COPD Archives - Page 187 of 188

Emphysema and COPD – Effects of a Smoking Addiction

10/31/2011 majac COPD

Any discussion of the facts on emphysema must include the main statement that emphysema belongs to the COPD (Chronic Obstructive Lung Disease) group of respiratory conditions.COPD disorders cause obstruction to the airways and make it difficult to properly exhale all the carbon dioxide in the lungs. Smoking is a main contributor and cause of COPD and emphysema in particular.

Other illnesses in the COPD group of respiratory problems are asthma and chronic bronchitis. These three conditions are seldom present in isolation of each other and therefore when one is present the other two are likely to be present as well. This is why they are grouped together and called Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease or COPD.

Emphysema causes damage to the air sacs in the lungs. The natural air sacs in the lungs are called alveoli. As emphysema sets in these sacs become larger and fewer in number. The tissue around them loses its elasticity so the sacs cannot expand and retract normally. This causes a decrease in the amount of oxygen and an increase in the levels of carbon dioxide in your blood.

Symptoms of emphysema are a chronic cough, a grayish-blue cast to the skin (from a lack of oxygen), fatigue, dizziness, finding it hard to catch your breath, and having difficulty breathing during any type of physical exercise. Often there is great discomfort when you eat (because it is hard to breathe with a full stomach), so gradually there is loss of appetite, weight loss and lack of energy. Unfortunately, because this condition progresses so slowly, by the time symptoms appear emphysema is usually already in an advanced stage.

By:

About the Author:

Beverly Hansen OMalley is a nurse who is passionate about health promotion. Visit www.registered-nurse-canada.com where Bev explores the uniqueness of the nursing profession in Canada including comparison of nurse salary across the country, preparation for the Canadian nursing entrance test and how to become a nurse in Canada if you graduated in another country.

Tired of Living in a COPD Treatment Torture Chamber? Why Just Barely Manage The Symptoms Of COPD When You Can Cure It Naturally?

10/31/2011 majac COPD

The fifth most common disease and the fourth leading cause of death all over the modern world, is chronic obstructive pulmonary disease or COPD. Besides being deadly, COPD disease can also be very debilitating.

Better than fifty percent of COPD patients say that they’re severely hampered in even performing such ordinary task like household chores, social activities, sleeping, anything requiring physical involvement such as sports, or even taking a walk.

I don’t want to focus on what is COPD, how you get it, or it’s dangers, but I would like to warn you not to listen to the uninformed opinions of persons who say it can’t be cured and it’s victims are destined to lead to a lifetime of dependence on oxygen therapy, inhalers, and corticosteroids. Let’s see, what else does modern medical science offer for a COPD treatment? Oh I almost forgot, lung surgery, and if your real lucky maybe a lung transplant.

Some lung treatment huh? My dear sir, we’ll try the surgery but what your probably going to need, is a new set of lungs! So there your name sits, at the bottom of a long list, waiting for some nice person to meet an untimely death. That’s the modern method of COPD treatment! Never fear, holistic medicine offers hope.

There are so many ways to naturally alleviate the symptoms of COPD even if you haven’t been able to stop smoking yet, and holistic remedies in many cases can cure this disease allowing you to gradually reduce your dependence on medications. I know a cure may sound like too much to ask, but it’s not, if you can distance yourself from whatever originally caused the disease, while taking advantage of several natural COPD cures at the same time.

To start with, the most convenient, least expensive, yet most powerful natural cure for COPD would have to be the elemental miracle, and why anyone with COPD who found out about it would neglect to immediately start reaping the benefits from it, is beyond me. Even though the elemental miracle is capable of eliminating this disease all by itself, the best plan of attack would be to use it simultaneously with the other natural remedies for COPD, listed in the following summary.

By:

About the Author:

Jay Geary is a retired organic horticultural consultant, who for over thirty years has dedicated most of his time and energy in the study and practice of holistic health and natural healing. Jay is currently the host of a website http:/www.TheElementalMiracle.com which details in depth, hundreds of holistic options for treating diseases such as COPD disease.

Leave a comment Cause Of Death, Inhalers, Untimely Death

Equine COPD (Horse Cough): Treating Horse COPD, Cough or Heaves

10/30/2011 majac COPD

What is COPD?

Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease or COPD is similar to human Asthma. It is an allergic reaction to dust causing obstruction to the air passages in the lungs of horses. It generally affects horses ages six and older, who are stabled, eat hay, and/or live in dusty areas.

Signs your horse may have COPD:

The first signs of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease are often quite mild. Here are some signs to look for:

Decreased performance (usually the first early sign)

Elevated resting respiratory rate

Taking a bit longer to recover after work

Sluggishness

Quitting when they normally wouldn’t

More pronounced signs that your horse may have COPD are:

Heaving

Frequent coughing

Work-induced cough

Breathing problems

Diagnosis of COPD

If you notice any of these signs, especially if your horse does not have a fever, he may have COPD. Sport and performance horses are extremely susceptible to lung disease-COPD, cough, heaves. Even seemingly healthy horses are frequently affected. Your veterinarian can usually confirm this with a chest exam, but may also scope your horse to see presence of mucus and infection. Once it’s confirmed that your horse has Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease, it’s time to take action.

By:

About the Author:

Article written by Michael Dowd – GreenMountainEquine.com –
“An equine nutrition consultant, Michael Dowd has a passion for helping horse owners treat & manage through simple, effective, natural methods. If you like Michael’s article and want to read real stories of how people are using natural breathing remedies on their horses, learn more about herbal treatments for equine COPD,

Leave a comment Asthma, Dusty Areas, Fever

Giving COPD Patients Something to Breathe Easier About

10/30/2011 majac COPD

As they say, quality of life is priceless. But for many people suffering from COPD, this can seem like a distant dream.

Short for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, we hear the term used on those television ads showing a middle aged man or woman looking for relief from their breathing difficulties. While some viewers who have seen these ads may not be aware of the disease and its devastating effects, those that suffer from its symptoms are all too familiar with the pain that it causes.

Often mistaken for other ailments such as asthma and acute bronchitis, COPD is an umbrella term for two diseases — chronic bronchitis and emphysema. Characterized by a persistent airflow limitation, the disease is the fourth largest killer in the United States, and affects over 16 million Americans. The main causes of COPD include smoking and long term exposure to lung irritants.

While more information is released on a regular basis about COPD, many of those patients suffering from its symptoms still aren’t aware of new treatment options available. From inhalers to steroids, most of the information available promotes preventive care or medications that manage the patient’s symptoms as the disease progresses. Because COPD is a progressive disease, reversal is not possible through conventional medicine.

By:

About the Author:

Rita Alexander is the founder and President of the International Stem Cell Institute. To find out more information about the benefits of stem cell therapy, visit http://www.iStemCelli.com

Leave a comment Acute Bronchitis, Chronic Bronchitis, Obstructive Pulmonary Disease

Yoga Breathing for COPD

10/30/2011 majac COPD

Great, you just got home from seeing the doctor for your annual visit. She said you’ve got COPD. What the heck is that? It means Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease. Huh?

Chronic- a medical condition that is long lasting, recurring

Obstructive- an obstruction or blockage of airflow from inflamed tissues

Pulmonary- lungs, air passages

Disease- an abnormal condition affecting the body, not at ease, dis-ease

The most common cause of COPD is the result of smoking. All my patients who are smokers ask me to tell the kids not to start. Look at me now. How cool do I look with tubes in my nose hauling around this stupid tank? Advanced COPD can even cause a bluish color to the skin and lips.

Long term oxygen therapy or even a lung transplant could be in your future. It is the fourth leading cause of death in the US. Fourth. That works out to about 131,000 people a year; nearly 360 people dying a day. If you have COPD, now is the time to make the choice to fight back, stop smoking, and regain some of the functions needed for the activities of daily living (ADL).

1.) Your body is full of muscles. When you exercise your muscles they get stronger. You even have muscles that make you breathe. The diaphragm, which is under your lungs and the intercostal muscles between your ribs is your breathing muscle. If you exercise your breathing muscles you will breathe better. The more able you are to breathe the more active you become and get more of your independence back in the process.

By:

About the Author:

Leave a comment Abnormal Condition, Inflamed Tissues, Obstructive Pulmonary Disease

How Does COPD Feel?

10/30/2011 majac COPD

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, or COPD, is a common result of long term smoking. If you smoke, just plan on getting COPD. It’s just one of the many choices smokers make unwittingly when they light up that pack of cigarettes during their routine day. Let me try to briefly explain what COPD is for those without a healthcare background. Essentially COPD, or emphysema, is the destruction of your little air sacs, known as alveoli. The airways also become rather loose and will constrict upon breathing out. This traps air in the lungs, which eventually leads to poorer gas exchange with the blood. So your lungs basically become less and less efficient at their job, which is to get the good air in and the bad air out.

This isn’t the COPD 101 definition, but it will do for our purposes today. So what are the symptoms of COPD? Lets list a few of them here.

1. Shortness of breath. That feeling where you just can’t seem to get enough air in and suffocation becomes a very real concern. No matter what you do, the breath just doesn’t seem deep enough nor does it come fast enough.

2. Chronic cough. You just get that little tickle in the back of your throat, so you cough and cough, hoping to get a some relief. Right when you think you’ve got it licked, it shows up again for another round. The cough never seems to go away for very long.

By:

About the Author:

There are several environmental factors which can cause COPD. Exposure to biomass fuels and indoor wood burning stoves, pollution and second-hand smoke are all known causes. But the largest risk factor for developing COPD is smoking. I don’t think anyone is surprised by this fact. COPD is the fourth largest health concern in the world, in terms of deaths per year. Sadly, it’s rate has not declined in the last decade like the top 3 have. Smoking cessation is the best way to limit the effects of COPD.
For more information on COPD symptoms and how to stop smoking, please visit our website at stopsmokinghelper.org.
Tim Frymyer is a licensed respiratory therapist who is dedicated to keeping the public up to date on the latest stop smoking information.

Leave a comment Cigarettes, Obstructive Pulmonary Disease, Routine Day

Eating Your Vegetables May Help Copd

10/30/2011 majac COPD

Everyone knows that eating a balanced diet with plenty of fresh fruits and vegetables is important to developing and maintaining a healthy lifestyle. But a study published by Johns Hopkins Medical School also shows that eating certain vegetables, broccoli in particular, is now linked to lung health in patients suffering from chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). How are the two connected?

The lungs contain several antioxidants to help defend against inflammation. Researchers studied the levels of NRF2-dependant antioxidants, as well as their regulators KEAP1 and DJ-1. The KEAP1 inhibits the NRF2 from working, while the DJ-1 regulates it. In the case of a patient with COPD, their NRF2 levels are significantly lower than that of a person with healthy lungs. The severity of COPD can be measured by how low their NRF2 levels are, which usually mean the KEAP1 levels are higher and DJ-1 levels are much lower than average.

The study found that naturally occurring substances found in broccoli can help keep NRF2 levels from disappearing or even increase them, which in turns helps prevent their COPD from becoming too severe. By increasing these levels in the lungs, some researchers believe that this also can restore detoxifying enzymes to the lungs, which help counteract the harmful effects of cigarette smoke. COPD is a disease that results from years of cigarette smoking.

If you are suffering from COPD and don’t have a healthy diet, now is a great time to start. Be sure to work closely with your doctor because of your limitations. There’s never a bad time to lose weight, and quick weight loss, when done safely, is a great way to keep you motivated. Just remember to eat a sensible diet with plenty of broccoli, and if hunger is a problem for you consider using a natural appetite supplement like hoodia to help curb cravings. The goal is not starvation, but to help improve your condition you will need to make some changes to see results.

By:

About the Author:

Susan Patterson has been studying alternative medicine and health for over 10 years. She loves to write to help others, especially in the area of quick weight loss, which can be accomplished safely. She has found several herbal remedies to be effective in her journey to better health without the side effects that medications cause. She is particularly passionate about hoodia for weight loss. Other interests include exercise, yoga and meditation.

Leave a comment Fruits Vegetables, Healthy Lungs, Lung Health

Expect to get COPD if you Smoke

10/29/2011 majac COPD

Many people think that smoking won’t effect them the way they see it affect others. Most of the younger people who smoke feel a certain invincibility. Why shouldn’t they, they’ve been told the world is at their feet and they can accomplish anything. Sadly though, many start smoking very casually at first and then it just becomes a natural extension of their cult o’ personality.

Many older people who smoke will tell you that it was the biggest mistake they ever made. I’ve often had patients tell me they wished they had never started the habit. Of course, this is some 30-40 years later when their sense of invincibility is not quite as strong.

That’s the thing about smoking, it’s kind of like that tortoise in the race with the rabbit. It just slowly plods along until it wears you out. Before you realize it, you need a pack of cigarettes each day to get that same feeling or buzz. Then before you realize it, you need a cigarette to deal with the stresses of the day. Finally, you start noticing chest pains or shortness of breath or a cough that just won’t go away. But by this time, smoking has essentially won the race.

By:

About the Author:

If someone needs stop smoking help, they should go to a trusted source. We offer information on all the stop smoking aids, as well as provide a nicotine addiction quiz to help you determine which stop smoking aid might work best for you. Included on our site is a very simple stop smoking plan that anyone can use. Products are available either directly or through our advertisers. We want to be your one stop shop to stopping smoking.
Saving money and avoiding diseases like COPD are just a few of the stop smoking benefits you’ll enjoy. There are a ton more listed on our website. We even post a list of 66 diseases you can potentially avoid simply by quitting smoking. So visit us and take a look around. You’ll be amazed at what you’ll learn.
Tim Frymyer is a licensed respiratory therapist who is dedicated to keeping the public up-to-date on the latest stop smoking information.

Leave a comment Chest Pains, Habit, Many People

Golfing with COPD (Pulmonary Disease)

10/29/2011 majac COPD

As if playing golf isn’t tough enough, imagine playing when you can’t breathe that well. That’s what people with COPD or Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease must face, but that shouldn’t deter their love for the game.

COPD, according to the Mayo Clinic, is the overall term for a group of chronic lung conditions that obstruct the airways in your lungs. The two most common are chronic bronchitis and emphysema, but it can also refer to damage caused by asthmatic bronchitis. Regardless of the condition, all forms of COPD result in a blockage within the tubes and air sacs that make up your lungs. This hinders your ability to exhale properly, trapping air in your lungs and making it difficult to breathe normally.

Cigarette smoking is the leading cause of COPD, while long term exposure to other lung irritants, such as dust, chemical fumes, and air pollution, may also contribute to the condition.

Often times, people with pulmonary disease will need supplemental oxygen to help keep the oxygen saturation in the blood at adequate levels. Portable units allow for freedom of movement outside the home and while working in the garden or playing golf. These are stored in backpacks that can be worn on the back during a round of golf, for example.

A key concern that needs to be addressed for golfers with COPD is how much oxygen they will need during their round of golf. It’s imperative that you discuss this with your physician before getting back out on the links.

One of the determinants is whether the need is for continuous flow of oxygen or a pulse dose of oxygen. Pulse dose results in a cylinder of oxygen lasting longer since oxygen is being dispensed only when the individual breathes in. The amount of oxygen dispensed, usually measured in liters/minute, for either delivery method is also a factor in determining oxygen requirements.

By:

About the Author:

Golf, golf fitness, COPD, golfing with COPD, golf fitness instructor, golfers with COPD
Bob Forman has a Master’s degree in Exercise Science and is a Certified Golf Fitness Instructor through the Titleist Performance Institute. He is the owner of GolFIT Carolina, located in Greensboro, NC, and establishes golf fitness programs in North and South Carolina.

Leave a comment Obstructive Pulmonary Disease, Oxygen Requirements, Oxygen Saturation

What Are The End Stage COPD Symptoms

10/29/2011 majac COPD

COPD is the condition or disease when the patient experience obstruction of airways. This results to difficulty in breathing and other symptoms that come with this disease. the problem with COPD is it’s a condition that lasts for a lifetime. Since it lasts for a long time, a number of patients are just dealing with end stage COPD symptoms as they age. typically, it can be difficult for people to know if they’re already experiencing some end stage symptoms of COPD but there are still some indications that may describe it. with COPD, people will experience difficulty in breathing and result being deprived of its needed supply. Without the right oxygen supply, patients will feel they’re weaker and even keep themselves from doing as much work as possible.

The feeling of weakness would cause them to just stay on bed or at home where they can rest. Even simple household chores without strenuous lifting may be too much for them. these chores include dishwashing, washing their clothes and even bringing themselves to the bathroom would take a lot of their small amount of energy. The problem with generalized weakness as among the end stage COPD symptoms is it will cause people to choose resting instead of eating. As the disease progress, people would provide assistance to COPD patients in making them more comfortable. Providing oxygen through tanks and equipment may be prescribed by physicians to give them more comfort than he usual.

In the process, patients with COPD would just end up being bedridden in the end. Simple activities will cause them to be short of breath and do lots of effort in order to grasp air. Confusion is also among the end stage COPD symptoms. oxygen is needed in the brain in order for its processes to work properly so the lack of it would cause people to be confused and less focus. It’s very simple for people to be frustrated and irritated at this point so physicians may need to prescribe anti-anxiety treatments. The patient may be needed to be on ventilation tubes to get relief from difficulty breathing and getting the right oxygen supply.

By:

About the Author:

Want to know more about end stage COPD symptoms? Visit Michael Harrah’s site at http://www.copdsymptoms.net/ now to learn more exciting information.

Leave a comment Anxiety Treatments, Difficulty In Breathing, Supply Patients

COPD Symptoms and Conditions

10/29/2011 majac COPD

COPD is the short form for Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease. The disease gets worse as time passes, in other words it is a progressive disease. Those who have this disease will find it difficult to breathe.

Among the top causes of this disease is cigarette smoking. Another leading cause this disease is exposing one’s lungs to different types of irritants including air pollution, chemical fumes, and dust.

Any disease that affects the lungs can cause COPD symptoms. Pursed lip breathing, cyanosis, barrel chest, and productive cough are some of these symptoms.

Cyanosis is a condition in which in which one’s nailbeds, lips, and skin get a bluish tingle. The reason for this is poor oxygen supply.

By:

About the Author:

Leave a comment Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease, Lungs, Obstructive Pulmonary Disease

« 1 … 185 186 187 188 »