Living with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) can make everyday activities more challenging. Shortness of breath, coughing, wheezing, and fatigue can affect your ability to stay active and enjoy the things you love.
The good news is that COPD can be managed. With the right treatment plan, healthy lifestyle habits, and ongoing support from your healthcare team, you can reduce symptoms, help prevent flare-ups, and maintain your quality of life.
COPD is a progressive lung disease that includes conditions such as emphysema and chronic bronchitis. While there is no cure for COPD, treatment and lifestyle changes can help you breathe more comfortably and stay active.
If you're a senior living with COPD, these 10 COPD management tips can help you take an active role in your health.
What Is COPD?
COPD is a chronic lung disease that causes airflow blockage and makes it harder to breathe. The two main types of COPD are chronic bronchitis and emphysema.
Common COPD symptoms include:
- Shortness of breath, especially during physical activity
- A persistent cough
- Wheezing
- Excess mucus or phlegm
- Chest tightness
- Fatigue
COPD symptoms can vary from person to person and may become worse over time. Working with your healthcare provider can help you develop a treatment plan based on your symptoms, overall health, and lifestyle.
How Can Seniors Manage COPD?
There are several ways to manage COPD and reduce its impact on your daily life. Your healthcare provider can help determine which treatments and lifestyle changes are right for you.
1. Quit Smoking and Avoid Secondhand Smoke
If you smoke, quitting is one of the most important steps you can take to manage COPD. Smoking can worsen lung damage and cause COPD symptoms to progress more quickly.
Avoiding secondhand smoke is also important. Ask your healthcare provider about smoking-cessation resources, medications, counseling, or other tools that can help you quit.
Even if you've smoked for many years, quitting can still provide important health benefits.
2. Practice Breathing Techniques
Certain breathing techniques can help you manage shortness of breath and make breathing feel more controlled.
Two techniques commonly used by people with COPD include:
Pursed-lip breathing: Breathe in slowly through your nose, then breathe out slowly through pursed lips, as if you were gently blowing out a candle.
Diaphragmatic breathing: Also called belly breathing, this technique focuses on using the diaphragm rather than relying primarily on the muscles in your chest and shoulders.
A healthcare professional or pulmonary rehabilitation specialist can teach you how to practice these techniques safely and effectively.
3. Take COPD Medications as Prescribed
Depending on your symptoms and the severity of your COPD, your healthcare provider may prescribe medications to help improve breathing and reduce symptoms.
Common COPD treatments include:
- Bronchodilators, which help relax the muscles around the airways
- Inhaled corticosteroids, which may help reduce airway inflammation for some people
- Other inhaled or oral medications based on your individual needs
It's important to use inhalers exactly as prescribed. If you're unsure how to use your inhaler, ask your healthcare team to demonstrate the proper technique.
Keep an updated list of all prescription medications, over-the-counter medicines, and supplements you take, and bring it to your medical appointments.
4. Ask Whether Pulmonary Rehabilitation Is Right for You
Pulmonary rehabilitation is a supervised program designed to help people with chronic lung conditions improve their ability to exercise and manage their symptoms.
A pulmonary rehabilitation program may include:
- Exercise training
- Breathing techniques
- Education about COPD
- Nutrition guidance
- Strategies for managing shortness of breath
For some seniors with COPD, pulmonary rehabilitation can make it easier to perform everyday activities and stay physically active.
Ask your healthcare provider whether pulmonary rehabilitation may be appropriate for you.
5. Stay Physically Active
It may be tempting to avoid exercise when breathing is difficult, but appropriate physical activity can help improve strength, endurance, and your ability to perform everyday activities.
Depending on your health and fitness level, activities may include:
- Walking
- Swimming
- Using a stationary bike
- Gentle strength exercises
Start slowly and follow the activity recommendations from your healthcare provider. If you experience significant or unusual shortness of breath, chest pain, dizziness, or other concerning symptoms during exercise, stop and seek medical guidance.
6. Prevent Respiratory Infections
Respiratory infections can cause COPD symptoms to become significantly worse. Taking steps to prevent infections is an important part of COPD management.
Talk with your healthcare provider about which vaccinations are recommended for you, including vaccines that help protect against respiratory illnesses.
Other ways to reduce your risk of infection include:
- Washing your hands regularly
- Avoiding close contact with people who are sick
- Avoiding touching your eyes, nose, and mouth with unwashed hands
- Following your healthcare provider's recommendations during periods of increased respiratory illness
Contact your healthcare provider if you develop symptoms of an infection or notice a significant change in your usual COPD symptoms.
7. Improve the Air Quality in Your Home
Indoor air pollutants can irritate your lungs and make breathing more difficult.
To improve indoor air quality:
- Avoid tobacco smoke
- Reduce exposure to dust and other irritants
- Address mold or water damage
- Use cleaning products in well-ventilated areas
- Keep your home adequately ventilated
- Consider an air purifier if recommended for your situation
Pay attention to anything that seems to trigger your symptoms and discuss those triggers with your healthcare provider.
8. Use Supplemental Oxygen Only as Prescribed
Some people with advanced COPD have low oxygen levels and may need supplemental oxygen therapy.
If your healthcare provider prescribes oxygen, use it exactly as directed. Oxygen therapy may be provided through equipment such as a portable oxygen system or an oxygen concentrator.
Not everyone with COPD needs supplemental oxygen, and using oxygen when it hasn't been prescribed can be unsafe. Talk with your healthcare provider if you're experiencing increased fatigue, shortness of breath, or other symptoms that concern you.
9. Eat Well and Stay Hydrated
Nutrition is another important part of managing COPD. Preparing and eating large meals can sometimes make breathing feel more difficult, particularly if you experience bloating.
Some people with COPD find it helpful to:
- Eat smaller, balanced meals throughout the day
- Choose nutrient-dense foods
- Drink enough fluids unless their healthcare provider has recommended a fluid restriction
- Include a variety of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and protein sources
If COPD, another medical condition, or medications are affecting your appetite or weight, talk with your healthcare provider or a registered dietitian about your nutritional needs.
10. Pay Attention to COPD Flare-Ups
A COPD exacerbation, sometimes called a COPD flare-up, occurs when symptoms become worse than usual.
Signs may include:
- Increased shortness of breath
- More frequent or severe coughing
- Increased mucus
- A change in the color or amount of mucus
- Increased wheezing
- Unusual fatigue
Talk with your healthcare provider about creating a COPD action plan so you know what to do when your symptoms change.
If you experience severe difficulty breathing, chest pain, confusion, bluish lips or fingertips, or symptoms that feel like a medical emergency, seek emergency medical care.
Can COPD Affect Your Emotional Health?
Living with COPD can affect more than your physical health. Shortness of breath and limitations on your activities can sometimes lead to frustration, anxiety, loneliness, or depression.
You don't have to manage these challenges alone.
Talk with your healthcare provider if COPD is affecting your mood or daily life. Spending time with family and friends, staying active within your abilities, participating in a support group, or talking with a mental health professional may also provide support.
Managing your emotional well-being is an important part of managing your overall health.
Can COPD Be Cured?
There is currently no cure for COPD, but treatment can help manage symptoms and slow disease progression.
Your COPD treatment plan may include medications, lifestyle changes, pulmonary rehabilitation, oxygen therapy when medically necessary, and regular medical care.
For some people with severe COPD, a specialist may discuss advanced treatment options, including procedures or surgery. These treatments aren't appropriate for everyone and depend on factors such as the type and severity of COPD and a person's overall health.
Your healthcare provider can explain which options may be appropriate for you.
When Should You See a Doctor About COPD?
Regular medical appointments are important for monitoring COPD and adjusting your treatment plan as needed.
Contact your healthcare provider if:
- Your breathing is becoming worse
- Your usual COPD symptoms change
- You're coughing more than usual
- You're producing more mucus
- Your mucus changes in color or amount
- You're having difficulty completing your normal activities
- Your medications don't seem to be controlling your symptoms
Don't wait for symptoms to become severe before asking for help.
Breathe Easier With the Right COPD Support
COPD may be a long-term condition, but it doesn't have to keep you from living an active and meaningful life. Quitting smoking, taking medications as prescribed, staying active, practicing breathing techniques, preventing infections, and maintaining regular medical care can all play an important role in COPD management.
Most importantly, you don't have to manage COPD on your own.
Your healthcare team can help you understand your symptoms, monitor your condition, and create a treatment plan that fits your needs and your daily life.
If you're living with COPD, talk with your healthcare provider about the steps you can take to breathe easier and feel your best.
