About this disease
What it is about
In the disease, there is a narrowing of the airways, which usually increases in the course of the disease. Inflammation occurs in the bronchi and bronchioles and lung tissue is destroyed. This so-called obstructive bronchitis and emphysema can occur individually or in combination. Once the changes in the lungs have occurred, they persist throughout life in COPD and usually continue to progress. Unfortunately, there is still no cure for this chronic disease.
Symptoms and consequences
The most important symptoms of COPD are shortness of breath, cough and sputum. Derived from the initial letters, physicians also speak of the AHA symptomatology. A daily cough is usually the first sign of the disease. In the beginning, it occurs mainly in the morning for many sufferers. Over time, it becomes more frequent, more persistent and worse. The cough is accompanied by sputum.
What we do for you
Examination and diagnosis
The most significant and informative diagnostic tool related to COPD is pulmonary function testing. Its results also allow classification into spirometric severity levels.
Treatment
Unfortunately, there is still no way to cure COPD. Therefore, treatment has so far been limited to alleviating the symptoms and slowing down the progression of the disease. The most important measure is the complete cessation of nicotine, as this can stop the progression of the disease in virtually all cases.