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  1. What is COPD?
  2. Managing COPD
  3. Living with COPD
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MANAGING COPD

Managing COPD

COPD is a very serious disease – but there is a lot you can do to help yourself! These pages give advice on the best things you can do to improve your quality of life, and minimise the impact that COPD has on your enjoyment.

Taking an active interest in managing your disease can help improve the quality of your life. You are likely to receive treatment from several different healthcare professionals. Doctors, physiotherapists, psychologists and nurses may all have a role in helping you to manage your COPD.

It is important that you have a good relationship with your doctor. Do not be afraid to make an appointment with your doctor to talk about any changes in your condition, and speak up if you are concerned about your treatments or unexpected symptoms.

This section explains what you can do to help manage your condition, and what kind of treatment you are likely to receive. Some of these pages can be printed for easy reference.

Additional information

Key role of stopping smoking

Stopping smoking will help slow the progress of COPD. You will also find it easier to breathe if you avoid environments where are you exposed to tobacco smoke, and you will also reduce your chances of an exacerbation. more

Adjusting to life with COPD

Being breathless is extremely unpleasant for people with COPD, and sometimes this can start a negative cycle of inactivity, depression and a worsening of the quality of life.more

Treatments

COPD is a progressive disease, which means that it gets worse over time. Because there is no cure for COPD, all the currently available treatments concentrate on slowing the disease progression, controlling the symptoms and reducing complications.more
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