November 15 is World COPD Day! While there is a lot of great information out there on how to live well with COPD, unfortunately, it is easy to find misinformation, too. In honor of World COPD Day, we are diving into some common myths about COPD. Do any of these sound familiar to you?
- “COPD is an elderly person’s disease. There’s no way I could have it—I’m only 40 years old!" While it is true that many people aren’t diagnosed with COPD until later in life, those early warning signs of COPD can be present in young people. Early diagnosis and treatment can help to stop the disease from getting worse over time. If you have any symptoms of COPD including cough, shortness of breath, increased mucus production, or unusual tiredness, be sure to see your health care provider and get tested for COPD.
- “COPD is caused by smoking. I’ve never smoked, so I know I don’t have it.” Smoking is only one of the causes of COPD. Other factors can cause COPD. It can be genetic, which means that it runs in families. It can also be caused by exposure to chemicals, different types of smoke, and pollution. It can also be caused by infections in childhood.
- “I was just diagnosed with COPD and now my life is over.” Living with a chronic condition like COPD can be overwhelming at times. But it is important to know that no one is born with an expiration date! While COPD is a progressive disease that can become worse over time, there are ways to slow that progression. If you make healthy changes in your life, stay active, take your medications as prescribed, and avoid people who are sick, you can prevent flare-ups (exacerbations) and live well with COPD.
- "I don’t want to take my COPD medications too often or I might become addicted or dependent on them.” There is no risk of becoming addicted to COPD medications. These medications are a necessary part of living well with COPD. If you don’t treat your underlying inflammation and shortness of breath, your symptoms will become worse, and your disease will progress faster. It is very important to take your medications exactly as prescribed—they are helping to keep you healthy!
- “Now that I finally feel better while taking this steroid inhaler, I’m going to stop taking it. I clearly don’t need it anymore.” This couldn’t be further from the truth! It can take time for inhaled corticosteroids to build up enough in your system to start relieving your symptoms. Once you start to feel better, it is important to continue taking it, so your symptoms don’t start increasing again.
What other myths have you heard about COPD? Share them below and let’s talk more about living well with COPD! And be sure to check out our Downloads Library where you can learn more about medications, treatment options, exacerbations, and other COPD-related topics. You can also view a video on some common oxygen myths here.