Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease

This video shows how to prime your inhaler.

This video shows how to use a dry-powder diskus inhaler.

This video shows how to use a dry-powder twist inhaler.

This video shows how to use a nebulizer.

This video shows how to use a metered-dose steroid inhaler with the open mouth technique.

This video shows how to use an inhaler without a spacer (closed-mouth method).

This video shows the steps for using an inhaler.

This video shows how to use an inhaler without a spacer (open-mouth method).

Watch this to understand what COPD is, how COPD affects the lungs, and the importance of taking your medications and working with your healthcare team to develop a treatment plan.

This is a disease of the lungs. It usually involves two lung conditions: emphysema and chronic bronchitis. COPD makes breathing difficult. It can interfere with your ability to be active. This disease gets worse over time, but it can be managed.

Watch this to help you understand what happens when you have a COPD flare-up, and what you can do if you have one.

Learn some common techniques that may help you quit smoking - a habit that is the most common cause of COPD.

You have chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (we say "COPD"). It can make you feel stressed and anxious about the future. This can lead to depression. So let's look at some ways to relax and lower your stress.

If you've been diagnosed with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, you may be facing some new challenges. But you can live a full life with COPD. You just have to take steps to manage your condition properly.

If you have a lung condition such as asthma or COPD, your doctor may decide to treat you with a medicine that you breathe into your lungs. You will inhale it with either a nebulizer or an inhaler device. These devices have some important differences.

A metered-dose inhaler sends medicine to the airways in your lungs. You must use the inhaler the right way for it to work. This video shows you how to use one with a spacer.

A metered-dose inhaler sends medicine to the airways in your lungs. You must use the inhaler the right way for it to work. This video shows you how to use one with a spacer and a mask.

A metered-dose inhaler sends medicine to the airways in your lungs. You must use the inhaler the right way for it to work. This video shows you how.

Watch this to get an introduction into the different type of oxygen therapy devices.

Watch this to help understand why you might be prescribed oxygen therapy, and how it might help you in your daily life.

A peak flow meter is a handheld device that measures how well your lungs are working. It shows how fast you can push air out of your lungs when you exhale. This measurement can be useful for asthma patients. It can help you decide how to treat your asthma symptoms. It can help you recognize when it's time to seek medical advice.

This clip helps you to learn about Bronchial Hygiene techniques and how they help remove mucus from your lungs letting you breathe easier.

This clip will help you to understand that being at a healthy weight, and what you eat and how you eat affects how you feel with COPD.

Watching this will help you to understand that daily physical activity is very important when you have COPD.

This clip will help you to understand that it is important to find ways to conserve energy throughout the day when you have COPD.

This clip will help you understand that when you have COPD, joining a pulmonary rehabilitation program can help you to do more in your daily life.

Watch this clip to help understand ways to help cope with depression and other negative emotions when living with COPD.

This video is a patient story about Marilyn, who has COPD.

This video is a patient story about Michael, who has COPD.

Over 30 million Americans live with COPD, or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. Learn about the causes, symptoms, and treatment of COPD from pulmonary specialists and patients living with the disease.

Living a healthy life with COPD requires attention to medication, exercise, and other healthy habits. Pulmonary specialists explain how controlling air quality, avoiding infection, and smoking cessation are critical to keeping lungs healthy.

Learn to recognizing trouble signs and COPD triggers from patients living with COPD and pulmonary doctors.

Pulmonary rehabilitation, or rehab, is a program that helps you learn how to care for COPD. Find out more about how it can help you breathe better and manage both the physical and emotional stresses of COPD.

You have chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. We say "COPD." One of the ways we manage it is with an "incentive spirometer." It's a simple device that exercises your lungs. Let's see how it works.

When someone you love has chronic lung disease, such as COPD, it can change both of your lives. As a caregiver, you may have to support your loved one in new ways.

For someone with chronic lung disease, visits with the healthcare provider are key for good health. Encourage your loved one to take the lead in their care. Then give them support as needed. Read on to learn how you can help.

Coping with the physical limitations of chronic lung disease can be a challenge for both your loved one and you. But you can each take steps to simplify your daily routine.

If you have a chronic lung disease, you may have trouble sleeping. Here are some tips to help you sleep better.

When you have COPD, you may have a cough that won't go away. This is called a chronic cough.

When you have COPD, you may have extra mucus. COPD harms your airways, and they make more mucus than normal. The mucus builds up.

When you have COPD, it is common to have wheezing or chest tightness. Wheezing is a whistling or squeaking sound when you breathe. Chest tightness may feel like it is hard to take a deep breath.

When you have COPD, it is common to feel tired. This is known as fatigue.

During this surgery, the surgeon removes the damaged part of the lung. This allows the rest of the lung to work better.

COPD doesn't cause diabetes, but it can make it more difficult to control the symptoms of diabetes.

People who have A1AD have low levels of a protein called alpha-1 antitrypsin in their blood. This protein is made in the liver. Not having enough of the protein in your blood can lead to COPD.

If you have COPD, you may also have asthma. A disease called asthma-COPD overlap includes parts of both conditions. Read on for details about symptoms, treatment, and self-care tips.

You may have chronic bronchitis if you cough up mucus and feel short of breath for at least 3 months each year, for 2 or more years in a row. Read on to learn more.

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a group of diseases that limit the flow of air into and out of the lungs. COPD includes chronic bronchitis and emphysema, most often caused by heavy, long-time cigarette smoking. It can also include chronic asthma.

When you have COPD, you're more likely to develop a lung infection (pneumonia) with a cold or the flu. To stay healthier, avoid contact with germs. Get prompt treatment at the first sign of illness.

Emphysema is a type of lung disease. It limits the movement of air into and out of your lungs, making it harder to breathe.

You can do many things to help control COPD. Sticking to your treatment plan may not always be easy, but feeling your best depends on it. Read on for some pulmonary rehab programs, support groups, and other resources that can help you.

To reduce the chances of fire and other hazards, you need to follow guidelines when using your oxygen unit.

When you have chronic lung disease, exercise is an important part of your treatment. Read on for helpful tips to get you started safely.

Smoking damages your lungs and makes it harder to breathe. Read on for helpful tips and information on quitting.

Stress and anxiety can make breathing harder. When it's hard to breathe, it's natural to get anxious and start to panic. This makes you even more short of breath. This sequence is known as the dyspnea cycle, and it's common among people with COPD. The good news is, you have the power to break the cycle.

Bronchodilators are medicines that help open the bronchial tubes (airways) of the lungs. This allows more air to flow through them. Bronchodilators work by relaxing the smooth muscles that line the airways. This makes the airways open wider and allows air to leave the lungs.

You have been diagnosed with chronic bronchitis. Here is how you can take care of yourself at home.

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a name given to a group of diseases that limit the flow of air in and out of your lungs. Here are suggestions for home care and pulmonary rehab.

Here is home care information for after you're diagnosed with emphysema.

Pursed-lip breathing can help you get more oxygen into your lungs when you're short of breath. Learn how and when to do it.

Using oxygen doesn't mean you can't travel. You just need to plan ahead. Read on for helpful tips to get you started.

Your healthcare provider has prescribed oxygen. This can help make breathing easier. Here are some tips for safely using oxygen at home.

Some COPD medicines are taken using a device called an inhaler. The inhaler helps you take a measured dose of medicine into your lungs. Not all inhalers work the same way. Have your healthcare provider show you how to use and care for the type of inhaler you're given.

Your healthcare provider will use your past health history, a physical exam, and certain tests to diagnose COPD.

Your COPD treatment plan will likely include several forms of treatment. These are based on your symptoms and the underlying cause of your COPD.

Surgery is a choice for a small number of people with severe COPD. Here's a look at the different options.

Being close to someone with chronic lung disease will likely mean some changes in your life. As your loved one copes with chronic lung disease, you may be asked to be a helper, caregiver, or source of support.

You probably can't avoid all irritants all the time. But you'll most likely breathe better if you stay away from the substances that bother you.

When you have chronic lung disease, it's normal to have good days and bad days. Make sure to take care of yourself emotionally as well as physically. You can take steps to feel more in control of your health and your situation. Read on to learn more.

Good nutrition helps keep you healthy. Your weight and the foods you eat relate directly to how much energy you have. But shortness of breath during meals can keep you from getting the nutrition your body needs.

Being underweight can limit your energy. This makes it harder to be active and makes you more likely to get an infection. And being overweight can increase shortness of breath. So you should try to stay at a healthy weight. Read on for helpful tips.

This sheet will help you keep track of the COPD medicines you need, and when to take them. Bring it with you to your next office visit. Ask your healthcare provider to help you complete it.

Supplemental oxygen helps to ease your symptoms and prevent future problems. It gets more oxygen to your blood if tests show that it is needed.

Chronic lung disease shouldn't stop you from traveling, visiting family and friends, and enjoying yourself—even if you use oxygen. Here are some helpful travel tips.

Make copies of this chart to track your progress. During the week, fill in the activities you do each day.

Endurance exercises help condition your muscles. This helps increase what you are able to do. These are aerobic exercises, meaning they help your body use oxygen better.

Increasing your flexibility helps prevent joint stiffness, improves balance and posture, and makes moving easier. Here are some stretches to try.

Try these helpful, step-by-step exercises for greater muscle strength.

Think about what you can do to make exercise a way of life. How can you work it into your daily routine? How can you make it more enjoyable? Here are some ideas to get you started.

Before you start exercising, the pulmonary rehab team will assess your needs. If you have joint pain or any other health problems, be sure to discuss them with the team.

After you have met with your healthcare provider and set up an exercise plan, use these tips for better exercise. You can use them at your pulmonary facility or at home.

The Dyspnea Scale measures shortness of breath. Unless your healthcare provider or pulmonary rehab team advises otherwise, try to keep your effort level around 3 to 5 on the scale.

When you have lung problems, you may find it harder to take deep breaths. Learning to use controlled breathing can help you get more air into and out of your lungs. This will help you with shortness of breath.

Healthy eating is important if you have COPD. Choose healthy foods when eating at home or when you dine out.

People with COPD may have symptoms most of the time. In a flare-up, your symptoms get worse.

Spirometry is a type of breathing test. It is a painless test often used to find the cause of lung problems.

If you have emphysema or chronic bronchitis, 2 main conditions of COPD, you may also have heart disease.