Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, or COPD, is a chronic inflammatory disease of the lungs, which obstructs normal airflow. COPD is a condition many adults get from smoking. Constant exposure to pollutants, genetic predisposition, and recurrent respiratory infections also leave the lungs weaker and more prone to developing COPD. Early detection with treatment can minimize the severity and outcome of COPD. Symptoms of COPD are as follows:

1. Difficulty breathing
This will likely begin gradually. It may leave you breathless climbing stairs, out of breath, when engaging in a favorite physical activity. You may find yourself taking deep breaths even when sitting still watching TV or reading a book.

2. Shortness of breath
When you are deliberately doing things differently in your daily routine to avoid breathing hard such as riding the elevator rather than walk up the stairs. You may start gathering everything you are going to want for the next several hours so that you will not have to be getting up and down multiple times.

3. Frequent respiratory infections
If you barely seem to get well only to turn around and you are sick again, talk to your doctor to consider the possibility of you having COPD. The test is easy to administer.

4. Persistent cough
If you had bronchitis or pneumonia and the cough lingers on for an extended period. The greenish, thick mucus produced by the cough from the infection turns clear or white kind of foamy sputum.

5. Wheezing
If your lungs frequently start burning with the effort of breathing, you may want to talk to your doctor. It may be asthma, or a seasonal allergy, or COPD. It is always best to speak to your doctor about any breathing issue you may develop. Anaphylaxis can occur to anyone at any time and can be deadly. If you are experiencing any kind of difficulty breathing, seek medical help immediately.

6. Tight chest
As with wheezing, if you are feeling tightness around your chest, seek immediate medical attention. It could be respiratory, or it may be a cardiac event. Either way, get checked out by a medical professional.

7. Unusual fatigue
You may only notice this symptom when a friend or family member points it out to you. “You never want to do anything anymore!” may be a significant theme. If your friends and family seem to say this frequently, take a good look at how you do feel. Some of us just do not notice when we are tired all the time, and there is no cause for it. Lack of oxygen going from your lungs to your brain due to a pulmonary obstruction will make you very tired all the time.

8. Sudden unexplained weight loss
While many will not see this as a bad thing, unexplained weight loss can signal a host of severe conditions.

9. Swollen feet, ankles, or legs
This is a lesser-known symptom, but it should not be dismissed lightly. Especially if there are no other indicators for this to occur. See a doctor immediately as it is a sign of Right congestive heart failure as well as a symptom of COPD.