Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) is a progressive lung disease characterized by long-term respiratory symptoms and airflow blockage. To determine if you have COPD, it's important to recognize the common symptoms, which include:
1.
Chronic cough: This is often the first noticeable symptom and can be mistaken for a persistent cold or allergies.
2.
Producing excess mucus or phlegm: This is known as sputum and is often a sign of inflammation in the airways.
3.
Tightness in your chest: This can occur during physical activity or even at rest and is due to the lungs' inability to fully expand.
Other symptoms that may indicate COPD include:
4.
Shortness of breath: This can be a result of the lungs not being able to take in enough oxygen or expel carbon dioxide effectively.
5.
Wheezing: A high-pitched sound when exhaling, which can be a sign of airway constriction.
6.
Frequent respiratory infections: Repeated lung infections such as bronchitis and pneumonia can be a sign of COPD.
It's important to note that these symptoms can also be associated with other conditions, so a definitive diagnosis of COPD requires a thorough medical evaluation, which may include spirometry, a lung function test.
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