma symptoms. A few helpful tips in this regard are as follows:

• Strictly avoid tobacco smoke exposure. Those pregnant women who are smokers should quit the habit immediately. Smoking can lead to a severe asthma attack.
• Make sure that your home and office environment where you spend maximum time is free from environmental irritants like dirt, dust, pollen, mould, etc.
• Do not go outdoors in cold weather conditions. If you have to go, make sure you cover up your mouth and nose properly with a scarf.
• Mix some rock salt with mustard oil to prepare a thick paste. Massage this paste gently on your chest daily. This reduces the chances of an asthma attack to a great extent.
• Garlic can provide relief from asthma. Boil 8-10 garlic cloves in a glass of milk for 10 minutes. Let it cool down and then drink it. It should be taken daily for best results.

The main aim of this treatment is to keep the mother and the baby healthy. If you are one of those women who have pre-existing asthma problems, there is no need to assume that you are going to have a tough time during pregnancy. You can manage asthma with proper medical care, regular monitoring of the condition and some suitable precautionary measures.