4 Min Read
Asthma and COPD (Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease) both are lung diseases that cause airway swelling and make breathing hard. Something that causes an allergic reaction to an individual, like moulds, dust or pollen, triggers asthma. In contrast, COPD is a common name for many lung disorders like emphysema, a condition with damaged air sacs in the lungs and chronic bronchitis, a disease with recurring bouts of cough.
Asthma can improve, and a patient may stay symptom-free for an extended period with no progression of disease rather improvement in frequency and intensity of exacerbation. Whereas, in COPD, symptoms can be controlled with delay in progression of disease if on regular treatment.
What is COPD?
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease or COPD is globally the third leading cause of death.
COPD is an irreversible lung disorder in which chronic inflammation damages the lungs with constant deterioration. The common symptoms are severe cough with progressive worsening of breathlessness.
COPD Symptoms
The common symptoms of COPD are:
-
Shortness of breath
-
Excessive coughing that may or may not be with mucus.
-
Continous tiredness.
-
Constant deterioration of lungs and conditions associated with it.
The symptoms of COPD may worsen over time and need supervision by a doctor to manage the condition and its symptoms.
COPD Causes
-
Smoking
Smoking is the leading cause of COPD. It impacts not just the smokers albeit also affects passive smokers. Children are also vulnerable to COPD later in life because of active or passive smoking exposure.
-
Air Pollution / outdoor exposure like chulha burning
The presence of toxic components in our atmosphere is a cause of respiratory problems, including COPD. Individuals are exposed to these toxic elements inadvertently.
-
Birth Defects
Children born with respiratory issues during birth or a lung problem while growing up are prone to COPD.
-
Harmful Chemicals
Factory workers and others exposed to hazardous chemicals and fumes are prone to COPD.
-
Genetics
Our genes also play an important role as people with a family history of COPD are prone to the disease.
How is Asthma different from COPD?
Asthma and COPD are severe respiratory diseases with similar symptoms like shortness of breath, tiredness and chest congestion. However, COPD is an progressive illness that occurs mainly after 40 years of age, whereas asthma is the body's response to allergic substances and can happen in children also. Both can be managed effectively with medications. Visit Manipal Hospitals to know more about COPD Treatment in Gurgaon.
Treatment of Asthma
Doctors manage asthma with several lifestyle and treatment options. Some of them are:
-
Relaxing Muscles
Doctors prescribe medications to relax muscles surrounding the airways to allow improved movement of air and mucus. These are SOS medicines that help to relieve asthma symptoms.
-
Reduce Inflammation
Doctors prescribe drugs to lessen swelling and mucus in your airways, helping patients to breathe easier. Doctors recommend such medicines for regular use to manage symptoms of asthma.
-
Biological Therapy
Some patients stop showing improvement with regular medications. Biological therapy targets different molecules in the body to provide relief. It is administered under expert medical guidance only.
Diagnosis of COPD
The patient's lifestyle, smoking history, and regular respiratory checkups like pulmonary function, X-rays, CT Scan with exclusion of other causes , confirms diagnoses of COPD.
Treatment of COPD
Early medical intervention is the key to managing COPD. Being a progressive disease, COPD may become irreversible with time if not treated adequately. Doctors use a treatment plan as per the patient's situation. Some of the treatment options are:
-
Medications to manage symptoms
-
Oxygen therapy for short and long-term relief in advance Cases.
-
Lung surgery may be helpful in some cases.
Asthma & COPD Lifestyle Modifications
Here are the top lifestyle modifications to manage COPD and asthma.
-
Stop Smoking
Quitting smoking is the most critical step in managing COPD. Quitting smoking has proven to increase survival rates and improve the condition.
-
Maintain Hygiene
Wash your hands regularly and maintain good hygiene, including wearing masks in public places to reduce the risk of infections and flaring up of symptoms.
-
Improve Nutrition
Being overweight makes breathing difficult, and eating proper nutrition strengthens the body to fight infections.
-
Create an Emergency Protocol
Understand the nearest emergency place you can reach, keep the number of your doctor handy and ensure your loved ones know the emergency protocol as mentioned by your doctor.
-
Moderate Exercise
Moderate exercises improve physical condition and may also improve breathing capacity, gradually relieving shortness of breath.
-
Seek Help
Reach out for help from the Best Pulmonologist in Gurgaon and seek assistance from the best respiratory hospital in Gurgaon for treatment.
While Asthma / COPD are major prevalent diseases especially in our country, Manipal Hospitals, Gurugram has India's leading pulmonologists who collaborate with other departments to offer a world-class respiratory critical care unit to manage COPD and asthma. Visit the best pulmonology treatment doctor in Gurugram to know more about the treatment. To book an appointment, call 0124-616-5666.
