Is your home causing you shortness of breath?

In most cases, people with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) can keep symptoms such as cough, shortness of breath, or sputum under control. However, being aware of your COPD triggers — especially in your home — can help you avoid exacerbations.

Rid your home of these allergens and lung irritants to improve your COPD symptoms:

•Dust mites: These hardy creatures, invisible to the naked eye, can burrow into furniture upholstery and worsen symptoms for people with COPD.

•Pet dander: Although your dog may bring lots of love into your home, he also sheds dander and tiny flakes of dead skin. People with COPD or allergies may experience reactions to pet dander, saliva, or urine.

•Mold and mildew: Mold grows in moist places — like around your kitchen sink or in your bathroom and can be a health hazard for people with respiratory issues like COPD, asthma, and allergies.

•Cleaning products: Although a clean home is important, the products you use matter, too.
Aerosol and spray cleaners contain volatile organic compounds, which can make COPD symptoms worse.

The biggest myth about COPD is that you can't do anything about it. Although there is no cure for COPD, it can be treated and managed in many people. How well COPD can be treated depends on how advanced it is and what other diseases may be present, such as hypertension and heart disease.

Weather and temperature changes can trigger COPD symptons

Weather changes are one of many factors that can trigger your COPD (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease)symptoms. Symptoms of COPD, which include shortness of breath, cough, and phlegm production, tend to get worse for some people when the air is very cold and when it is hot and humid.

"Weather extremes are not good," says Barry Make, MD, co-director of the COPD program at the University of Colorado in Denver. Dr. Make says that temperatures below freezing or above 90 degrees Fahrenheit tend to cause COPD symptoms to flare up.

When It's Cold and Windy -

Cold air and strong winds are known triggers for the worsening of COPD symptoms. Many people with COPD find that cold air can make it harder to breathe, leading to shortness of breath and wheezing. Frigid temperatures can also cause fatigue. "COPD patients just feel like they are more tired after they've been in the cold," explains Make.

Windy days can be practically problematic. "If COPD patients go out when it is windy and have to walk against the wind, there is more resistance," says Make. Therefore, it requires more exertion to walk, which can be difficult for someone with COPD.

If cold and windy climates bother you, try wearing a scarf or face mask loosely over your nose and mouth, and breathe through your nose on wintry days. The winter muffler and breathing through your nose warms the air before it enters your lungs, which can help