Choosing the right inhaler to deliver treatment for people with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) may require considering their cognitive function, hand dexterity, and ability to breathe in forcefully, according to data from a large observational study in the U.S. Researchers found that nearly three in every 10 participants…
Discussion
Some mornings, before the world has fully awoken, I sit on my back deck in an old rocking chair and sip what I call my magic coffee. The mountains behind my house are still holding on to the last threads of night, and the air carries that soft hush that…
Discussion
I’ve been thinking lately about how the language of a life shifts over time. Not the big, dramatic changes, not the kind that come with new jobs or new towns, but the quiet ones. The ones that slip into our vocabulary so gradually we hardly notice them until one day…
Discussion
On summer nights, when the air settles soft over the hills, and the porch boards hold the day’s last warmth, I watch the lightning bugs rise. They drift up from the grass like sparks shaken loose from the earth, each one carrying its own small lantern. People talk about their…
Discussion
Note: This column describes the author’s own experiences with various supplements. Not everyone will have the same response to treatment. Consult your doctor before starting or stopping a therapy. Up here in the hills of West Virginia, we’ve always believed in taking care of what you’ve got, because getting more…
Discussion
Many of us fall into a quiet trap as we get older. A new ache will show up or a task will become harder than it used to be and we’ll shrug it off with a familiar “Well, I’m just getting older.” But aging is not a diagnosis, and…
COPD is a chronic inflammatory disease of the lungs, in which the airways become blocked, causing cough with mucus, wheezing, and shortness of breath.
The causes of COPD are not fully understood. However, long-term exposure to lung irritants is known to damage the lungs and the airways.
Some people may also experience exacerbations, or episodes of sudden disease worsening, that may persist for several days.
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