a cold is a viral respiratory illness that mainly affects your nose and throat but in some instances can affect your airways. when you have emphysema or chronic bronchitis you already have some difficulty breathing because of the damaged airways and lungs. catching a respiratory virus along with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease can hinder breathing even more and can cause the following changes in your symptoms: an increase in phlegm. an increase in the thickness or stickiness of the phlegm. a change in phlegm color to yellow or green. blood in the phlegm. an increase in the severity of shortness of breath cough or wheezing. a general feeling of ill health. difficulty sleeping. increased fatigue.
what happens with emphysema and chronic bronchitis and colds?