Tests and treatment for COPD
By: Barb Keck
Depending on the type of COPD test, the most common requirements are to not to drink or smoke 4 hours prior; no exercising at least 30 minutes before; and avoid wearing tight clothes that make it difficult for you to breath.
- If you are unsure if you are at risk of developing COPD or if you have it, you can have a chest X-Ray where a lung inspection can show an over-expanded lung (hyperinflation).
- Another method is to have a blood test to check if your levels of oxygen are low and high of carbon dioxide (respiratory acidosis).
- The most common checkup performed for COPD is spiromatry, which has the patient exhale in tube connected to a machine that measures the amount of air the person can move in and out of their lungs. It usually takes 2-3 times of test’s repetition to see the best results and you may get tired during it.
Consult your doctor to see if a breathing examination is right for you. It will determine if you experience decreased airflow rates.
As a COPD patient, you must get as much fresh air as possible. During a smog or fog, try to stay indoors and away from polluted air or if you are outside, put on a mask to cover your nose and mouth. Every fall, don’t forget your influenza vaccine!
Also see your doctor to establish a fitness routine that would control your COPD symptoms and to regulate breathing. Everyday walk would be very helpful to get the blood going and for oxygen to access the bloodstream.
As for medications, your doctor will prescribe what’s right for you based on laboratory and breathing tests. Bronchodilator is one of the drugs that would relax the muscles around the breathing tubes, enabling the air to travel in and out more easily. If you were coughing up mucus, corticosteroids would be effective to reduce the swelling in the breathing tubes. Besides drugs and antibiotics, syrups are available alongside with dry powder inhaler (DPI) and metered-dose inhaler (MDI). It’s impossible to cure it but the damage can be slowed down.
