What is Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease?
COPD is a group of lung diseases that include chronic bronchitis and emphysema, which are most often caused by heavy smoking. COPD can also include chronic asthma, which is a hypersensitivity of the air passages in the lungs. Bronchitis, emphysema and asthma all have one thing in common, they limit the flow of air in and out of your lungs. As a result you may cough, wheeze and feel short of breath.

How Your Lungs Work

Breathing is your body's way of getting oxygen to your blood. Normally, your lungs take in oxygen when you inhale fresh air and push our carbon dioxide. When you have COPD, movement of air into and out of your lungs is limited, and breathing becomes difficult.

Healthy Lungs

When you breathe, you take in air through your throat into the trachea (windpipe) and then into the lungs. A dome shaped muscle (diaphragm) lies below the lungs. The diaphragm flattens to draw air in as you inhale, then rises as you exhale.

Getting Oxygen

Air passes from the trachea into the bronchial tubes. These tubes branch out like a tree into smaller and smaller passages. Air travels through these branches, eventually reaching the smallest airways-bronchioles, which end in balloon like air sacs called alveoli. Blood vessels surrounding the alveoli absorb oxygen into the blood stream. At the same time, the alveoli remove carbon dioxide from the blood. The carbon dioxide is then exhaled.

How is COPD Treated?

Although COPD can't be cured, it can be treated. Your physician will work with you to develop plan which may include taking medication, learning to breath in better ways, exercising, controlling stress and quitting smoking-to help prevent shortness of breath. Following through on your treatment plan will make all the difference in how you feel and how much you can do.