When is a cough more than just a cough?

With spring in full swing, it’s easy to dismiss that persistent cough or wheeze as allergies, hayfever, or another external factor.

But what if it’s something more?

According to Lung Foundation Australia, approximately 1 in 13 Australians aged 40 years and over have some form of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) — an umbrella term referring to lung conditions including emphysema and chronic bronchitis.

As a progressive illness, the symptoms can often develop and worsen subtly over time. In fact, around half of those living with COPD symptoms do not know they have the condition, and aren’t getting the intervention that could make a profound difference to their future quality of life. COPD is currently one of Australia’s leading causes of avoidable hospital admissions.

This is partly because the symptoms of COPD are easy to mistake for other causes or attribute to environmental conditions, including pollution and seasonal allergies. Among older Australians, the symptoms are often misattributed to “normal ageing”.

There is currently no cure for COPD, but early diagnosis can make a world of difference. Combined with the right disease management programs, it can help you slow the disease’s progression, manage the symptoms, maintain independence, and ultimately stay out of hospital.

What are the warning signs of COPD?

It is important to remember that COPD symptoms can often begin gradually and mildly. In the earliest stages, you may not feel any symptoms. As it progresses, warning signs can include:

• Breathlessness
• Feeling tired or unfit
• A repetitive cough that doesn’t get better
• Increased phlegm or mucus production
• More frequent chest infections
• Longer recovery from cold or chest infection

Over time, you may find it increasingly difficult to perform everyday tasks without feeling short of breath.

If you’re noticing any of the above symptoms, don’t hesitate to visit your General Practitioner. COPD can be diagnosed with a breathing test known as spirometry.

What can cause COPD?

Your risk of developing COPD is tied to factors that span an entire lifetime.

Smoking can be a major contributing factor, whether you currently smoke, previously smoked, or have been exposed to second-hand smoke.

You may also be at greater risk due to environmental factors encountered at any stage of your life, particularly if you have lived or worked in places with dust, air pollution, smoke, or chemical fumes.

Even if you’ve never smoked or been exposed to pollutants, genetics may impact the likelihood of developing COPD. A small number of people have a form of emphysema caused by a protein disorder called alpha-1 antitrypsin deficiency (AATD), which makes it difficult for the body to produce one of the proteins that protect the lungs.

While proactively avoiding smoking and pollutants can reduce your likelihood of developing COPD, it is important to remember that this risk is determined over an entire lifespan, and can be influenced by choices and lifestyle factors from long ago.

What can trigger a COPD flare-up, and how can I avoid it?

Everybody living with COPD, knowingly or otherwise, is at risk of a flare-up.

A flare-up, also known as an exacerbation, is a major and potentially life-altering event in which symptoms worsen. As every flare-up does long-term damage to your health, it is vital to know how to avoid them, recognise them when they happen, and act quickly to minimise the long-term impact.

The most common triggers of flare-ups include:

• Smoke
• Strong odours and chemicals
• Air pollution and pollen
• Respiratory or lung infections

Among the symptoms to watch out for:

• Coughing more than usual
• Finding it harder to breathe than usual
• Any change in sputum (phlegm)
• Feeling more tired and less active than usual
• Fatigue
• Loss of appetite
• Difficulty sleeping
• Using your reliever medication more than normal.

A COPD Action Plan will help you better understand your baseline symptoms, recognise flare-ups as they happen, and quickly tell you what next steps you need to take.

How can I live well with COPD?

Following diagnosis, the My COPD Checklist is an important starting point for those looking to take the next step to better respiratory health.

This free online tool from Lung Foundation Australia will walk you through the steps to better COPD care, ensuring you have access to the right support and information you need.

Common strategies to manage COPD include the following:

Develop a COPD Action Plan
This simple, easy-to-follow reference sheet, developed with the help of your GP, specialist or nurse, can make it significantly easier to manage COPD symptoms. It provides clear guidance on your daily medications and outlines exactly what to do if your symptoms start to worsen. More importantly, it helps you recognise when it’s time to reach out for medical support. Click here to learn more.

Get vaccinated
For all Australian adults — and particularly for those with COPD — Lung Foundation Australia strongly recommends a list of vital vaccinations against influenza, pneumococcal disease, and other respiratory illnesses. These can go a long way in preventing severe flare-ups and hospitalisations.

Make sure you’re using your inhaler correctly
COPD is managed through inhaled medicines in the form of puffers. These can help open your airways for easier breathing, or relax the muscles around them for a similar outcome.

Alarmingly, up to 90% of people with COPD do not know how to use their inhaler device correctly. Lung Foundation Australia recommends asking your GP, nurse or pharmacist to check how you’re using your inhalers at least once a year to ensure you are getting the medicines to where they are needed in your lungs.

Keep physically active and healthy
Living with COPD can make everyday breathing more difficult. As such, you may find yourself tired more easily.

On top of general lifestyle choices (such as quitting smoking, eating well and getting a good night’s sleep), regular physical activity can make an extraordinary difference to your overall wellbeing.

A great way to get started is by participating in a pulmonary rehabilitation program. This highly effective 6-8 week program is designed to give those living with lung disease vital skills to exercise safely, manage breathlessness and stay out of hospital.

The Lungs in Action program is a great way to help maintain these benefits with fun, enjoyable, community-based activities. Click here to learn more.

Be mindful of your mental health
Mental and physical health are closely interlinked – each can profoundly impact the other.

It’s common for those with COPD to experience depression and/or anxiety. Thankfully, there are effective ways these can be treated concurrently with COPD to ensure they don’t prevent you from living the life you wish to lead. Click here for some helpful tools on managing mental health after a diagnosis.

I want to live my best life with COPD. How can I be sure I’m doing everything I can?

An easy way to find out how well you’re managing, and if there are any gaps in your care plan, is to complete the My COPD Checklist, courtesy of Lung Foundation Australia.

This free and easy interactive tool walks you through a short questionnaire about your current healthcare, then provides a personalised report containing simple actions to take following your diagnosis.

Click here to get started.

IMPORTANT LEGAL INFO This article is of a general nature and FYI only, because it doesn’t take into account your personal health requirements or existing medical conditions. That means it’s not personalised health advice and shouldn’t be relied upon as if it is. Before making a health-related decision, you should work out if the info is appropriate for your situation and get professional medical advice.