Discovering the main symptoms of COPD in women

T he main symptoms of COPD in women arise as a result of inflammation of air sacs in lungs and their damage. This causes the airways to shrink; hence making the circulation in the body to be complicated to a point of it becoming troublesome to breathe. Therefore, the main symptoms of COPD in women are having difficulties in breathing, and this can affect many aspects of day to day activity. The cause of COPD is smoking especially heavy smokers or people who have been smoking for long. Individuals who been suffering from asthma for a long period are prone to COPD too. The symptoms of COPD in women are coughing up and emitting extra mucus than a normal person. This may also be accompanied by an alteration in color, (bright, white, yellowish-gray or green) and heavy thick mucus. A significant number of COPD victims especially women may have a cough that won’t go away. Short of breath is a symptom of COPD in women, especially after exercise. Many victims experience low inhalation of air. Women with COPD may feel tightness in the chest. Having to clear their throat first in the morning due to excess mucus in the lungs as it is a common symptom of COPD in women. Noisy breathing is one of the common symptoms of COPD in women. When airways are blocked by pus or mucus, they cause a victim to wheeze frequently. Another common symptom of COPD is rattling or gurgling which pinpoint of the presence of fluid in victims’ lungs. In the case of irregular breathing, one feels like he/she has to use chest power to gulp air rather than use the diaphragm. As a victim of COPD, breathing get out of control as the time it may be slower while other times it moves with speed. A cough may be more severe than usual as it becomes dry and in critical times it bring up yellow, green or bloody phlegm. When one is not getting enough air, the muscles tense making it even harder to breath. Many women with COPD have attacks called flare-ups or exacerbation; when symptoms deteriorate to severe modes. An exacerbation could turn out to be risky and at such times one needs immediate medical attention. In the exacerbated form of COPD the symptoms in women may be severe. Early morning headaches where one starts with a throbbing head because of low oxygen levels because of carbon dioxide in the blood. Swollen ankles or legs are problems in women with exacerbated COPD and are due to the poor working of heart and lungs. Trouble sleeping and eating, can’t talk, and changes in the skin (blue to purple or nail color (yellow or gray) are also evident in this form. The symptoms of COPD in women under exacerbated form are very detrimental, and it is always advisable to visit a doctor upon exhibiting these symptoms. Treatment or reduction of symptoms of COPD in women includes; use of bronchodilators, inhaled steroids, a combination of inhalers, phosphodiesterase-4 inhibitors, theophylline, and antibiotics. [photo: www.flickr.com]