What Are the Signs and Symptoms of COPD?
The signs and symptoms of COPD include: • An ongoing cough or a cough that produces large amounts of mucus (often called “smoker’s cough”) • Shortness of breath, especially with physical activity • Wheezing (a whistling or squeaky sound when you breathe) • Chest tightness These symptoms often occur years before the flow of air into and out of the lungs declines. However, not everyone who has these symptoms has COPD. Likewise, not everyone who has COPD has these symptoms. Some of the symptoms of COPD are similar to the symptoms of other diseases and conditions. Your doctor can determine if you have COPD. If you have COPD, you may have frequent colds or flu. If your COPD is severe, you may have swelling in your ankles, feet, or legs; a bluish color on your lips due to low levels of oxygen in your blood; and shortness of breath. COPD symptoms usually slowly worsen over time. At first, if symptoms are mild, you may not notice them, or you may adjust your lifestyle to make breathing easier.
The signs and symptoms of COPD include: • An ongoing cough or a cough that produces large amounts of mucus (often called “smoker’s cough”) • Shortness of breath, especially with physical activity • Wheezing (a whistling or squeaky sound when you breathe) • Chest tightness These symptoms often occur years before the flow of air into and out of the lungs declines. However, not everyone who has these symptoms has COPD. Likewise, not everyone who has COPD has these symptoms. Some of the symptoms of COPD are similar to the symptoms of other diseases and conditions. Your doctor can find out whether you have COPD. If you have COPD, you may have colds or the flu (influenza) frequently. If your COPD is severe, you may have swelling in your ankles, feet, or legs; a bluish color on your lips due to a low blood oxygen level; and shortness of breath. COPD symptoms usually slowly worsen over time. At first, if symptoms are mild, you may not notice them, or you may adjust your lifestyle to make breat
