COPD warning signs and COPD symptoms are easy to spot and are used to predict the COPD treatment that is required to help relieve the discomfort of the patient. Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease can be successfully managed once the disease itself has been diagnosed. Failure to diagnose the COPD can be a life-threatening problem.

COPD Warning Signs and Symptoms:

  • Increased coughing
  • Increased thickness to the sputum
  • Change in the color from yellow or green to brown with blood streaks
  • Shortness of breath
  • Increased coughing with wheezing
  • Feeling fatigued and fever
  • Swelling ankles
  • Slurred speech and sleepiness
  • Confusion or forgetfulness
  • Increased weight
  • No sex drive
  • Headaches and dizzy spells

Most people know when their breathing has changed or become worse. Monitoring oneself for the early signs is an important part of intervention. Care is considered essential because early intervention can prevent lung damage. If these signs are present it is important for the person to go to his or her doctor for a complete diagnosis and assistance with a health care plan. Careful monitoring can be required as well if the symptoms are bad enough.

COPD Important Points:

It is essential to also note that a sudden worsening of symptoms can mean that the condition should be reevaluated. COPD varies from person to person and requires a very personal care plan for the disease to have proper supervision. What works for one person is not always guaranteed to work for another. Personal medical care is essential.

In some cases an intervention is necessary when the symptoms become life-threatening. Spotting those symptoms can save the patient’s life and protect the health of the lungs. In some cases emergency room visits may be required. Here are some of the signs that indicate it’s time to go to the emergency room immediately when they accompany a severe cough and/or wheezing.

  • Feeling weak
  • Feeling abnormally tired
  • Not waking up easily
  • Inability to speak in complete sentences
  • Blood in the sputum
  • Shaking or chills with fever

Things That Exacerbate COPD Symptoms:

There are things that make it worse and can make the patient deathly ill. These things and situations should be avoided at all costs. Everyone can help the patient by ensuring that none of these issues affect their health. When these things are avoided, the patient can get better with proper medical treatment.

  • Smoking
  • Cough suppressants
  • Nasal sprays
  • Increased oxygen

Waiting longer than twenty-four hours to see a doctor when the above emergency signs are present can cause the patient to experience permanent lung damage and possibly even death. It is imperative that these things be taken seriously in order for the patient to get better and manage their COPD effectively. When proper care is taken, the patient can be helped and the symptoms of COPD can be reduced and even eliminated. It is not something to mess around with in anyone’s health. Once symptoms begin, it is vital that a doctor be consulted for further help. The consequences for failing to monitor COPD symptoms are damage to the lungs, shortening of the person’s life, and possibly even death.