A chronic cough, difficulty breathing, wheezing, fatigue, and recurring chest infections are the most common symptoms of COPD. As COPD progresses, you may experience more severe symptoms.
Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a chronic condition that causes inflammation and damage to the lungs. Over time, COPD could make it difficult to breathe and impact your daily activities.
At first, symptoms of COPD may be mild. But as lung damage progresses, symptoms may worsen. In some cases, these may become life threatening.
Keep reading to learn more about the symptoms of COPD.
When to get immediate medical attentionCOPD symptoms may flare up and become very severe, which could be life threatening. Asthma and Lung UK recommend getting immediate medical attention if you experience any of the following symptoms:
- difficulty breathing
- sudden, sharp chest pain
- nausea or vomitting
A persistent cough is often the first symptom of COPD. Coughing is one of your body’s
A COPD cough is often productive, which means it’s accompanied by mucus. Usually, mucus is clear, but in a COPD cough, it can be yellow or green and doesn’t go away.
A chronic cough that lasts
This condition causes long-term inflammation and irritation to the lungs, resulting in excess mucus production that builds up in your airways. Coughing is your body’s way of trying to get rid of this mucus.
Learn more about coughing and COPD.
As the airways in your lungs become inflamed and damaged, they can begin to narrow. As a result, you might find it more difficult to breathe or catch your breath.
According to the United Kingdom’s National Health Service (NHS), shortness of breath is most noticeable during exercise in the early stages of COPD. However, it may also occur in the middle of the night.
As the condition progresses, shortness of breath can make even daily tasks challenging, including:
- walking
- doing household chores
- dressing
- bathing
In the late stages of COPD, breathing may be difficult almost all the time, even during rest.
Research suggests that fatigue is the second most important symptom in COPD, after shortness of breath.
According to the American Lung Association, fatigue associated with COPD is more than simply feeling “tired.” You may experience severe exhaustion, brain fog, and lethargy that prevents you from performing daily tasks.
Fatigue from COPD may also affect your quality of life. A 2019 study involving 1,290 people with COPD found that 1 in 2 people had severe fatigue.
If you have COPD, your body is working harder to perform basic functions like breathing. Difficulty breathing can also reduce the amount of oxygen your blood, tissues, and organs receive, leading to more severe fatigue.
Learn more about how to cope with fatigue in COPD.
When you exhale, and the air is forced through narrow or obstructed air passages in the lungs, you may hear a whistling or musical sound. This is called wheezing.
In people with COPD, wheezing is most often caused by excess mucus obstructing the airways, in conjunction with muscular tightening that further narrows the airways.
Research suggests that wheezing in COPD is associated with more severe symptoms, worse lung function, and a higher risk of COPD exacerbations. These are periods when your symptoms significantly worsen.
Some people with COPD may also have a condition that includes symptoms of both COPD and asthma, known as ACOS (asthma-COPD overlap syndrome). It’s estimated that almost
Learn more about COPD lung sounds.
Chronic lung inflammation and COPD progression can weaken your immune system and alter your lung microbiome, increasing the risk of respiratory infections, such as:
Frequent respiratory infections can also worsen your lung function and increase your risk of COPD exacerbations. In the later stages of COPD, this may be life threatening.
If you’re living with COPD, it’s important to stay up to date with the right vaccinations. The Global Initiative for Chronic Obstructive Lung Disease (GOLD) recommends people with COPD get the following vaccines:
As COPD progresses, common symptoms like difficulty breathing, fatigue, and coughing may worsen. According to the United Kingdom’s NHS, you may experience other symptoms as COPD progresses to a more advanced stage.
It’s important to get immediate medical attention if you experience any of the following symptoms.
Headaches and fever
Morning headaches can occur due to higher levels of carbon dioxide in the blood. Headaches can also occur with lower oxygen levels, too. If ill, you may also experience a fever.
Learn more about COPD and headaches.
Swollen feet and ankles (edema)
Throughout the course of COPD, lung damage may cause a buildup of fluid, known as edema. This may lead to swelling in your feet and ankles.
Edema in COPD occurs because your heart has to work harder to pump blood to the damaged lungs. This, in turn,
Weight loss
Unintentional weight loss is another symptom of advanced COPD.
It may occur because your body is using more calories to perform basic functions, such as breathing. COPD fatigue may also affect your eating and exercise habits, which can also contribute to weight loss.
Some research suggests that unintentional weight loss in COPD may affect your quality of life, worsen symptoms, and increase your risk of COPD exacerbations.
Weight loss in COPD is also associated with cachexia, a potentially life threatening condition characterized by severe weight loss and muscle wasting.
Learn more about COPD and weight loss.
COPD is a chronic condition that causes inflammation, excess mucus, and damage to the lungs. Early diagnosis and treatment are crucial to preventing long-term damage that may be irreversible.
If you experience symptoms like frequent coughing, difficulty breathing, and fatigue, speak with a doctor. They could examine your symptoms, provide a proper diagnosis, and develop a treatment plan that’s right for you.