Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease | Treatment

How is COPD treated?

If you have COPD, the most important thing you can do is to stop smoking. This can stop or at least slow the damage to your lungs. Talk to your doctor about how to stop smoking. If you quit smoking soon, you have a better chance of living longer and being healthier.

Your doctor may also have you take some medicines to make you feel better and breathe more easily. These medicines can include antibiotics and some medicines that you inhale (breathe in). You might need to take steroids and antibiotics if you get a respiratory infection.

Some people with more advanced COPD need to use oxygen. You breathe the oxygen through tubes that you put in your nose or through a mask that goes over your mouth and nose.

Patients with very serious COPD might have surgery. They might have a lung reduction operation or a lung transplant. These surgeries are usually done only in people who have not done well with other treatments.

How do I take inhaled medicines?

To take inhaled medicines, you might use a small handheld canister or you might use a nebulizer machine to deliver a specific amount of medication to your lungs. A nebulizer machine turns liquid medicine into a vapor (like a cloud) that you can breathe. This machine is often used to treat people with more serious COPD. It also helps people who have trouble using handheld inhalers.

Your doctor will tell you how to take your medicine. It is important to follow your doctor's instructions carefully so that your lungs receive the right amount of medicine.