Wendy Henderson,  —

If you live with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), it’s essential you have an action plan for flare-ups.  According to COPD.net, actions plans serve three purposes: to help prevent flare-ups, to realize when you’re having a flare-up, and what to do when you’re experiencing a flare-up. MORE: Six…

According to the COPD Foundation, understanding how the lungs work will help those who suffer from lung diseases have a little bit more control over their breathing. MORE: The risk factors for COPD. As you inhale, air composed of approximately 21 percent oxygen enters the respiratory…

There are around 30 million people affected by chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) in the U.S., and many are unknowingly living with the disease, having not yet been diagnosed. However, COPD doesn’t affect all Americans equally. According to the COPD Foundation, the prevalence of COPD varies greatly from…

An Instagram account is using well-loved characters from children’s animated movies to create memes that highlight some of the issues people living with chronic illnesses face in their everyday lives. MORE: How does COPD affect the body? As reported in The Mighty, the account was set…

If you are active on social media and have a chronic illness, you’ve probably come across the term “spoonie.” The word comes from a woman’s explanation of how she has to manage her energy levels each day.  As she was in a cafe at the time, she grabbed a bunch of spoons…

The number one risk factor for developing chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is smoking. In around three-quarters of cases, the COPD patient is either a smoker or has been a smoker. The onset of symptoms of COPD usually begin in middle age but it’s not unusual for symptoms to start…

While living with a chronic illness can be challenging, there are ways that you can make life easier and live a happy and fulfilling life. Establishing good habits and routines takes time, but as Gunnar Esiason points out in his blog Own It, there are some “common sense approaches” to…

Managing a chronic illness can be difficult. There are many different medications to take (often at different times), appointments to remember, symptoms to keep track of, and lots of information to absorb. Thankfully, living in a digital age means that there are numerous mobile apps that can help you manage…

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is an umbrella term for two chronic lung diseases, emphysema and chronic bronchitis, with many patients suffering from both conditions. Each condition affects the lungs slightly differently, although they share many of the same symptoms according to the Lung Institute. MORE:…

We tend to take our lungs for granted, that is until we develop breathing difficulties. But even when living with a chronic lung disease, it is even more important to look after these vital organs as best we can. The Rush University Medical Center has some…