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The signs and symptoms of chronic obstructive
pulmonary
disease (COPD) include:
- Cough
- Sputum (mucus) production
- Shortness of breath, especially with exercise
- Wheezing (a whistling or squeaky sound when you
breathe)
- Chest tightness
A cough that doesn't go away and coughing up lots of mucus
are common signs of COPD. These often occur years before
the flow of air in and out of the lungs is reduced. However,
not everyone with a cough and
sputum production goes on
to develop COPD, and not everyone with COPD has a cough.
The severity of the symptoms depends on how much of
the
lung has been destroyed. If you continue to smoke,
the
lung destruction is faster than if you stop smoking. |
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