People suffering from Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) know how debilitating the disease can be. Often, many people do not even get diagnosed with the condition, and may not be aware they have it until it has already progressed too far. If left untreated, the disease can damage the heart and lungs, and cause a faster progression of other diseases.

If you have been diagnosed with COPD and have run out of your medication, get in touch with an online doctor for a quick and easy online script for a repeat dose of your usual medication.

What is Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD)?

Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease or COPD is a group of lung diseases that progressively get worse without treatment. The most common of these are chronic bronchitis and emphysema, which may also occur concurrently in many people. While chronic bronchitis causes bronchial tubes to narrow and get inflamed, emphysema slowly damages air sacs in the lung, making it difficult for a person to breathe. COPD causes obstructions in the airflow, making regular activities like climbing stairs highly strenuous.

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Causes of COPD

Most commonly found in people who smoke tobacco, people who work in factories and industries without proper filtration of particulate matter from the air may also be at risk. It may also occur in people exposed to burning fuel. In the case of smokers, there may be a genetic disposition to the disease at play, as not all smokers develop the condition. For about 5% of COPD suffers, the cause of the disease may be a result of genetically low levels of a protein called alpha-1-antitrypsin, which helps protect the lungs.

Symptoms of COPD

The reason why COPD so often goes undiagnosed is that the symptoms come on slowly and may not even appear until significant damage has already been done to the lungs. Some common symptoms of COPD include:

Shortness of breath when engaging in physical activities, such as climbing stairs or exercisingLethargy and lack of energyUnexplained weight loss (especially in the later stages of the disease)Mild but recurrent cough, with or without the presence of mucus in the early stages, but may turn into a chronic cough as the disease progressesWheezing, especially during exhalationsChest tightnessFrequent respiratory infectionsSwelling of the feet, ankles or legs in the later stages.

Prevention of COPD

Luckily for COPD sufferers, making a few lifestyle changes can slow down the progression of the disease. If you have not been diagnosed with the disease but have a family history of COPD, making some targeted changes to your lifestyle may help you prevent COPD.

Because the major cause of COPD is cigarette, cigar or tobacco smoke, quitting smoking now or never picking it up in the first place is the best way to prevent it. But quitting is not always so easy. Talk to your doctor about appropriate products and support groups that can help you make the journey easier. If you do not smoke, but live with someone who does, you may want to convince them to give up. COPD can be fatal, and reducing your exposure to cigarette smoke is one of your best chances of slowing down the progression of the disease.

If you work in an environment where you are regularly exposed to chemical fumes and dusts, talk to your supervisor about the possibility of using respiratory protective equipment at the workplace.

Treatment of COPD

For people with milder symptoms and where the diseaes hasn’t progressed too far, quitting smoking is often enough to slow the disease down. Other options include:

Medications, including Bronchodilators that are often dispensed in inhalers and dilate bronchial tubes, making it easier to breathe, Inhaled steroids that reduce airway inflammation, but have a number of side effects, Combination inhalers that combine bronchodilators and inhaled steroids and are good for people with both emphysema and chronic bronchitis, and antibiotics to deal with secondary respiratory infections.Lung therapy, including oxygen therapy for people who have low levels of oxygen in the blood and a pulmonary rehabilitation program that helps you make lifestyle changes, including special exercises, dietary needs, and help for quitting smoking.Surgery, usually for people with advanced cases of COPD where medications are no longer sufficiently helping manage the condition.

For people with COPD, inhalers will usually become something they need to carry with them at all times. Unfortunately, inhalers are not over the counter medication in Australia, and you will need repeat medical scripts from your doctor once your dose runs out. Luckily, online health services make it easier for you to get online scripts from registered doctors for chronic health conditions.