Learn about Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease symptoms from Consumer Reports Health.

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease

What are the symptoms of COPD?

The two main symptoms of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) are coughing and feeling short of breath.

Many people with COPD cough up a lot of mucus (also called sputum or phlegm).

Source:
The Respiratory Alliance.
Bridging the gap: commissioning and delivering high quality integrated respiratory healthcare.
January 2003. Available at http://www.gpiag.org/news/Bridging-the-gap-(final).pdf (accessed on 30 November 2008).

You may think a cough is a sign that you have a cold. But if you have COPD, your cough doesn't go away.

If you smoke, you may think that your "smoker's cough" is normal. You may not want to go to the doctor in case he or she nags you to give up smoking. But your cough could be a sign that you have lung damage, and you should see your doctor.

If you have COPD, you may also:

Lose weight
Get tired easily
Have bones that break easily
Have swollen ankles.

For information about these and other signs, see More about the symptoms of COPD.

COPD attacks

If you have COPD, you may have attacks every so often. If you have an attack, your symptoms get worse very fast. This is what happens:

It gets very hard for you to breathe
You may cough more and bring up more mucus
The mucus will probably be thicker than usual and have a different color.

Normally, the mucus people cough up is clear, but if you have a COPD attack, it may be yellow or greenish. Many people with COPD have attacks after they've caught a cold or had a bout of the flu. Both those illnesses and COPD attacks are caused by

infection
You get an infection when viruses, bacteria, fungi or other tiny organisms get into your body. These bugs are so tiny that you can't see them without a microscope. For example, an infection in your airways causes the common cold. And an infection in your skin can cause rashes such as athlete's foot.

infection, usually because of

bacteria
Bacteria are tiny organisms. There are lots of different types. Some are harmful and can cause disease. But some bacteria live in your body without causing any harm.

bacteria. But sometimes attacks happen without any sign of infection.

When you're having an attack, your doctor may want you to take these extra medicines:

antibiotics
These medications are used to help your immune system fight infection. There are a number of different types of antibiotics that work in different ways to get rid of bacteria, parasites and other infectious agents. Antibiotics do not work against viruses.

Antibiotics to kill any bacteria that are causing an infection
More of the drugs you take to help you breathe
steroids
Steroids are a type of chemical. Your body naturally produces steroids, which play a part in many of its processes. For example, steroids are involved in how your immune system, reproductive system and metabolism work. Steroids can also be given as medicines and are used for a number of different conditions: including asthma, rheumatoid arthritis and eczema. Corticosteroids are not the same as the steroids used by some body builders and athletes. Those steroids are called 'anabolic steroids'.

Steroids to reduce the

inflammation
If your skin or some other part of your body becomes red, swollen, hot or sore, we say it is inflamed. It means that your body is trying to protect you from germs, from something in your body tissues that can hurt you (like a thorn or sliver), or from things that cause allergies (allergens). Inflammation is part of the way the body heals an infection or injury.

inflammation and swelling in your airways.

You may need to go to the hospital.

Sources for the information on this page:

The Respiratory Alliance.Bridging the gap: commissioning and delivering high quality integrated respiratory healthcare.January 2003. Available at http://www.gpiag.org/news/Bridging-the-gap-(final).pdf (accessed on 30 November 2008).

This information was last updated on Jul 14, 2009

This information is for educational use only, and is not a substitute for prompt professional medical advice. Readers should always consult a physician or other professional for advice and treatment.
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