Steps to prevent COPD

Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease or COPD is an incurable respiratory disease caused due to exposure to noxious particles and leads to airflow obstruction and irreversible damage to airways. By going through the right treatment, it can definitely be managed.

What Does COPD Include?

COPD mainly constitutes of two common conditions:

1. Emphysema - The condition is caused when the air sacs or the alveoli are damaged. Here, the walls present inside the alveoli disappear which leads to the expansion of the originally small air sacs. The sacs increase in size until they eventually join together and become larger sacs. These sacs do not absorb oxygen very well and therefore less oxygen is absorbed into the bloodstream.

2. Chronic Bronchitis - Inflammation due to constant exposure to irritants/ noxious particles leads to hypersecretion of mucus, which in turn leads to narrowing of the bronchioles causing less air to enter the airways.

What Are The Causes Of COPD?

As per the latest Global Burden of Disease study, there are currently 55 million individuals who live in India that suffer from COPD.

Smoking is one of the main causes of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease. Long term exposure to smoke damages the lungs and closes the airways making it difficult to breathe. In India, smoking follows a peculiar trend. Majority of people follow a very unconventional form of smoking in the form of bidi, hookah and chillum. These forms of smoking were originally believed to be safe due to the way in which the smoke was inhaled. An example of this is hookah which is inhaled through the medium of water. However, studies have long since exposed this misconception for what it is.

COPD also occurs due to excessive exposure to biomass fuel and animal dung - both of which are widely present in India. Biomass fuel consists of dung, agricultural crop residues, kerosene and coal fuels which combined supply about 75% of India's domestic energy. An estimate of roughly 32% of people in urban areas and 90% of rural households make use of biomass for domestic cooking.  Exposure to biomass smoke is one of the main causes of COPD in India currently.

Apart from the reasons mentioned above, COPD can also be caused by the burning of mosquito coils, second-hand cigarette smoke and air pollution. Your age and medical history of respiratory infections also play a role in whether or not an individual is susceptible to COPD.

How To Prevent COPD

COPD can be caused due to a variety of factors and hence there is no sure way to prevent this disease. However, by categorically distancing yourself from various risk factors the probability of developing the condition decreases drastically.

1. Avoid Smoking

As mentioned before, exposure to noxious particles and smoke is one of the main causes of COPD. Smoking cessation includes a range of benefits such as a reduction in respiratory symptoms like coughing and wheezing as well as the reduced risk of developing respiratory and lung diseases.

2. Switch to Better Utilities

Biomass fuel and other household utilities such as the use of mosquito coils is a common cause of COPD which is unique to developing countries like India. Switching your basic utilities to safer alternatives like mosquito nets and clean fuels (LPG) is a great way to avoid the onset of COPD.

3. Take The Necessary Precautions

Wearing the appropriate protective gears, using air purifiers, maintaining a healthy diet and lifestyle are necessary steps that need to be taken in order to ensure the proper functioning of your lungs.

They say that prevention is better than cure. This line speaks truly when it comes to the prevention of COPD. By making basic changes in your day to day life, you’ll be more likely reduce the risk of developing this condition.

There are a number of differences between asthma and COPD, to know more please read Difference Between Asthma And COPD.