COPD: Avoiding your triggers

Why is it important to avoid triggers for COPD?

Flare-ups of COPD can greatly limit your activities. You may even need to stay in the hospital. By avoiding flare-ups, you may feel better, be more active, and reduce the impact of COPD on your life.

So it is important to pay attention to your symptoms. You can tell you're having a flare-up when your usual symptoms suddenly get worse. For example:

• You may wheeze or be more short of breath than usual.
• You may cough more than usual. Your cough may or may not bring up mucus. Or you may notice a change in the color or amount of mucus you cough up.
• You may have a fever, have trouble sleeping, or feel very tired. Or you may feel depressed or confused.

With treatment, many people are able to breathe as well as they did before a flare-up.

Test Your Knowledge

1. Avoiding triggers of a flare-up can help you stay out of the hospital.

1. True
2. False

2. A fever may be a sign of a COPD flare-up.

1. True
2. False

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Author:	Ralph Poore	Last Updated: November 20, 2007
Medical Review:	Caroline S. Rhoads, MD - Internal Medicine Ken Y. Yoneda, MD - Pulmonology
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