Health Conditions

What are the symptoms?

The most common symptoms of COPD include progressive difficulty breathing, cough, and sputum production; however, a complete list of signs and symptoms is provided below. As discussed previously, many individuals will have symptoms of both chronic bronchitis and emphysema.

Chronic Bronchitis:

• Chronic cough that continues to worsen.
• Sputum production, which may be discolored.
• Mild difficulty of breathing -- this may include problems with breathing while sleeping or during exercise.
• Wheezing -- A high-pitched sound heard when breathing normally.
• Crackles -- A "popping" sound heard when breathing in. Your doctor can detect crackles in the lungs when listening to your lungs with a stethoscope.
• Decreased pulmonary function tests -- Tests performed on the lungs at a doctor's office or other healthcare facility.
• "Blue bloater" -- Retaining carbon dioxide at the extremities (for example, the toes, fingers, or lips) causes a bluish color because of the increased carbon dioxide and decreased oxygen in the blood. Individuals may also appear bloated because their chest becomes enlarged as the lungs retain carbon dioxide.
• Barrel Chest -- Enlargement of the chest is due to increased carbon dioxide in the lungs.
• Obesity- While obesity is not a true sign or symptom of chronic bronchitis, many afflicted individuals develop a complication known as cor pulmonale, which leads to water retention that accumulates in a persons extremities (such as the lower legs). Also a person's exercise tolerance may be decreased, and therefore weight gain may ensue because the afflicted individual may become physically inactive.

Emphysema:

• Cough -- Individuals with emphysema often have a hacking cough.
• Sputum -- The sputum produced is often thick in consistency. Because of its thickness, individuals may be unable to cough it up.
• Severe difficulty of breathing -- This can happen any time of the day but may worsen at night or during exercise. Individuals with emphysema often sit with their hands on their knees to help them breath. They may also breathe with "pursed lips," which looks like they are breathing through a straw.
• Increased heart rate -- Normal heart rate is between 60 and 90 beats per minute. Increased heart rate is defined as heart rate greater than 100 beats per minute. A way to estimate heart rate is to take your pulse. You should be able to find a pulse at your wrist, count the number of beats you feel for thirty seconds, and multiply that by two. This will give your estimated heart rate in beats per minute.
• Decreased breath sounds resulting from increased air in the lungs. A doctor can detect decreased breath sounds by listening to your lungs with a stethoscope.
• Decreased pulmonary function tests -- Tests performed on the lungs at a doctor's office or other healthcare facility.
• "Pink puffers" -- Individuals with emphysema may turn pink while breathing. The breathing is rapid because they can't seem to get enough air to their lungs; this causes them to become flushed.
• Many individuals with emphysema are thin in appearance due to continual increased energy demands to breath normally.