Treatment

Not all people with COPD have smoked, however, if you do smoke, quitting is the single most important thing you can do to improve your health and lung function. If you continue to smoke, this will affect your health and respiratory symptoms, so the sooner you quit, the better your chances of living well with your COPD. Do not feel guilty about having smoked. Most smokers say they would like to quit, and may have tried at least once. Some are successful the first time but many others try a number of times before they finally give up for good. A quit plan can help you reflect on why you smoke, your motivations for quitting and help you choose your preferred quit tools.

If you get breathless during your normal daily activities you may start to avoid exercise, however, this can cause your muscles to get weak and you’ll lose fitness over time. COPD research has shown that regular exercise can help maintain your fitness, improve your wellbeing and reduce symptoms, such as breathlessness. You should aim to exercise for at least 30 minutes, five times a week. It’s important to note that you do not have to do all 30 minutes at once. For some people this will be achievable whilst others will need to break it up into smaller sessions. The activity you do should make you a little out of breath and it’s important to talk with your health professional such as a physiotherapist about what type of exercise would suit you.

Pulmonary rehabilitation is an exercise and education program provided by specially trained health professionals. It teaches you the skills needed to exercise safely, manage your breathlessness and to stay well and out of hospital.

This may include discussing a seasonal flu vaccination and a pneumonia vaccine with your doctor, in order to help support your immune system.

Anxiety and depression are not uncommon in COPD and it’s important to access support. It can be difficult to know if you feel down because of your physical health or if you have symptoms of depression or anxiety. Talk to your doctor or contact Lung Foundation Australia for referral to appropriate support services.

After you finish pulmonary rehabilitation, it is important to continue exercising to help maintain your physical fitness and lung health. Lung Foundation Australia’s Lungs in Action program is a safe and fun community-based exercise class designed to help people with a chronic lung disease maintain the benefits achieved through pulmonary rehabilitation.

There are a number of medicines that COPD patients can take to help improve their breathing. Some work by helping to open your airways, while others relax the muscles around your airways to make breathing easier. These medicines are most commonly taken using an inhaler device (puffer). Up to 90% of people with COPD do not know how to use their inhaler device correctly, so it is important for a trained health professional (such as your doctor or pharmacist) to show you how to use your inhaler and assist you to get the technique right. Correct use of your inhaler device is important and will ensure you get the most benefit from your medicine. Some people may need to take more than one medicine. It is important to take your medicines each day as prescribed by your doctor, even if you feel well.

1. Reliever medicines: for quick relief of increasing symptoms of breathlessness.
2. Maintenance medicines: for long term regular use, to control your usual symptoms and help prevent flare-ups.
3. Flare-up medicines: for short-term use during an acute flare-up of your COPD symptoms.

In severe cases of COPD if your oxygen levels are very low, home oxygen may be prescribed by your doctor or specialist. This may reduce the damage to your vital organs or improve your quality of life, however it is not prescribed to stop breathlessness. Some patients may need continuous oxygen while others may only require oxygen during physical activity (i.e. walking or exercising). While oxygen therapy may relieve breathlessness in some people, in many cases it does not.