Nearly 1 out of every 20 patients has COPD. Spend time this November raising awareness for COPD!
By Dr. Ruchit Rana
November marks COPD (Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease) Awareness Month. COPD is a persistent lung condition that obstructs airways, making breathing difficult. Symptoms often include shortness of breath, chronic cough, and frequent respiratory infections. Nearly 1 out of every 20 adults in the USA has COPD. It is the 4th leading cause of death in this country.
How does COPD develop?
Smoking is the leading cause of COPD. The harmful chemicals in tobacco smoke damage lung tissue and contribute to chronic inflammation, narrowing airways, and making breathing increasingly difficult. Genetic factors and environmental factors may play a role for some people, but smoking remains the most important risk factor for COPD.
It can take a village to fully manage COPD.
Though COPD is a chronic illness, proactive care from multiple healthcare disciplines can greatly improve quality and longevity of life
- Primary care physicians can help you quit smoking and ensure you receive vaccinations against respiratory illnesses- notably influenza, COVID, pneumococcus, and RSV (respiratory syncytial virus)- that may cause serious pneumonia and complications.
- Pulmonologists can help ensure you’re on appropriate breathing treatments as well as specialized medications that may offer even more relief for severe COPD.
- Pulmonary rehabilitation (think “physical therapy for the lungs”) can greatly reduce symptoms and exacerbations of COPD as well.
- Since some patients with COPD also have asthma, allergists often assist with environmental allergy testing to minimize asthma triggers.
If you or a family member suffers from COPD, contact your healthcare team to take control of your breathing!
Dr. Ruchit Rana is a board-certified allergist and immunologist at Jackson Allergy and Asthma Clinic, specializing in asthma, allergic rhinitis, eczema, and food allergy in both pediatric and adult patients. His clinic is located at 151 Harmony Park Circle in Hot Springs. To schedule an appointment, call 501-623-1311.
