COPD Treatment

Before discussing COPD treatment, the first thing you must understand is that COPD actually has no permanent cure, and only can be kept under control while symptoms can be limited from getting worse. All medications and treatments for COPD are meant to keep symptoms under control and limit the progression of the disease to advanced stages. With long term treatment and significant changes in the lifestyle and diet etc, the quality of life of the patient with COPD can be improved to good extent.

​Medicine based COPD treatment
The basic COPD treatment starts with bronchodilators. These medicines work by dilating the respiratory tracts and air sacs in the lungs so that the mucus produced inside can be expelled out while the irritation inside which causes intermittent coughing can be soothed. When these things get controlled then automatically irritation inside the air sacs and respiratory tract subsides and airflow gets better. As a result of this, breathing improves.
The other medicines used are:

• Corticosteroids to reduce inflammation and mucus production.
• Phosphodiesterase-4 Inhibitors to relax respiratory tracts and lungs and lower infections.
• Theophylline for smoother breathing and avoiding flare-ups in advanced COPD.
• Supporting antiviral and antibiotic medicines to lower the infections.
• Pneumococcal vaccine, flu cots, and whooping cough vaccine help avoid COPD and yearly shots limit symptoms.

JOIN 200+ DONORS WHO'VE DONATED OVER $40,000 TO HELP LUNG TRANSPLANT PATIENTS. DONATE WHAT YOU THINK IS FAIR. MOST PEOPLE DONATE AT LEAST $10

Oxygen therapy in COPD
The next level of treatment deals with oxygen therapy, where oxygen is externally provided to the patient through an oxygen tube or mask. The oxygen cylinder provided is portable, and the whole apparatus is portable so that the patient is not restricted to the bed all the time. In advanced cases, when lips and fingernails of the body turns bluish due to extreme oxygen deficiency, the patient may have to rest in bed and get oxygen therapy until their health improves.

Surgery of the lungs
Surgery is the next level of COPD treatment needed in serious and advanced cases of COPD. Some parts of the affected lungs get removed, and some damaged air sacs in the lungs are reduced in size to get things better. Surgery may also include removing the upper part of the lung, or lung transplantation.
​
Important lifestyle changes
Definitely one of the most important parts of COPD treatment to be accompanied by any stage of treatment and medication is a lifestyle change. A change in lifestyle and diet, quitting smoking, and avoiding respiratory irritants and pollutants in the air, can bring on significant improvement in symptoms. That’s why whatever medication and treatment one takes in COPD, a lifestyle change on serious scale is a must to see actual improvement.

​Conclusion

According to WHO estimates, 65 million people have moderate to severe chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). More than 3 million people died of COPD in 2005, which corresponds to 5% of all deaths globally.

Severe COPD can get to a point where your lungs may stop functioning and you may need a lung transplant. 
​
Did you know that lung transplants have the lowest survival rate among all transplants? Only about 50% of people live 5 years after having a lung transplant and patients have to take up to 50 pills a day!

We at The Sid Foundation want to increase that survival rate and help patients be able to afford that medication which is why we raise money for lung transplant research and development and lung transplant patients. 

We need your help in increasing the survival rate and helping lung transplant patients so please join the 200+ donors who have raised over $40,000 and donate what you think is fair to help lung patients everywhere.

If you donate $10 or more, we will send you a free Lung Girl comic book and put your name on our wall of donors so that you can be recognized for your contribution forever. ​​