COPD can take your breath away

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, sometimes referred to as COPD, is a serious lung condition that, over time, makes it difficult for people with it to breathe.

To help increase awareness of COPD, Battle Creek Health System is again offering a physician-led series, scheduled quarterly on Tuesday afternoons. The first meeting, titled 'Chronic Lung Disease-an Overview,' is set for March 24, from 2-4 p.m. in the hospital's Outpatient Conference Rooms 1 & 2.

Dr. Gregory Harrington, a physician in Battle Creek Health System's Center for Infectious Disease and Pulmonary Medicine and medical director for the Calhoun County Public Health Department will be the keynote speaker. Following the program there will be a short time for general questions and support. A pulmonary rehabilitation therapist will also be on hand to answer questions and give a short tour of the outpatient pulmonary rehab center.

"COPD is a very serious lung condition that makes breathing much more difficult, and one of the leading causes of death in the United States," says Dr. Harrington. "But it you work with your physician and respiratory therapists to make some lifestyle changes, you can manage COPD, and your symptoms can often be improved."

The term COPD is used to describe two related lung disorders--chronic bronchitis and emphysema. If you have COPD, you have one or both of these conditions. With bronchitis, the walls of the passages that carry air to your lungs become swollen and scarred. Emphysema destroys the sacs in the lungs that release air.

COPD makes it more difficult to breathe because your air passages get smaller and your air sacs cannot empty. Your airways may also become clogged with mucus, which comes up when you cough.

Living well with COPD
Although there is no known cure for COPD, there are several things you can do to manage it and improve your quality of life. Early detection of the disease is important; it lets you begin to take steps to keep COPD from progressing.

To help manage the disease:
Stop smoking. No matter how old you are, it is crucial that you give up cigarettes. Even if you are 75, stopping smoking will help you feel better.

Follow your doctor's advice about medications. You may be given bronchodilators to help open airways, corticosteroids to reduce inflammation in lungs and airways, or antibiotics to fight bacterial infections that make COPD worse.

Talk to your physician about whether using an oxygen tank might help you breathe better.

Make certain the air in your home is clean and free of smoke and fumes.

Ask your doctor about breathing exercises that can help you when you are having trouble catching your breath.

Eat healthful foods, maintain a healthful weight, and stay as physically active as you can.

The second program in this series, to be held on June 23, is titled 'Chronic Lung Treatment Options.' The third meeting on September 22, is 'Restrictive Lung Diseases,' and the final program is scheduled for November 24, titled 'Staying Well with Chronic Lung Disease.' All of the programs are free to the public, but reservations are required because seating is limited.

To register for this program, call (877) GO2-BCHS (877-462-2247). For more information, call Deborah Pierce, BS, RRT, pulmonary rehabilitation (269) 966-8438.

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