Having an respiratory and lung disease that affects breathing can be a very difficult thing to deal with. This is especially true for those who suffer from respiratory and lung disease known as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease or COPD.

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disorder is a serious and potentially life-threatening breathing illness which results in more than one hundred thousand deaths in the United States each year. It is the fourth leading cause of death. Around the world, about twelve million cases have been diagnosed, and many people may have it with being aware.

COPD is also a major cause of disability. More than 12 million people are currently diagnosed with COPD. Many more people may have the disease and not even know it.

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disorder is actually a combination of two other respiratory diseases - emphysema and bronchitis. With these conditions, just like with COPD, the air flow through your air passages is obstructed. This is in most instances, a permanent condition which worsens as time goes by, making it very hard for the COPD sufferer to breathe.

What causes chronic obstructive pulmonary disorder and what can you do about it?

The primary cause of COPD in the United States is smoking. Statistics have revealed that nearly one of every six smokers will develop COPD.

Cigarette smoke does damage to the human lungs in several ways. One of the best ways to prevent COPD or to keep it from growing worse is to quit smoking right away and try to avoid being around smoke since the exact effects of second hand smoke on COPD are not completely known.

A number of other environmental irritants and pollutants can cause or contribute to COPD as well. Indoor and outdoor air pollution is one of the most common. Stoves used for cooking as well as silica and similar pollutants are dangerous.

Another cause of this respitratory is a rare genetic condition called AAT. ATT causes about 1% of cases each year.

If you have COPD, it helps to learn as much as you can about how you got it and what kind you have. You can do this by working together with your doctor and discussing your medical history, family history and symptoms. Your doctor can help you determine the best plan arresting the progress of your COPD. Untreated COPD will most certainly always worsen.

Symptoms of COPD include coughing that produces a lot of mucus. You can also expect wheezing, shortness of breath, chest tightness, and a variety of other symptoms.

The encouraging news for those who have chronic obstructive pulmonary disorder is that there are therapies available that can help clear the obstruction in the air passages, making it easier for you to breathe as you did before.

There are several of medications your doctor can prescribe that can assist and give you some relief from of the symptoms of COPD. Exercise, as recommended by your doctor, can also provide some improvement.

The earlier you seek treatment for your COPD the more likely you’ll be able to breathe more easily again.

Sadly, there is no permanent cure for COPD and the lung damage that results from it. It cannot be reversed, but it can, more often than not be prevented.

If you’d like to learn more about this topic and related subjects, click on Lung Health Articles. You’ll find dozens of easy-to-read and easy to understand articles and helpful resources about lung illnesses and the respiratory system.

The author, Neal Kennedy, is a former talk show host and medical reporter with a special interest in health, fitness and medical topics.