If you have trouble breathing, either throughout the day or just during exercise, it’s important to know about chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Millions of people in the U.S. have been diagnosed with this lung condition.
Knowing you have COPD can be the first step in getting the care, medicines and guidance you need to manage your symptoms and help protect your health. With the right treatments and approaches, you can get closer to breathing easier.
COPD basics
COPD describes several chronic lung conditions that make it hard to breathe. The two most common forms of COPD are:
- Chronic bronchitis – This form of COPD occurs when your lungs’ airways are repeatedly irritated. The resulting inflammation creates thick mucus, making it harder for air to get to your lungs.
- Emphysema – Tiny air sacs in your lungs inflate and deflate as you breathe. When these air sacs are damaged, they can become brittle, weak and vulnerable to tearing. This makes it harder for oxygen to get into your bloodstream.
If you have COPD, you likely have chronic bronchitis, emphysema or both.
Get customized resources, guidance and support from an experienced COPD specialist – confidentially and at no extra cost. Your COPD expert will work with you and your care team to create a plan that helps you breathe easier and do more of what you love.
Additional information and resources
Find out more about COPD and emphysema, as well as additional reasons for a chronic cough and how you can live fully with a COPD diagnosis:
COPD symptoms, causes and treatments Emphysema symptoms, causes and treatments Our health coaching services for quitting smoking, vape and tobacco Persistent cough causes and when to see a doctor Air quality and its connection to your health Learning to breathe easier with COPD Avoiding your COPD triggers Creating a COPD action plan Using exercise to feel better with COPD