Chronic bronchitis and emphysema are the most common underlying processes of COPD.
The most common symptoms of COPD are breathlessness, excessive mucus, and a chronic cough. These symptoms will get worse when exercising, when you have a respiratory infection or during a COPD exacerbation - periods of time when there is a sudden increase in symptoms and the disease is worse.
People with COPD have different combinations of the symptoms:
- Shortness of breath (feeling out of breath)
- Difficulty breathing during exercise
- Coughing with mucus
- Frequent respiratory tract infections that last longer
- Feeling tired and easily exhausted
- Losing weight
Not everyone has all of these symptoms, and some people have different combinations of symptoms to other people.
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