Have you experience having hard time breathing? Getting tired too fast? Catching your breathe? and a lot more that has to do with Lungs. Well at my age i can say that i am on the stage of sometimes catching my breathe whenever I had walked extra mile specially that I'm a "bit" voluptuous.
Even though i take a few time of my schedule to do a morning jog walk around BGC, i realized doing so is not enough to keep my lungs in good condition because there are a lot more traits to consider. Having a healthy lifestyle alone is a big impact and making yourself stress free and a lot more.
Last November 24, 2015 at Asian Hospital and Medical Center in Alabang, Muntinlupa was WORLD CHRONIC OBSTRUCTIVE PULMONARY DISEASE DAY (COPD) DAY 2015. I had a FREE SPIROMETRY TEST conducted by the Department of Internal Medicine, Pulmonology Section. It's a good thing because the doctor said I don't have a sign of Asthma and or Lung problems but it is still best to do a followup test.
Doctors from The Department of Internal Medicine, Pulmonology Section
We were also given a privileged to join the parade with the Mustang Enthusiasts of the Philippines....
The Awesome Mustang owners
WHAT IS COPD?
COPD stands for Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease. There are 2 major diseases included in COPD:
- Chronic Bronchitis - enlargement of the mucous glands and too much mucus production contribute to the narrowing. Patients with chronic bronchitis have a recurrent cough that brings up large amounts of thick, discolored phlegm almost every day for 3 motnhs or longer over at least 2 years. Over time, the lung disease can put a strain on the heart, and some patients develop congestive heart failure.
- Emphysema - narrowing comes from damage to the bronchi themselves and is more severe. Patients with emphysema look and sound different. Their cough is scant and dry. But their shortness of breath is more severe, and they breathe faster than normal. They stay pink and don't accumulate fluid, but they lose weight, their muscles tend to waste away, and they develop large, barrel-shaped chests.
In both, narrowed bronchi make it hard to exhale. Inflammation triggered by inhaled irritants also contributes to COPD.
WHAT CAUSES COPD?
Cigarette Smoking accounts for about 85% of COPD cases. Heavy smokers are at risk. Second-hand smoke and other inhaled toxins account for COPD in some nonsmokers. In others, an inherited protein deficiency is to blame. But in some cases, the cause is unknown.
Other causes of COPD are:
- Prolonged exposure to air pollution, such as that seen with burning coal or wood and with industrial air pollutants
- Infectious diseases: Infectious diseases that destroy lung tissue in patients with hyperactive airways or asthma also may contribute to causing this COPD.
With Dr. Manuel Co
My co-bloggers lining up for the Free Spirometry test and conducting a simple interview with Doctor Manuel Co of Asian Hospital.
Damage to the lung tissue over time causes physical changes in the tissues of the lungs and clogging of the airways with thick mucus. The tissue damage in the lungs leads to poor compliance (the elasticity, or ability of the lung tissue to expand). The decrease in elasticity of the lungs means that oxygen in the air cannot get by obstructions (for example, thick mucus plugs) to reach air spaces (alveoli) where oxygen and carbon dioxide exchange occurs in the lung. Consequently, the person exhibits a progressive difficulty, first coughing to remove obstructions like mucus, and then in breathing, especially with exertion.
Symptoms:
COPD starts gradually and progresses slowly. At first, there are no symptoms. Little by little, problems appear, usually in middle-aged people.
- A morning "smoker's cough" is often the first complaint. The cough gradually gets worse and occurs throughout the day.
- Next, shortness of breath develops at first, only during exercise. As the disease gets worse, breathing becomes a chore even at rest.
- Wheezing is another common symptoms.
- Most patients also become tired and weak.
COPD is a slowly progressive disease so it is not unusual for the initial signs and symptoms to be a bit different from those in the late stages of the disease. There are many ways to evaluate or stage COPD, often based on symptoms.
Usually the first signs and symptoms of COPD include a productive cough usually in the morning, with colorless or white mucus (sputum).
The most significant symptom of COPD is breathlessness, termed shortness of breath (dyspnea). Early on, this symptom may occur occasionally with exertion, and eventually may progress to breathlessness while doing a simple task such as standing up, or walking to the bathroom. Some people may develop wheezing (a whistling or hissing sound while breathing). Signs and symptoms of COPD include:
- Cough, with usually colorless sputum in small amounts
- Acute chest discomfort
- Shortness of breath (usually occurs in patients aged 60 and over)
- Wheezing (especially during exertion)
As the disease progresses from mild to moderate, symptoms often increase in severity:
- Respiratory distress with simple activities like walking up a few stairs
- Rapid breathing (tachypnea)
- Bluish discoloration of the skin (cyanosis)
- Use of accessory respiratory muscles
- Swelling of extremities (peripheral edema)
- Over-inflated lungs (hyperinflation)
- Wheezing with minimal exertion
- Course crackles (lung sounds usually with inspiration)
- Prolonged exhalations (expiration)
- Diffuse breath sounds
- Elevated jugular venous pulse
The machine used for testing for Free Spirometry Test, conducted by the Doctors of Department of Internal Medicine, Pulmonology Section from Asian Hospital
Diagnosis:
Your doctor will ask about your smoking history and exposures to secondhand smoke, fumes, and dust. Be sure to report any family history of COPD, particularly if your symptoms began in young adulthood and you haven't been exposed to tobacco. You'll also be asked about symptoms of cough, phlegm, shortness of breath, wheezing, fatigue, and weight changes.
Other tests to diagnose COPD include:
- Chest X-rays
- CT scan
- Arterial blood gas or a pulse oximeter to look at the saturation level of oxygen in the patient's blood Continue Reading
In addition, the person may be sent to a lung specialist (pulmonologist) to determine their FEV1 level that is used by some physicians to stage COPD as described above in the section that describes the stages of COPD.
TESTS:
The most important test is a lung function test called basic spirometry, which measures the forced expiratory volume at one second (FEV1). It measures the amount of air you can breathe out with a maximal effort in 1 second. Doctors can diagnose COPD and estimate how bad it is based on how a patient's FEV1 compares to normal. By repeating lung function tests, doctors can tell if COPD is getting worse and tailor therapy to the stage of the disease.
If you have emphysema, your chest x-ray will show enlarged lungs, some scarring and cavities. No imaging test can gauge the severity of COPD or predict its outcome.
In many cases, your doctor will order additional tests, such as complete blood counts, an EKG to look for heart strain, an analysis of your sputum, and a test to measure the oxygen in your blood.
TREATMENT:
Lifestyle - void tobacco and secondhand smoke. Consult your doctor for assistance in stopping smoking. It is never too late to stop smoking anytime.
Good Nutrition - Make sure you eat plenty of fruits, vegetables, and fish. Drink a lot of fluids too to keep phlegm loose and easy to cough out.
Exercise - A gradual program of low to moderate-intensity exercise helps muscles get the most bang out of the oxygen that damaged lungs can deliver. Structured pulmonary rehabilitation programs also offer breathing exercises designed to strengthen chest muscles.
Preventing infection is essential - Be sure you flu and pneumonia immunizations are up to date. Keep your distance from folks with respiratory infections. Wash your hands carefully, using an alcohol based hand rub.
Early Treatment - Talk to your doctor about which treatments are best for you. While drugs will not cure your COPD, they can help you breathe better.
Quick relievers/rescue inhalers - Also known as short-acting betaagonists, quick-relief drugs relieve symptoms quickly by relaxing the muscles that surround bronchial tubes, enabling the tubes to open wider. Carry your quick-relief medications with you at all times.
"Kapag tumatanda tayo tumatanda din ang lungs natin."
Says Dr.Veloso, Anonuevo, M.D. IM-PULMONARY
Let us remind our family and friends to take good care of our lungs specially to those who smoke for so long, and the worst of it are those who are not smoking but inhaling the nicotine that smokers exhale. I had some friends whose father had been diagnosed with Lung Cancer already and sad to say some had already died.
In our family my uncle and my father do smoke but we always tell them that if they smoke they should go out of the house because we also have kids inside who might be affected by the smoke itself. Let us be aware and be cautious about our health because it is only what we have and no more another life there is for us to have..... STOP SMOKING!
In our family my uncle and my father do smoke but we always tell them that if they smoke they should go out of the house because we also have kids inside who might be affected by the smoke itself. Let us be aware and be cautious about our health because it is only what we have and no more another life there is for us to have..... STOP SMOKING!
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