Is there a difference between COPD and Asthma? The answer is yes.

I had to do my homework to find out the answer to the above question. And in doing so found out that I've experienced both in my life. My great grandfather had COPD, although we didn't call it that. We called it emphysema or black lung from working in the coal mines all of his life. I was very young when he stayed with us but I remember the large breathing machines that he used and the loud noise that they made. I also remember how he coughed a lot and made a funny wheezing nose that as a child I didn't understand. He wasn't a smoker, just a miner that worked hard for his family in the early 1900's when there were no safety measures in place to protect workers from the hazards of the work place.
Now we have smaller machines and they make less noise. There is still coughing and wheezing but this time it comes from my five year old son who has asthma. His asthma is mostly illness induced and I know the signs and what to look for and I understand what his coughing and wheezing means.
Although both asthma and COPD affect the lungs and the breathing, the physiology of the two diseases are quite different.
Asthma:
1. The onset of asthma usually occurs in childhood or the teen years.
2. Asthma is usually triggered by allergens, exercise, virus', etc.
3. With medication and by avoiding triggers, asthma sufferers can live virtually symptom free or go for quite a while without experiencing an asthma attack.


COPD
1. COPD usually occurs in late adulthood and most is brought on by smoking or exposure to harmful chemicals.
2. COPD is worsened by Upper Respiratory Infections.
3. People who suffer from COPD are hardly ever without symptoms. Although quitting smoking will lessen symptoms and stop COPD from progressing, reversal of damage is not 100%.

The type of inflammation in both diseases is quite different also. Asthma is more spasmodic (or as our allergist says "twitchy lungs") while COPD is more fixed. The best explanation of this that I found was on Respiratory Therapy Cave - Asthma or COPD - Which one do you have? This is an excellent blog post that goes into the differences much better than I ever could. I highly recommend that you check it out for a full and complete explanation.

Medically, both are treated differently too. Many COPD sufferers are mistakenly diagnosed with asthma in the beginning and the treatment for COPD can be much different. If you aren't finding relief and you think you may have COPD instead of adult onset asthma, seek a second opinion. And if you are a smoker, quitting now is your BEST first step in treatment (of asthma or COPD!).


For more information visit:

Dr. Gemzel A. Hernandez M. -COPD pages

Respiratory Therapy Cave

ABCNews.com - What is the difference of asthma and COPD?

To discuss this topic further or to start your own discussion, visit the WEGO Health Asthma and Allergy Community

What is your current asthma treatment/COPD Treatment? Were you misdiagnosed with asthma or COPD before you got a true diagnosis?