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Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, commonly called COPD, can be a demanding illness to manage, both for patients and for caregivers. Many people living with COPD find that everyday tasks&mdash;like going up and down stairs, cleaning, or running errands&mdash;become difficult. Treatment for COPD often involves a combination of medications, pulmonary rehabilitation, lifestyle changes and follow-up appointments. Patients and caregivers must also keep track of symptoms and learn to recognize the warning signs of a COPD exacerbation, a worsening of symptoms that requires medical treatment.

While this may all seem overwhelming, there are resources available to help patients with COPD and caregivers of patients with COPD. Below are a few places to find information and support.

<a href="https://www.lung.org/" target="_blank">American Lung Association</a> 
The website of the American Lung Association is a great starting point for learning about any form of lung disease, including <a href="https://www.lung.org/lung-health-and-diseases/lung-disease-lookup/copd/" target="_blank">COPD</a>, with pages of information on the disease, diagnosis, treatment and life with COPD. They also offer a helpline that connects patients and caregivers with a staff of registered nurses and respiratory therapists who can answer questions on all topics related to COPD, including smoking cessation. You&rsquo;ll also find a number of options for peer support, including online support groups and in-person support groups that meet locally.

<a href="https://www.copdfoundation.org/" target="_blank">COPD Foundation</a> 
This not-for-profit organization is dedicated to improving the lives of people with COPD through research, improving access to treatment and building a community of patients, caregivers, healthcare providers and researchers. Anyone looking to connect with other people whose lives have been impacted by COPD should look into the online community COPD360social. The website also offers a helpline and a number of useful education pages, covering topics such as traveling with COPD, transitioning from hospital to home and pulmonary rehabilitation. They even offer a music program, <a href="https://www.copdfoundation.org/Learn-More/I-am-a-Person-with-COPD/Harmonicas-for-Health.aspx" target="_blank">Harmonicas for Health</a>.

<a href="https://www.caregiver.org/" target="_blank">Family Caregiver Alliance</a> 
The FCA is a community-based non-profit that supports caregivers who are providing long-term care for friends and family members with chronic diseases. While the website does not offer information specifically related to COPD, it does offer education about caregiving strategies and challenges, plus webinars and the <a href="https://www.caregiver.org/family-care-navigator" target="_blank">Family Care Navigator</a>, a state-by-state index of services related to long-term care.

<a href="https://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health-topics/copd" target="_blank">National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute</a> 
NHLBI is an excellent resource for learning about many different health conditions, and their page on COPD offers simple, straightforward information that covers all the basics of the disease, as well as information on clinical trials.

<a href="https://smokefree.gov/" target="_blank">smokefree.gov</a> 
Smoking is the leading cause of COPD. Even patients who have already been diagnosed with COPD can benefit from quitting smoking, since quitting has been shown to slow the progression of the disease. Smokefree.gov offers a number of resources, strategies and approaches to help people quit smoking.

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Hi, I'm Dr. Doria Longlespie. If you have both COPD and allergies, you make get a double whammy ofwhizzing and other symptoms. According to a recent study allergies really do worsens COPD symptoms such as whizzing and coughing. Allergies also sends COPD patients to the doctors office more often than folks with COPD who don't suffer from allergies. 

Just as with COPD there is no cure for allergies, but having COPD makes it all the more important to treat allergies and avoid allergy triggers. So whether you are allergic pollen in the air or to your hacks dander the diligent about managing your allergies. Take allergy medications if your doctor prescribes them, and look for ways to minimize as your allergy triggers without giving up the activities that you love. 

Don't forget that it's important to manage your COPD as well. I'm Dr. Doria. For more ways to breathe better, check out all our Smart Tips. 
  

Don't Let Allergy Symptoms Make COPD Worse

Exercising and asthma is dependent on what type of asthma you have. Almost all asthmatics can exercise, but for individuals who have exercise induced asthma, the fact of exercising can bring on their symptoms. We think this is because there has been a sudden change in the temperature of the airways when people start exercising they can cause their airways to restrict. 

Often times what patients report is that when they begin exercising they become very short of breath and have to stop, for patients with exercise that induced asthma the best treatment is to take an albuterol inhaler two puffs 15 minutes prior to exercise and to do a prolonged warm up. 

This will prime your airways so that they'll be ready for the change in temperature and will permit you to exercise the entire time. For individuals who don't have exercise induced asthma, often times they'll report that their breathing feels better during exercise. We think this is because there's an adrenaline release during exercise that also helps open up the airways and make breathing easier. 

  

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Lung health