|Breathing Well: Pulmonary Rehabilitation | Breathing Well:
Pulmonary Rehabilitation Treats People with COPD Do you ever
feel like you can’t get enough air? Maybe you cough with almost
every breath, or have trouble clearing your throat. Could it be
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD)? COPD is a lung
disease that includes both emphysema and chronic bronchitis. A
person with COPD has difficulty breathing due to narrowed or
blocked airways to the lungs. Over time, air sacs (or alveoli)
in the lungs are destroyed and can no longer provide oxygen to
the blood. Symptoms include trouble breathing or a cough that
won’t go away. COPD develops gradually, over many years. Smoking
is the most common cause of COPD. Other causes include longterm
exposure to pollution or second-hand smoke. There is no cure for
COPD, but there are treatments to help. Inhaled medications can
open up the airways to ease breathing. Special techniques taught
in a pulmonary rehabilitation class can help you manage
shortness of breath and