Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) is a progressive illness which makes it very difficult for the sufferer to breathe. Over time, the disease worsens, and may damage the lungs. Many individuals with advanced stages of COPD use oxygen treatments to keep their oxygen levels healthy.

The cause of COPD is known to be in relation to lung irritants. Smoking cigarettes, second hand smoke from cigarettes, and other lung irritants can cause this inflammation. It is often linked to emphysema or bronchitis and appears most commonly in seniors, although anybody can have COPD.

Before being diagnosed with the disease, doctors will check you for symptoms and signs that it is present in your system. This means determining what are the signs of COPD is extremely important.

Physical Symptoms:

Before you ever see a doctor for the disease, you are likely to notice some of these at home on your own. Many who suffer will feel shortness of breath, and find it difficult to take deep breaths, especially after exercise. Overtime, a cough may develop. This can result into coughing fits, which make it difficult to sleep or breathe following an episode. COPD patients also find It difficult to sleep properly because the airways are not allowing enough airflow for getting a proper rest. Even if you do fall asleep, your body may wake you up in distress if breathing becomes too difficult.

Other symptoms include wheezing; this will become more pronounced during physical exertion, such as climbing stairs or jogging. Many with COPD find it increasingly difficult to exercise as time goes on. Headaches in the morning are also common because of the low oxygen levels in the system. As the day progresses these headaches may subside.

Psychological Symptoms:

So, now that you know what you might experience physically, you might be wondering what are the signs of COPD in terms of psychology. Any disease which takes a toll on your body will eventually take a toll on your mind as well. Patients suffering from this disorder often have increased levels of stress and anxiety. This comes from the knowledge that breathing is so difficult and can worsen at any time. Feeling like you can't breathe can cause panic, which in turn, increases the breathing difficulty.

Low energy and low appetite can be caused both mentally and physically. Low energy can occur due to the inability to eat proper meals or inhale enough oxygen to carry on during physically taxing activities. COPD can cause patients to become overwhelmed and sometimes depressed about the condition, which can decrease their appetite. Many COPD patients will also have difficult eating because breathing and eating don't work well together. This causes many sufferers to lose extreme amounts of weight quite quickly.

Seeking COPD Treatment:

If you are asking, "what are the signs of copd?" and find yourself checking off the above mentioned symptoms as you read them, then you should seek medical attention quickly. Your doctor will be able to run tests and diagnose you properly. If COPD is the problem, there are many treatments now available which can improve your breathing and control some symptoms.