Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) is a lung disease characterized by a blockage or narrowing of the airways. It is an irreversible process that is usually brought on by airway irritants, such as smoking, secondhand smoke, air pollution or occupational exposure.
The following are signs and symptoms of COPD that if present, should alert you to visit to your doctor's office. Any one or all of these symptoms could mean you have the disease, but only a doctor is able to diagnose the problem. The following list details signs and symptoms of COPD that may be cause for alarm:
1. Chronic cough
This type of cough is long term and doesn't seem to go away. A cough is a defense mechanism developed by the body in an attempt to clear the airways of mucus, inhaled toxic substances, foreign objects or other types of irritants. A productive cough clears mucus from the lungs, while a non-productive cough does not readily produce mucus. A cough is one of the most common symptoms of COPD.2. Increased sputum production
Sputum, or mucus, is a substance produced from the lungs that is usually expelled by coughing or clearing of the throat. Copious amounts of sputum can be associated with inflammation or infection of the respiratory tract and may be indicative of COPD. The color and consistency of sputum that your body produces can be related to the type of COPD that you may have, and the doctor will usually ask you to describe it. Your healthcare provider may also request a sputum sample from you to help get a diagnosis.3. Dyspnea
Also known as shortness of breath, dyspnea is a result of air hunger that causes difficult or labored breathing. It is primarily due to a lack of oxygen in the bloodstream and is directly related to disturbances in the lungs such as with COPD.4. Wheezing
Often described as a whistling sound heard during inhalation or exhalation, wheezing is caused by a narrowing or blockage of the airways. Oftentimes, wheezing can be so prevalent that you can hear it without the assistance of a stethoscope.5. Chest Tightness
Tightness in the chest can be described as a feeling of pressure within the chest walls that makes automated breathing difficult. Sometimes, this tightness makes deep breathing painful causing respiration to be short and shallow. Chest tightness can be due to infection of the lungs and is often associated with COPD.6. Clubbing of the Fingers
Clubbing is a sign of COPD indicative of long-term oxygen deprivation. Initially, it manifests itself as sponginess of the nailbed along with loss of the nailbed angle, causing the nailbed to curve downward.7. Hemoptysis
A symptom of both lung and heart problems, hemoptysis is defined as the coughing up of blood from the lungs that is bright red, frothy and mixed with mucus. In COPD, the most common cause is infection in the lungs. It is important to note that the amount of blood that is coughed up does not always reflect the seriousness of the cause.8. Cyanosis
A bluish discoloration of the skin, cyanosis is a late sign of chronic oxygen deprivation in the blood. Common places for cyanosis to appear are the lips, tongue, nailbeds and earlobes.9. Last Word About Symptoms
Remember, not every person who develops COPD will possess all of the above symptoms. Additionally, not everyone who has a cough, increased mucus production or any other symptoms, should assume they have COPD. Each person is different and only diagnostic testing by a healthcare professional can confirm the presence of COPD.
Still have questions about your symptoms? Visit About.com's Symptom Checker, a great interactive tool for more detailed information about signs and symptoms of COPD and many other diseases.
Source:
Bare, Brenda G. & Smeltzer, Suzanne C. (1996). Brunner and Suddarth's Textbook of Medical-Surgical Nursing(8th Edition). Philidelphia, PA: Lippincott-Raven Publishers.
