
We’re thrilled to feature Lorene Alba, a Certified Asthma educator (AE-C) with extensive experience in managing asthma and allergies. Living with asthma and allergies since she was 16, Lorene has held key educational roles at the Asthma & Allergy Foundation of America, the California Department of Public Health, and the American Lung Association. Her expertise as a chronic disease educator and patient advocate provides valuable knowledge to help you navigate asthma challenges. Read on to learn about managing COPD symptoms through trigger avoidance, and how a personal air purifier with activated carbon can help protect your lungs from harmful pollutants, smoke, and chemical fumes in your daily environment.
What is COPD?
Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is an umbrella term that covers different lung diseases. The two most common conditions associated with COPD are emphysema and chronic bronchitis.
When the airways become irritated, they swell on the inside. This swelling and irritation obstruct the airway, making it hard to get air in and out.
COPD is chronic and progressive. It never goes away, and it will worsen over time. Luckily, it can be managed.
Emphysema
Emphysema is a lung disease t most often caused by exposure to cigarette smoke. However, people who don’t smoke can also get the disease. The air sacs in our lungs, known as the alveoli, become damaged. When you exhale, the air gets trapped in the air sacs, not allowing fresh air into your lungs.
Risks for emphysema include exposure to chemical fumes, dust, and air pollution. Many people with emphysema also have chronic bronchitis.
Alpha-1 Antitrypsin Deficiency (Alpha-1)
Alpha-1 is a progressive disease of the lungs and liver. It’s a condition you are born with that is also known as inherited emphysema or genetic COPD.
Chronic Bronchitis
Bronchitis is a short-term condition caused by a viral or bacterial infection. Chronic bronchitis, like emphysema, is a long-term lung disease caused by smoking or exposure to pollution, chemicals, or dust. People with chronic bronchitis also have airway swelling and excess mucus that clogs their lungs.
Severe Asthma
It is not likely that people with asthma will get COPD, but people can have both. This is called asthma-COPD overlap syndrome (ACOS). If you have ACOS, your airways are swollen on the inside, clogged by mucus, and the muscles around the airways tighten. These three changes in the airways make it hard to breathe.
Symptoms of COPD
Symptoms of COPD depend on which lung disease you have. According to the National Institute of Health, symptoms include:
- Shortness of breath, especially with physical activity. You may feel like breathing requires more effort or that you are gasping for air.
- An ongoing cough or a cough that produces a lot of mucus, sometimes called a smoker’s cough. This is often the first symptom of COPD.
- Wheezing or a whistling or squeaky sound when you breathe.
- Chest tightness or heaviness may make it hard or painful to take a deep breath.
- Fatigue reduces the oxygen supply your body receives.
COPD diagnosis
A pulmonologist should diagnose COPD. Your doctor will:
- Take a history of your symptoms
- Administer lung function testing to gage how well your lungs are working (spirometry and peak expiratory flow test)
- Take pictures of your lungs with a chest x-ray and CT scan
- Arterial blood gas test to measure the levels of oxygen and carbon monoxide in your blood
Your pulmonologist will make an official diagnosis and determine whether your COPD is in stages 1 through 4. Work with your doctor to develop a COPD Action Plan to help manage and slow the progression of your disease. Management will include a combination of lifestyle changes, medications, and trigger avoidance and reduction.
Avoid and reduce triggers that can cause flare-ups
Identify the things that cause your COPD symptoms and find ways to reduce or avoid them. Triggers can include secondhand tobacco smoke, wildfire or wood-burning fireplace smoke, air pollution, dust, strong scents, and chemical fumes.
- Quit smoking. If you smoke or vape tobacco products, make a plan to quit. Quitting is not easy, but there are medications, support and educational programs, and resources to help. Avoid secondhand smoke as well.
- Filter the air everywhere. Wear Respiray Wear A+ with Activated Carbon. This lightweight device is worn around your neck and is a personal air purifier. This personal air purifier draws air through a filter (either carbon-activated or a HEPA filter) you wear around your neck. It captures smoke, pollution, dust, and chemical fumes and gently releases filtered fresh air. It can be worn anywhere to provide on-the-go protection (though strong winds may affect its effectiveness).
- Filter the air at home. Use air purifiers to help remove triggers from the air. Air purifiers will only help if they are the correct size for the room, run continuously, and are maintained properly. Change the filters on your HVAC units every 30 days.
- Go scent-free. Choose unscented personal care products, and skip scented candles and air fresheners. When diffused, essential oils release volatile organic compounds (VOCs) that can irritate the lungs.
- Go chemical-free. VOCs can also be found in paint, new furniture, and carpets. Choose materials with low VOC levels when possible. Avoid harsh cleaning chemicals like bleach; use green products instead, or clean and disinfect with hot water, soap, vinegar, baking soda, or hydrogen peroxide. When cleaning, wear your Respiray Wear A+ with an activated carbon filter.
Managing COPD
Living with COPD can impact your quality of life. Below are a few management tools to help you keep your disease well-controlled:
- Follow your COPD Action Plan. This is a written plan you can use to guide your disease management. Created with your doctor, it will explain which medicines to take, when to take them, and how much to take. It also explains how to recognize and treat a breathing emergency. Everyone with COPD should have an action plan that is updated at each doctor visit.
- Take your medicine as directed. There are two types of medicines to control COPD. A reliever (also known as a quick-relief, short-term, or rescue medicine) is used at the first sign of symptoms. A controller (also known as maintenance, daily, or long-term medicine) is taken daily and reduces the number of flare-ups. Both medicines are needed to manage COPD.
- Get vaccinated. Respiratory infections like the common cold, flu, Covid-19, and pneumonia can worsen COPD symptoms. People with COPD are more likely to be hospitalized due to infections than people without lung disease.
- Stay healthy. Wash your hands often and use your Wear A+ with a HEPA filter when you are out and about to avoid infections. Eat a healthy diet and get plenty of sleep. Add physical movement to your day as much as you can.
- Pulmonary rehabilitation. Pulmonary rehab is an educational and physical activity program for people with COPD. It is held at a medical facility and supervised by medical staff. Participants learn breathing techniques and practice exercises to increase stamina, flexibility, and fitness. Pulmonary rehab can last several weeks to a few months, and studies have shown it can improve one’s ability to do daily tasks and possibly live longer.
- Oxygen therapy. Supplemental oxygen may be used in late-stage COPD.
Additional COPD management tools
Your doctor may recommend adding the below management tools:
- Incentive spirometer. A handheld, plastic device used to exercise your lungs. These are often used after surgery or a respiratory illness. It helps you take full, deep breaths and clears out extra mucus.
- Pulse oximeter. A pulse oximeter reads your pulse and measures the oxygen levels in your blood. This can be a helpful tool to let you know if your pulse rate is too high or your oxygen levels are too low. However, these devices are available over the counter, and some may be more accurate than others.
- Peak flow meter. A handheld device that measures how fast you can blow air after a full inhale. A drop in your peak flow reading can let you know a flare-up is coming even before you feel symptoms.
Using a pulse oximeter and peak flow meter can help you better understand when you are experiencing a COPD flare-up and how severe your symptoms are. It’s important to remember that these are just two tools in your treatment toolbox. Your pulse ox reading may be normal, but if you are short of breath, you are having a flare-up. Your symptoms are always more important than your tool readings. Follow your COPD Action Plan when you have symptoms or your readings drop.
In Summary
- Complete testing to receive an official COPD diagnosis
- Follow your COPD Action Plan
- Identify, reduce, and avoid triggers
- Use your Respiray Wear A+ with Activated Carbon HEPA filter to filter chemicals, smoke, and pollution from the air you are breathing