Primary Care

COPD Management

Making it more comfortable to breathe

If you have persistent wheezing, a noisy phlegmatic cough, and repeated chest infections, your doctor will examine you for COPD.

First, they will perform a spirometry test to measure the health and capacity of your lungs. This is the main test for COPD and is usually done at the clinic.

If COPD is confirmed, your doctor may do a CT scan to check whether the primary illness is emphysema or chronic bronchitis. Since many diseases have similar symptons, you may need a chest X-ray to rule out the possibility of other diseases and also to ascertain the extent of damage to your lungs.

Smoking is the leading cause of COPD. Your doctor will guide you towards resources, programs, and counseling — free under Medicare — to help you quit. They may also prescribe oxygen therapy and medications. In severe cases, you may require surgery.

Pulmonary Rehabilitation

These are therapy programs that teach COPD patients breathing exercises and offer counseling in disease management and nutrition, as well as social support.

Inhaling Bronchodilators

Handheld inhalers are the most common way to administer bronchodilators, or drugs that relax lung muscles and widen airways. Another way is to use nebulizers.

Oxygen Therapy

Damaged air sacs in your lungs cannot extract oxygen from air effectively. You may be prescribed treatment that involves breathing oxygen through a nasal tube or mask.

For more information, download our Wellness Guide on COPD

Frequently asked questions

Are COPD and asthma the same thing?

No, although there can be overlaps. COPD is a collection of lung diseases brought on from long-term exposure to smoking and other irritants. Asthma can be caused by several factors, including genetics, allergies, premature birth, low birth weight, pollen, mold, and dust mites.

I’ve had a disgusting cough for more than six months now. Could it be COPD?

A COPD cough is often a cough that will not go away. It is also ‘productive’, meaning it produces a lot of mucus or phlegm, especially in the morning.

I’m not a smoker, but I live with a smoker. Could that be causing my COPD flareups?

Yes, it is possible. Secondhand tobacco smoke from cigarettes, cigars, and pipes can damage the air sacs, airways, and lining of your lungs, and put you at risk for bronchitis, emphysema, and lung cancer.

Is emphysema the same thing as COPD?

Emphysema is one of the main diseases coming under the COPD umbrella. Emphysema is a condition in which the delicate membrane of the lungs’ air sacs is damaged. Symptoms of emphysema include shortness of breath, chronic cough, and a blue tinge to the skin. In severe cases it can make legs, ankles, and feet swell.

Is chronic bronchitis the same thing as COPD?

Bronchi are large tubes, shaped like tree branches, that carry air from your windpipe to your lungs. Chronic bronchitis happens when the bronchi become inflamed, and it is one of the main diseases that make up COPD. People with chronic bronchitis get lung infections frequently.

IntraCare Health Center provider

Cody Mihills, MD

Family Physician