Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease is shortly known as COPD. Breathlessness is one of the most challenging symptoms of COPD. This disease can interfere with daily life, but good and effective ways exist to manage and reduce breathlessness. This blog will explore how we can improve your quality of life if you have chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.
What is COPD?
COPD is a type of lung condition that disturbs airflow, making it difficult to breathe. This lung condition includes two main problems: chronic bronchitis and emphysema. To prevent this in advance, get a consult from a pulmonology specialist in Coimbatore. The main cause of COPD is breathlessness. This breathlessness happens because airflow in and out of the lungs is blocked. Emphysema damages the tiny air sacs in the lungs, which are called alveoli. These sacs are responsible for passing oxygen into the blood. When these sacs are damaged, the oxygen supply will be reduced, which leads to breathlessness.
What are the COPD signs and symptoms related to breathlessness?
There are many symptoms in COPD, but the symptoms related to breathlessness are:
- Shortness of Breath
- Increased Effort to Breathe
- Wheezing
- Chest Tightness
- Frequent Exacerbations of Breathlessness
These symptoms worsen the disease. If you notice any of these symptoms, Get the best copd treatment in Coimbatore for better results.
What are the types of COPD that cause breathlessness?
The two main types of COPD are,
Emphysema: In this condition, the walls of the tiny air sacs in the lungs are destroyed. This reduces the surface area available for the exchange of oxygen, making it harder to get enough oxygen into the blood.
Chronic Bronchitis: It involves inflammation and narrowing of the bronchial tube, leads to mucus buildup, and causes breathing issues that result in breathlessness.
What are the causes of breathlessness in COPD?
An obstruction of airflow in the lung causes breathlessness or dyspnea in COPD. The two causes of COPD are:
Airway Narrowing: The two conditions that cause airway narrowing are inflammation and mucus block. It happens due to structural changes in the bronchial tubes caused by irritants like cigarette smoke or air pollutants. During physical activities, the blockage in the nose causes breathlessness.
Lung Damage: In COPD, lung disease damage causes breathlessness by impairing the lungs’s ability to exchange oxygen and remove carbon dioxide. The loss of elasticity in the lungs leads to air trapping, where polluted air remains in the lungs, preventing the entry of fresh air during the next breath. This causes a sensation of breathlessness. Over time, the lung makes normal breathing difficult.
What are the breathing techniques that help with breathlessness in COPD?
Pursed-Lip Breathing
This method works by slowing down your breathing, keeping your airways open longer, and improving oxygen exchange in the lungs. This is a simple and effective method to control breathlessness in COPD. This method is particularly helpful during activities that cause shortness of breath, like climbing stairs or walking. This technique reduces the trapping of polluted air in the lungs. This type of breathing can be practiced by
- Sit in a comfortable position to relax your shoulders.
- Breathe slowly through your nose for 20 seconds, and let your stomach rise as you take air in.
- Purse your lips, like blowing out a candle.
- Exhale slowly through your pursed lips. Exhale the loner that you inhaled.
Diaphragmatic Breathing
This technique, also called belly breathing, helps people with COPD breathe more efficiently and reduce breathlessness. It focuses on strengthening the diaphragm, the main muscle that is used for breathing. Ways to practice diaphragmatic breathing include,
- Sit or lie down in a comfortable position and relax your shoulders.
- Place one hand on your chest and another on your belly.
- Breathe deeply through your nose, allowing your belly to rise as air fills your lungs. When the hand on your belly moves. The hand on the chest should remain there.
- Exhale slowly through your mouth to make your belly fall. Keep your chest still and focus on the abdomen movement.
Coordinated Breathing
This type focuses on matching your breath rate with your movements, making tasks like walking, climbing stairs, or lifting objects easier. Here are some methods to practice coordinated breathing
Inhale before effort: Before starting the activity, breathe deeply through your nose. For example, take a breath before you lift something.
Exhale before effort: Breathe out slowly through your mouth while doing the activity. For example, exhale as you lift an object or push open a door.
Huff Coughing
This technique is simple to follow and helps people with COPD to clear the mucus from their lungs. Huff coughing makes it easier to breathe and reduces the feelings of breathlessness. When compared to normal coughing, huff coughing is gentle and doesn’t irritate airways as much.
Paced Breathing
Paced breathing is an effective technique for managing breathlessness, particularly in individuals with COPD. It involves coordinating breathing with physical activity to conserve energy and improve oxygen delivery. It controls the flow of inhalation and exhalation, and it helps individuals maintain better control over their breathing patterns.
To make these techniques more effective, lifestyle adjustments are also needed. Adjusting life habits like smoking because smoking side effects can worsen breathlessness.
Conclusion
Living with COPD can be challenging, but managing breathlessness can be easy if the given techniques are followed. The right technique and lifestyle adjustments can improve the quality of life. Understanding the causes and symptoms of COPD is the first step to controlling it. It’s important to seek medical advice and start treatment in advance to avoid further complications.