Chronic obstructive pulmonary diseases (COPD) are illnesses associated with the violation of the normal functioning of the human respiratory apparatus. According to the existing classification, such diseases are usually divided into three main types: chronic bronchitis, pulmonary emphysema, and asthma (Types of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease). The first health problem is characterized by the inflammation of the bronchi and is accompanied by increased secretion of mucus (Types of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease). Pulmonary emphysema is a disease that causes structural damage to the alveoli that is destroyed, narrowed, or stretched (Types of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease). Finally, asthma is a chronic condition characterized by the tightening of the respiratory muscles, which makes it difficult for a person to breathe (Types of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease). This chronic disease is not always referred to as COPD, but its symptoms associated with the violation of normal breathing correspond to pulmonary problems. These health issues create serious discomfort in life and can even lead to death.
Different diagnostic methods are utilized to identify predispositions in these chronic diseases or highlight the presence of problems. Regardless of the type of problem or the severity of the disease, spirometry, or a breath test, is used (COPD). The testing process involves a person exhaling air into a special device with the maximum possible force. Based on the volume of air and the rate at which it enters, experts make a prediction regarding lung health. Other traditional diagnostic methods include chest X-ray, arterial blood gas analysis, and laboratory tests to determine the cause of related symptoms (COPD). CT scanning is an advanced screening technology that allows for detecting chronic diseases and determining the presence of neoplasms (COPD). All these practices are designed to timely detect and prevent the progression of COPD.
Treatment options for COPD can be based on both self-help associated with preventive interventions and therapeutic practices. One of the most common preconditions for the development of lung problems is smoking, and quitting tobacco is a common recommendation by pulmonologists (COPD: Symptoms, Diagnosis, and Treatment). Another preventive practice that may be relevant for residents of large and densely populated areas is the avoidance of polluted air (COPD: Symptoms, Diagnosis, and Treatment). Micro-particles enter the body and settle in the lungs, causing inflammation and deformities. Therapeutic practices include taking relevant medications, for instance, oral steroids, pulmonary rehabilitation, and providing patients with supplemental oxygen (COPD: Symptoms, Diagnosis, and Treatment). By resorting to such techniques, medical specialists help targeted patients to restore the normal rhythm of the respiratory apparatus and reduce the load on individual organs, thereby facilitating a faster recovery.
In the abbreviation COPD, the letter “O” means obstructive, which reflects the corresponding symptomatology. The website related to the prevention of COPD defines an obstructive condition as follows: “your airways are narrowed, so it’s harder to breathe out quickly and the air gets trapped in your chest” (What Is COPD?). In other words, obstruction is comparable to an obstacle when a person cannot breathe fully, which, in turn, manifests itself in the form of coughing, active sputum production, and suffocation. Each of the three aforementioned illnesses is characterized by such symptoms. Therefore, COPD is associated with obstruction as a manifestation of pulmonary diseases in which difficulties with air intake are observed regardless of a specific diagnosis.
Works Cited
“COPD.”Mayo Clinic2.
“COPD: Symptoms, Diagnosis, and Treatment.”Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2021.
“Types of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease.”Stanford Health Care.
“What Is COPD?”Asthma+ Lung UK, 2022.