BOISE, Id. — COPD. You hear ads for it all the time but do you know what it is and how to avoid it?
Put simply, COPD makes it hard to breathe through two major illnesses, Emphysema and chronic bronchitis.
Dr. Daniel Meltzer says Smoking, vaping and exposure to toxic fumes are the greatest causes.
“There’s a lot of treatments for copd that’s the good news the bad news is it is irreversible,” said Dr. Meltzer.
So, Dr. Meltzer says it’s important to recognize symptoms early and get treatment.
The biggest symptom of emphysema he says is trouble breathing when you’re at rest.
And chronic bronchitis is characterized by a heavy regular cough.
Dr. Meltzer says, combined these diseases affect some 100 thousand Idahoans.
And prevention means protecting your lungs, not just from toxic elements like cigarette smoke, but also from contributing diseases.
“Getting your annual flu shot covid shots as physician would recommend as well as pneumonia vaccine all of which can be helpful particularly this time of year,” said Dr. Meltzer
You have just one set of lungs and until there’s a cure for COPD, the best you can do is take good care of them.
For wellness Wednesday where we’re healthier together, I’m sr. reporter roland Beres, Idaho news six.
