[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"detail-sidebar-cat-1-en-105":3,"doc-detail-571333-en":53,"doc-seo-571333-105":75},{"code":4,"msg":5,"data":6},0,"success",[7,14,19,24,29,34,39,44,49],{"id":8,"doc_module":9,"doc_module_name":10,"category_name":11,"show_sort_weight":12,"slug":13},11,1,"Template","Presentations",90,"presentations",{"id":15,"doc_module":9,"doc_module_name":10,"category_name":16,"show_sort_weight":17,"slug":18},12,"Resumes",80,"resumes",{"id":20,"doc_module":9,"doc_module_name":10,"category_name":21,"show_sort_weight":22,"slug":23},14,"Invoices",70,"invoices",{"id":25,"doc_module":9,"doc_module_name":10,"category_name":26,"show_sort_weight":27,"slug":28},15,"Posters",60,"posters",{"id":30,"doc_module":9,"doc_module_name":10,"category_name":31,"show_sort_weight":32,"slug":33},16,"Social Media",50,"social-media",{"id":35,"doc_module":9,"doc_module_name":10,"category_name":36,"show_sort_weight":37,"slug":38},17,"Forms",40,"forms",{"id":40,"doc_module":9,"doc_module_name":10,"category_name":41,"show_sort_weight":42,"slug":43},18,"Letters",30,"letters",{"id":45,"doc_module":9,"doc_module_name":10,"category_name":46,"show_sort_weight":47,"slug":48},21,"Paper Templates",5,"papers-templates",{"id":50,"doc_module":9,"doc_module_name":10,"category_name":51,"show_sort_weight":4,"slug":52},158,"General","general-158",{"code":4,"msg":5,"data":54},{"doc_id":55,"user_id":56,"nickname":57,"user_avatar":58,"doc_module":9,"category_id":50,"category_name":51,"doc_title":59,"doc_description":60,"doc_content":61,"file_id":62,"file_url":63,"file_type":64,"file_size":65,"view_count":66,"is_deleted":4,"is_public":9,"is_downloadable":9,"audit_status":9,"page_count":67,"language":68,"language_code":69,"site_id":70,"html_lang":69,"table_of_contents":71,"faqs":72,"seo_title":73,"seo_description":60,"update_tm":74,"read_time":9},571333,1099529839121,"noah","https://ap-avatar.wpscdn.com/davatar_994ba38a5ba835b3df7d355c54d3ed8d","Signs and Symptoms of COPD","Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) can cause shortness of breath, tiredness, mucus production, and coughing. Shortness of breath happens because airflow is harder to move in and out of the lungs, often leading to less activity and worsening breathing with exertion. The material explains ways to control symptoms using regular medications, exercise, paced breathing, pulmonary rehabilitation, and support groups, and it advises when to contact a healthcare provider about new or worsening breathing or changes in mucus, including concerning colors or coughing blood.","American Thoracic Society  \nPATIENT EDUCATION | INFORMATION SERIES  \nCL IP AND COPY  \nSigns and Symptoms of COPD  \n\n| Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) can cause shortness of breath, tiredness, production of mucus, and cough. Many people with COPD develop most if not all, of these signs and symptoms. | |\n| --- | --- |\n\nWhy is shortness of breath a symptom of COPD?  \nShortness of breath (or breathlessness) is a common symptom of COPD because the obstruction in the breathing tubes makes it difficult to move air in and out of your lungs. This produces a feeling of difficulty breathing (See ATS Patient Information Series fact sheet on Breathlessness) . Unfortunately, people try to avoid this feeling by becoming less and less active. This plan may work at first, but in time it leads to a downward spiral of:  \navoiding activities which leads to getting out of shape or becoming deconditioned, and this can result in even more shortness of breath with activity (see diagram) .  \nWhat can I do to treat shortness of breath?  \nIf your shortness of breath is from COPD, you can do several things to control it:  \n■ Take your medications regularly. If you do not think that they are helping your shortness of breath, talk to your healthcare provider, but don’t stop the medication. Your provider may add other types of inhaled medication to your medication program that may help.  \n■ Begin a regular exercise program to build-up your strength.  \n■ Learn about paced breathing and ways of breathing more efficiently with activities.  \nPulmonary rehabilitation programs (SeeATS Website on  \nPulmonary Rehabilitation, [www.livebetter.org](www.livebetter.org) and Patient Information Series Fact sheet at [http://www.thoracic.org](http://www.thoracic.org)) offer an exercise program and teach you how to control your shortness of breath. Breathing support groups offer more general information. To locate a rehabilitation program or support group, see the resources listed.  \nWhen should I call my healthcare provider about my shortness of breath?  \nIf your shortness of breath is new, or it worsens for no known reason, call your healthcare provider. Describe when the shortness of breath started, how long it has lasted, and what makes it better or worse.  \nOnline version updated April 2019  \nATS Patient Education Series © 2015 American Thoracic Society  \n[www.thoracic.org](www.thoracic.org)  \nAmerican Thoracic Society  \nPATIENT EDUCATION | INFORMATION SERIES  \nwithout even knowing that you are doing so. However, when the lungs are infected or bothered by irritants, they try to protect themselves by producing more mucus than normal, which often makes you cough.  \nShould I look atthe mucus I cough up?  \nMucus needs to be coughed up and you need to look at it. Swallowing small amounts of mucus is not known to cause health problems, but looking at your mucus can give you an idea of what is happening in your lungs. It is best to cough your mucus into a disposable tissue so that you can see the color, thickness, and amount of mucus. Describing your mucus to your healthcare provider is helpful. For example,“My mucus used to be clear or light gray in color, now it is a deep yellow or green in color.”  \nHow can I lessen the amount of mucus produced in my lungs?  \nSmoking is a very common cause of mucus production. If you smoke, stop smoking. For help in quitting smoking, seeATS Patient Information Series fact sheets on Tobacco & Smoking. Vaping using e-cigarettes and similar devices also can cause symptoms and should be avoided. Everyone should avoid being around smoke and limit exposure to other things that can cause irritation to the lungs, such as pollution and fumes (paints, cleaning products and perfumes) . Besides avoiding irritants, medicines  \nlike bronchodilators (to open up the breathing tubes), expectorants (to make the mucus easier to cough out), mucolytics (to thin thick mucus) and antibiotics (to treat infection in the lung) may be prescribed by your","cbCaieN24ZhIMHc7","https://ap.wps.com/l/cbCaieN24ZhIMHc7","pdf",225400,7,2,"English","en",105,"# Why is shortness of breath a symptom of COPD?\n## What can I do to treat shortness of breath?\n## When should I call my healthcare provider about my shortness of breath?\n# How does mucus relate to COPD?\n## Should I look at the mucus I cough up?\n## How can I lessen the amount of mucus produced?\n## When should I call my healthcare provider about changes in mucus?\n# Is coughing a symptom of COPD?\n## What can I do to stop my cough?\n## When should I call my healthcare provider about my cough?","[{\"question\":\"Why does COPD cause shortness of breath?\",\"answer\":\"COPD narrows the breathing tubes, making it difficult to move air in and out of the lungs. This leads to breathlessness and can also reduce activity, which then worsens symptoms over time.\"},{\"question\":\"What are practical ways to control shortness of breath from COPD?\",\"answer\":\"Take medications regularly, start a regular exercise program to build strength, and learn paced breathing to use airflow more efficiently. Pulmonary rehabilitation programs and breathing support groups can provide structured exercise and symptom control strategies.\"},{\"question\":\"What mucus and cough changes should prompt a call to a healthcare provider?\",\"answer\":\"Contact a healthcare provider soon after noticing changes in mucus color, thickness, or amount, especially if you cough up blood or mucus that is deep yellow, green, or “putty” colored. If breathing becomes new or worsens for no known reason, call as well.\"}]","Signs and Symptoms of COPD | PDF",1791913208,{"code":4,"msg":76,"data":77},"ok",{"site_id":70,"language":69,"slug":78,"title":59,"keywords":79,"description":60,"schema_data":80,"social_meta":135,"head_meta":137,"extra_data":139,"updated_unix":140},"signs-and-symptoms-of-copd","",{"@graph":81,"@context":134},[82,97,117],{"@type":83,"itemListElement":84},"BreadcrumbList",[85,89,91,94],{"item":86,"name":87,"@type":88,"position":9},"https://docshare.wps.com","Home","ListItem",{"item":90,"name":10,"@type":88,"position":67},"https://docshare.wps.com/template/",{"item":92,"name":51,"@type":88,"position":93},"https://docshare.wps.com/template/general/",3,{"item":95,"name":59,"@type":88,"position":96},"https://docshare.wps.com/template/signs-and-symptoms-of-copd/571333/",4,{"url":95,"name":59,"@type":98,"image":99,"author":104,"headline":59,"publisher":106,"fileFormat":109,"inLanguage":69,"description":60,"dateModified":110,"datePublished":111,"encodingFormat":109,"isAccessibleForFree":112,"interactionStatistic":113},"DigitalDocument",{"url":100,"@type":101,"width":102,"height":103},"https://docshare.wps.com/thumbnails/signs-and-symptoms-of-copd/571333.png","ImageObject",442,249,{"name":57,"@type":105},"Person",{"url":86,"name":107,"@type":108},"DocShare","Organization","application/pdf","2026-10-22","2026-10-13",true,{"@type":114,"interactionType":115,"userInteractionCount":66},"InteractionCounter",{"@type":116},"ViewAction",{"@type":118,"mainEntity":119},"FAQPage",[120,126,130],{"name":121,"@type":122,"acceptedAnswer":123},"Why does COPD cause shortness of breath?","Question",{"text":124,"@type":125},"COPD narrows the breathing tubes, making it difficult to move air in and out of the lungs. This leads to breathlessness and can also reduce activity, which then worsens symptoms over time.","Answer",{"name":127,"@type":122,"acceptedAnswer":128},"What are practical ways to control shortness of breath from COPD?",{"text":129,"@type":125},"Take medications regularly, start a regular exercise program to build strength, and learn paced breathing to use airflow more efficiently. Pulmonary rehabilitation programs and breathing support groups can provide structured exercise and symptom control strategies.",{"name":131,"@type":122,"acceptedAnswer":132},"What mucus and cough changes should prompt a call to a healthcare provider?",{"text":133,"@type":125},"Contact a healthcare provider soon after noticing changes in mucus color, thickness, or amount, especially if you cough up blood or mucus that is deep yellow, green, or “putty” colored. If breathing becomes new or worsens for no known reason, call as well.","https://schema.org",{"og:url":95,"og:type":136,"og:title":59,"og:site_name":107,"og:description":60},"article",{"robots":138,"canonical":95},"index,follow",{"doc_id":55,"site_id":70},1792115094]