Does winter take your breath away?

9th January 2020

Do you have difficulty keeping up with your friends when you’re out and about? Have you got a cough that just never seems to go away? Do wintery conditions make it worse?

If you’re answering yes to these questions you may be one of over three thousand people in Stockport who have COPD but don’t know it.

Never heard of it? Well COPD stands for Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary disease and is an umbrella term for a number of lung diseases like emphysema and chronic bronchitis.

Many people are unaware they’ve got it until their symptoms get so bad that they end up being admitted to hospital.

The main early symptoms are a persistent cough and a shortness of breath, both of which tend to get worse during the winter months. People often put the symptoms down to a smoker’s cough or just being unfit because they’re getting older

A quick and painless breathing test at your GP practice will show if you’ve potentially got the condition and follow up tests for a full diagnosis can then be organised.

Although COPD is not curable it is generally treatable. But the earlier you spot it the better and it’s never too late to get the right treatment and improve your quality of life.

So if winter frequently seems to get the better of you, speak to your GP or practice nurse and get your life back on track.