Symptoms of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD)
Early SymptomsLack of EnergyCoughPhlegm and SputumWheezingShortness of BreathAdvanced SymptomsSevere Shortness of Breath and Chronic, Productive CoughBlue Lips or FingernailsHeart ProblemsFluid BuildupIncreased Chest SizeLung Infections
The symptoms of COPD start off mild and worsen as the disease
progresses.
The increased work of breathing and less oxygen can make a person
feel tired with activities, or all the time.
Cough is a common symptom of COPD. It may be worse during a cold
or respiratory infection.
A person coughs up phlegm and sputum from deep in the lungs. This
is more common with the chronic bronchitis type of the disease. The amount increases
over time.
There may be a whistling or rustling sound when a person exhales.
Wheezing often worsens with a cold or respiratory infection.
This symptom starts as the disease worsens. At first, it may only
happen with exercise. Then, it may happen when doing day to day tasks.
As the disease becomes advanced, shortness of breath may happen
even when a person is at rest. It may cause a person to breathe through pursed lips or
to lean forward when sitting or standing to make breathing easier. Coughing and coughing
up products from deep in the lungs may make it hard to do day to day activities. It may
also lead to problems sleeping. A person may feel that they are choking when they are
lying flat.
A person's lips and fingernails may become blue due to lack of
oxygen.
COPD makes the heart work harder, especially the right side of
the heart. This side pumps blood to the lungs. The walls of the heart become thick from
the extra work needed to pump blood into the lungs. The normal rhythm of the heart may
also change.
The extra strain on the right side of the heart may make it hard
for blood to flow. This can enlarge the veins and liver and lead to fluid leaking into
the belly, legs, and ankles. This causes swelling and is a sign of heart
failure.
COPD damages the lungs and makes it hard for people to fully
exhale. Air gets trapped in the lungs, which causes the chest to expand and leads to a
lasting problem called "barrel chest."
The buildup of fluids and lung products make it easier for
viruses and bacteria to grow. These lung infection make breathing even worse.
References
Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). American Lung
Association website. Available at:
https://www.lung.org/lung-health-diseases/lung-disease-lookup/copd. Accessed April 21, 2022.
COPD. EBSCO DynaMed website. Available at:
https://www.dynamed.com/condition/copd. Accessed April 21, 2022.
What is COPD? National Heart Lung and Blood Institute
website. Available at: https://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/copd. Accessed April 21, 2022.