If you have emphysema, it means the tiny air sacs in your lungs, called alveoli, have been damaged and no longer transfer oxygen from the air to the blood as well. Damaged sacs also cause the lungs to stretch out and lose their springiness. This can cause air to become trapped in the lungs, making you feel short of breath, explains the COPD Foundation. Many people with COPD also have chronic bronchitis, the other main type of COPD. In this condition, the airways (bronchial tubes) become irritated and swollen and there is a lot of mucus production, leading to coughing and shortness of breath. “Think of COPD as a spectrum of disease, with chronic bronchitis on one end and emphysema on the other,” says Jeffrey Michaelson, MD, a pulmonologist with the Wellstar health system in Marietta, Georgia. The majority of patients fall somewhere in the middle of the COPD spectrum and display symptoms of both diseases, he explains. Emphysema isn’t curable and can’t be reversed, but treatments and lifestyle changes can slow the progression of the disease and help you feel better. Here are steps you can take to get your life back. RELATED: What Are the 4 Stages of COPD and the Gold System for Grading?
7 Ways to Cope With Emphysema Symptoms
1. Get Diagnosed
As many as 24 million Americans have COPD, but 12 million do not know that they have it, notes the COPD Foundation. One of the most common symptoms of emphysema is shortness of breath, but this problem can come on gradually and go unnoticed, or be attributed to being “out of shape” or to heart problems, says Christian Ghattas, MBBCh, a pulmonologist and critical care doctor at The Ohio State University Wexler Medical Center in Columbus. “If you have underlying risk factors for COPD — for example if you are a current or former smoker — that could be a sign that shortness of breath is due to COPD,” he says. If you think you may have emphysema, see your doctor sooner, rather than later. “COPD is a progressive disease,” says Dr. Michaelson. “It can lead to frequent hospital admissions, poor quality of life, the need for supplemental oxygen, or a ventilatory assist device worn at night to help maintain effective breathing while asleep.” Your age, cigarette smoking history, and the impact of your breathing issues on your everyday life can all help your physician decide if further testing is needed, he adds. Diagnosis of emphysema is made with the help of several tests, including chest X-rays, pulse oximetry (to measure oxygen content of the blood), spirometry (to measure airflow while you inhale and exhale), and electrocardiogram (to check heart function and rule out heart disease as a cause of shortness of breath). RELATED: Symptoms and Diagnosis of COPD
2. Start — and Stick With — Emphysema Treatment
There are many types of medicine available to help manage symptoms of emphysema and slow progression of the disease. Treatment is highly individualized and may include bronchodilator medications (to relax the muscles that surround the airways), anti-inflammatory medications (to reduce airway inflammation), and oxygen therapy (to help make breathing easier). Since many medications needs to be taken daily to be effective, it’s key to stick with your treatment regimen — even on days when you are feeling well. This can prevent your COPD symptoms from getting worse in the long term. In a study published in September 2020 in the journal Thorax, patients who adhered to maintenance therapy (using inhaled corticosteroids) experienced fewer flare-ups (exacerbations) and less loss of lung function over time. RELATED: 12 Ways to Breathe Better With COPD
3. Get Help if You Can’t Quit Smoking
If you want to have a better outlook for your disease and prevent the progression of symptoms, the most important thing you can do is quit smoking. “Stopping smoking reduces the inflammation and lung damage that leads to worsening of COPD and emphysema,” says Michael S. Nolledo, MD, a pulmonologist and sleep specialist at Campbell County Memorial Hospital in Gillette, Wyoming. Smoking is responsible for up to 8 out of 10 COPD-related deaths, and 38 percent of U.S. adults diagnosed with COPD report current smoking, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). If you’re struggling to quit, talk to your doctor about smoking cessation programs and products that can help you. Combining nicotine replacement with counseling, group support, and medication offers the best chance for success, says the Cleveland Clinic. Some resources that can help you succeed include:
The National Cancer Institute’s SmokeFree.gov offers resources to help smokers kick the habit, including tips from former smokers, a guide on making a “quit plan,” and a free texting service that sends you daily messages to support you on your journey to stop smoking.The ALA’s Freedom From Smoking program is a seven-week clinic (in-person or online) that takes you through the process of quitting smoking one step at a time.The CDC’s 800-QUIT-NOW line offers free coaching, quit plans, and education materials.
RELATED: The Best and Worst Ways to Quit Smoking
4. Avoid Other Airborne Irritants
Tobacco smoke isn’t the only airborne irritant that can exacerbate emphysema. “Most COPD in this country is related to smoking, but only 20 percent of smokers develop significant COPD,” says Byron Thomashow, MD, a professor of medicine at Columbia University Medical Center and director of the NewYork-Presbyterian Lung Volume Reduction program in Emphysema in New York City. “This suggests that other genetic or environmental factors must also play roles.” Some potential irritants you should try to avoid include:
Air pollutionSecondhand smokeExhaust fumesExcessive dustFumes from cleaning products, paints, and other chemicals
5. Get All Your Vaccinations, Including the COVID-19 Shot
If you have not yet gotten your COVID-19 vaccination, it’s important to get it now, and also to be sure to get your boosters when you are eligible. People of any age with emphysema are at higher risk of getting severely ill from infection with COVID-19, says the CDC. The CDC also recommends that people with COPD get the following vaccines:
Flu vaccineTdap vaccine (to protect against tetanus, diphtheria, and whooping cough)Pneumococcal vaccines (to protect against pneumococcal diseases which include ear and sinus infections, pneumonia, and bloodstream infections)Zoster vaccine (to protect against shingles)
RELATED: What You Need to Know About COVID-19 Vaccines
6. Do The Right Exercises
Both breathing exercises and regular cardiovascular exercise like walking are critical to curbing symptoms and slowing the course of emphysema. One of the best ways to get started is to join a pulmonary rehabilitation program, which can help you create an exercise regimen tailored to your COPD, says Dr. Nolledo. “Exercises are best managed under the guidance of a pulmonary rehabilitation program that involves not just specific exercises, but disease counseling as well,” he adds. Unfortunately, these programs are often underutilized, Dr. Ghattas notes. “Many times when someone gets a COPD diagnosis, they tend to do less and be less active, which is the opposite of what is best for your health,” he says. “We always encourage our patients to seek out ways to be more active.” Research shows that COPD patients who complete pulmonary rehabilitation programs experience significant improvement in their shortness of breath, develop a higher tolerance for exercise, and are able to become more physically active, according to a review article published in the International Journal of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease. RELATED: 5 Things You Should Know About Exercise if You Have COPD
7. Take Care of Your Mental Health, Too
An emphysema diagnosis impacts your emotions and mental health — not just your physical health. “The shortness of breath that comes with COPD can cause people to stop doing their favorite activities or seeing friends and family, which can lead to social isolation,” Ghattas says. Anxiety and depression are both more common in people living with COPD than in the general population, yet these mental-health conditions often go unrecognized and untreated by patients, caregivers, and healthcare providers, states the ALA. “I encourage my patients to pay attention to their mood and stress level and to surround themselves with supportive friends and family and keep doing the things they love as much as possible,” Ghattas says. You may have to modify existing pastimes or find new hobbies, but a COPD diagnosis doesn’t mean you have to stop enjoying life, he adds. Connecting with others who understand what it’s like to live with COPD can also make you feel less isolated. Consider joining a Better Breathers Club or other COPD support group in your area. If depression and anxiety are making it hard for you to enjoy your work, hobbies, and time with friends and family, talk with your doctor. “Your physician can give you strategies, such as deep breathing or relaxation exercises, and in some cases, medication may be appropriate,” Ghattas says. Supportive talk therapy can also be crucial.
