Tennova Healthcare Recommends Listening to Your Lungs

11/13/2017

Health system promotes prevention and early intervention of lung disease during COPD Awareness Month in November

Statistics reveal that chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is now the 3rd leading cause of death in the U.S., claiming approximately 135,000 lives each year. According to the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute, more than 15 million Americans have been told they have COPD. Yet, there are likely many people in Tennessee who are unaware they are living with this serious lung disease.

Although there is currently no cure for COPD, Tennova Healthcare wants you to know that the best way to take back your independence and improve your quality of life is by recognizing the symptoms and receiving appropriate treatment.

“COPD is actually an umbrella term for various conditions involving damage or inflammation of the lungs, including emphysema and chronic bronchitis,” said Syed M. Ahmed, M.D., an internal medicine physician with Tennova Healthcare. “In people who have COPD, the tubes carrying air in and out of the lungs are partially blocked, making it harder to get air in and out.”

COPD is typically a progressive condition, as the elasticity of the air sacs in the lungs gradually decreases. When it is severe, shortness of breath and other symptoms can interfere with even basic tasks, such as light housework, walking, bathing and dressing.

“Smoking is far and away the most significant cause of COPD,” Dr. Ahmed said. “In fact, an estimated 90 percent of COPD cases are related to smoking. This includes both primary and secondhand smoke, and the smoke from cigarettes, cigars and pipes. Smoking causes toxins to be inhaled directly into the lungs, resulting in lung irritation in the short term and lung tissue damage in the long run.”

Recent research has been focused on additional toxins and irritants, including bleach, alcohol, and various disinfectants. There appears to be a clear link between long-term use of these substances and the onset of COPD.

Some signs of COPD may be confused with those of other, less serious conditions. Therefore, it is important to recognize the symptoms, combined with your personal risk factors, and to consult with a physician when in doubt. Here are some of the most common symptoms of COPD, in order of advancing stages of the disease:

• Chronic or constant coughing or “smoker’s cough”
• Shortness of breath, especially when you exercise
• Excess sputum/mucus production
• Wheezing sound when breathing
• Inability to take deep breaths
• Barrel chest deformity
• Combination of any/all of the above

Misdiagnosis of COPD is common, so it is important to work with your primary care physician or a pulmonologist to accurately evaluate the condition of your lungs. The most common diagnostic tools include chest X-rays, chest CT scans, and spirometry, which tests the overall function of the lungs.

If you receive a diagnosis of COPD, treatment options will vary depending on the severity and nature of your symptoms. These include bronchodilators, steroids, oxygen therapy and pulmonary rehabilitation in the earlier stages. If non-invasive treatments are unsuccessful in slowing the rate of the disease, surgical options may be considered.

“It’s important for a COPD patient to remain generally healthy and active, in order to avoid triggering or escalating the condition,” Dr. Ahmed said. “This means vaccines, if appropriate, to avoid the flu and pneumonia, and an exercise program to support cardiovascular and neuromuscular health.”

For more information or to find a doctor, call 1-855-TENNOVA (836-6682).

About Tennova Healthcare
One of the state’s largest health networks, Tennova Healthcare includes 16 hospitals and more than 115 physician clinics. The combined network has approximately 2,600 licensed beds, 2,800 physicians on the combined active medical staffs, and 9,000 employees, with more than 70,000 admissions and 465,000 emergency department visits each year.

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