COPD is an English acronym for Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease, a chronic, progressive lung disease. In people with the disease, breathing is obstructed (airway obstruction). It is an umbrella term for inflammation of the airways (bronchitis) and damage to the alveoli (emphysema).
If you have COPD, you often experience difficulty breathing. COPD is a chronic disease.
COPD is a collective term for two lung diseases:
- Chronic Bronchitis
- Pulmonary Emphysema
Chronic Bronchitis: In chronic bronchitis, the airway walls change. There is an increase in inflammatory cells and cells that produce mucus (mucus goblet cells). The mucus goblet cells crowd out the cilia cells in the lungs that are responsible for draining mucus. This reduces your ability to drain mucus from the lungs. Over time, due to a potential lack of cilia cells, the “cilia escalator” does not function properly and can no longer drain the mucus. The remaining mucus can provide a fertile breeding ground for bacteria.
Pulmonary Emphysema Groups of alveoli in your lungs are separated by dividers. In emphysema, these partitions disappear. The lungs then become flaccid. When you exhale, your airways are squeezed shut, making it harder for you to breathe. This leads to shortness of breath.
Symptoms
- Fatigue
- Coughing up phlegm (chronic bronchitis)
- Shortness of breath during exertion and at rest
- Wheezing (sometimes)
- Asthmatic symptoms (sometimes)
Most COPD patients are older than 40 years. Smoking causes COPD in more than 85 percent of patients. The exact process is not yet known. Eventually, 10 to 20 percent of smokers develop COPD. It’s impossible to predict who will get COPD. The more and longer you smoke, the greater the risk of developing COPD.
Besides smoking, there are other causes of COPD. In about 15 percent of people with COPD, the disease is caused by prolonged exposure to small dust particles at work. A congenital enzyme deficiency can also cause COPD.
Treatment
The aim of COPD treatment is to reduce your symptoms and prevent possible worsening. Avoiding stimuli and taking medication plays an important role.
The best remedy is to stop smoking. As long as you continue to smoke, the disease will worsen. If you stop smoking, you will start to feel better.
Some other medications to relieve the symptoms:
- Airway dilators that widen the airways
- Corticosteroids in inhalation or tablet form to reduce inflammation and the risk of a lung attack
- Antibiotics to fight infections
You can start exercising under supervision. This will make you feel better and fitter. More and more fitness centers are offering programs for COPD patients. You may also need pulmonary rehabilitation. Sometimes, you will also be advised to seek nutritional advice from a dietitian.
Whatif Lungs Are Damaged?
Fatigue and Breathlessness
Exhaling can be difficult and breathing often becomes faster. Wheezing and frequent coughing are common symptoms. Because not enough oxygen is getting into the blood, you may often feel very tired. Try to distribute your energy throughout the day and avoid activities that tire you out as much as possible.
What You Can Do to Increase Life Quality
You must take responsibility for managing your life with COPD. After all, you can improve your own well-being. If possible, avoid stimuli that you cannot tolerate (such as pets, smoking). Engage in regular exercise and maintain a healthy diet.
A lung function test, or spirometry, is a test that measures your lung capacity. If your lung capacity is significantly less than normal, it could indicate that you have COPD.
Good food choices and good physical condition can reduce the symptoms of COPD.
To improve your condition, the combination of nutritional therapy and exercise therapy is the best way. Good nutrition alone is not sufficient. You can only start building muscle if you train those muscles. Without exercise or training, the energy is converted into fat instead of muscle.
You don’t have to think about a tough training program. You can achieve good results if you get into the habit of going for a walk a few times every day, taking the stairs more often or cycling a bit. In addition, there are special exercises to strengthen leg, arm and breathing muscles. The physiotherapist can guide you in this.
Research has shown that consuming 10 to 20 grams of protein immediately after exercise can promote muscle growth. So make sure that you consume enough protein within two hours after exercising, for example through a bowl of cottage cheese or a slice of bread with 2 slices of cheese.
Please note that all these choices and activities must be planned with your doctor, training coach and dietician together.
Tips for eating difficulty
- Make sure you sit upright when eating.
- Try to eat quietly. Swallow a bite at once and breathe deeply before taking the next bite.
- Make sure you are rested before starting a meal.
- Consume breakfast before washing. If necessary, prepare the food the night before.
- Eat food that you can easily chew, for example soft meat such as minced meat or tartare, softly cooked vegetables, possibly a stew.
- Are you taking medications? Use it correctly and at the right time.
- With oxygen therapy, oxygen must also be used during meals.
Tips for eating apetite
- Eat small portions more often per day. Large quantities can quickly become unpleasant.
- Make sure the meals look attractive and smell good. The smell can stimulate appetite.
- If you don’t like the food, suck on a piece of candy or chewing gum before a meal. This way you stimulate salivation.
- Eat the largest meal at the time of day when you feel best. For example, eating a hot meal in the afternoon instead of in the evening if you are often very tired at the end of the day.
- Provide sufficient variety. Alternate cold, warm, sweet and savory dishes.
- Drink a little broth half an hour before eating.
- Take a rest before meals, about half an hour, otherwise you may be too tired to eat.
Tips if you suffer from mucus formation in the mouth or throat
- If you think that milk and milk products cause mucus in you, try a different milk product and don’t just omit dairy from your diet. You really need the proteins from dairy.
- Milk, hot chocolate, chocolate, porridge and custard can cause a sticky feeling. This can disappear by taking a sip of water, soft drink or fruit juice afterwards.
- Sour milk products, such as buttermilk, yogurt and cottage cheese, cause less mucus formation in the mouth.
Seeing your doctor and dietician regularly is the best way to follow up your COPD situation and its effects on you.
Doctors may advice the following medications.
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