Chronic inflammation in the airways is not always asthma

About every 10th person in Germany suffers from chronic inflammation of the bronchi.

About one in ten people in Germany suffers from chronic inflammation of the bronchi. According to experts, chronic bronchitis is becoming the third most common cause of death in this country.

The bronchi become blocked

In chronic bronchitis (COPD), the airways of the bronchi become increasingly narrow due to mucus deposits. Exhaling is particularly difficult and there is a constant urge to cough.

"COPD" ("chronic obstructive pulmonary disease") is the collective term for chronic obstructive lung diseases with or without pulmonary emphysema. "Obstructive" means a narrowing of the airways - characterized by the fact that the air flow is obstructed, especially when exhaling.

Chronic bronchitis becomes COPD

According to the WHO, chronic bronchitis is present when coughing and sputum production occur for at least three months in two consecutive years. "Simple chronic bronchitis" is when coughing and sputum production only occur once due to overproduction of mucus in the lungs. At this stage, the changes in the lungs can still regress if the cause is eliminated. If this does not happen, chronic bronchitis can develop into COPD.

The causes of chronic bronchitis are

• mainly smoking
• the long-term exposure to air pollutants such as particulate matter, sulphur dioxide, ozone
• occupational toxic dusts and fumes of formaldehyde and metal dusts
• chronic sinusitis
• unhealed respiratory infections

Those affected get "out of breath" even with minor exertion and suffer from constant coughing, thick mucus formation and breathing difficulties. In particular, the ever-increasing pollution of the air is increasingly promoting the lung disease COPD. In COPD, not only are the bronchi chronically inflamed, but pulmonary emphysema (enlargement of the bronchioles) also occurs. This means that more and more of the fine alveoli die and the oxygen supply to the body becomes increasingly difficult.

COPD is not Asthma

COPD is often trivialized as "smoker's lung" or "smoker's cough". In fact, COPD is a serious lung disease that, once it has started, continues to progress and often leads to premature death. Many doctors confuse COPD with asthma and then treat it incorrectly. Because they misjudge the clinical picture, they prescribe the wrong medication. For asthma, bronchodilator medication containing cortisone is prescribed. However, most patients with COPD do not respond to cortisone. However, doctors often prescribe it to them - when bronchitis is mistaken for asthma.

For COPD patients, cortisone sprays are only useful if there are increased numbers of inflammatory cells in their blood - the so-called eosinophil granulocytes. There is a special blood test that can detect this. Cortisone therapy should not be started until this has been carried out.

Typical symptoms of COPD are:

• constant coughing
• increased mucus discharge
• difficulty in breathing
• reduced physical resilience
• blue discolored lips and fingertips due to lack of oxygen

At first glance, both Diseases - COPD and bronchitis - very similar: patients are short of breath and, above all, exhaling is difficult. But there are significant differences in the details.

 
Exercise helps with COPD - even if it is difficult

COPD cannot be cured, but there are things that can be done to slow the progression of the disease.

The first priority for smokers is to stop smoking. In addition, it is generally advisable for COPD patients to avoid all pollutants that are harmful to the lungs. In addition, the guidelines recommend an annual flu vaccination and a vaccination against pneumococcus. We offer a smoker's health check for smokers.

 Although COPD patients often feel physically weak, it is important to keep moving as much as possible. Experts from the German Center for Lung Research presented a study in March 2016 in which around 200 COPD patients were fitted with special wristbands to record their physical activity. Within three years, the lung disease had progressed most quickly in those who had moved the least.

Lung patients should therefore train the large muscles of the legs and back in particular. Well-trained muscles can cope with less oxygen. This means that you have to breathe less overall and can also cope with less oxygen. Regularly climbing stairs, doing housework and gardening in everyday life can help you not to get out of breath so quickly.

In addition, the following sports are well suited for people with lung diseases:

• walking
• Hiking
• swimming
• gymnastik
• cycling
• light strength training
• Tai Chi, Qigong

Aqua jogging or aqua gymnastics, on the other hand, are not very useful for patients with lung diseases. In these sports, the body is almost weightless in the water. This is gentle on the joints, but the large muscles of the body are not trained.

Special sports activities for people with lung disease (not just COPD patients) are offered by so-called lung sports groups. These combine endurance sports with light ball games and relaxation. Doctors can prescribe participation, and health insurance companies will then cover the costs.

Medications for COPD – give you breathing room

In the different stages of COPD, different medications help relieve symptoms.

The basis of COPD therapy is bronchial dilating drugs, so-called bronchodilators. They expand the airways and improve the air supply. Short- and long-acting preparations are used. To treat acute respiratory infections, expectorant drugs (mucopharmaceuticals) with the active ingredients N-acetylcysteine, ambroxol or myrtol can help to liquefy stuck secretions.

The decision for the appropriate medication and its use should be made in consultation with the Doctor to be hit.