It's like breathing in road exhaust 24 hours a day! Pulmonary obstruction kills 3 million people every year. "Coughing and wheezing" causes no medical treatment for 3 weeks
Coughing up phlegm and wheezing for 3 weeks will cause dizziness when wearing a mask. Be careful, this is a warning sign of “pulmonary obstruction” disease.
Do you often feel coughing, phlegm, and wheezing, and are you more likely to feel dizzy when wearing a mask than others? Once the condition lasts for more than three weeks and you have a smoking habit, be careful as it is a warning sign of “chronic obstructive pulmonary disease” (COPD). The National Health Service points out that chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), referred to as “pulmonary obstruction”, is a respiratory obstruction disease caused by long-term inflammation of the respiratory tract that cannot be recovered. Because gas cannot flow in and out of the respiratory tract smoothly and the gas exchange function of the lungs is damaged, symptoms such as “cough, phlegm, and wheezing” will occur.
Dr. Shiji Ku, director of the Internal Medicine Intensive Care Unit and Respiratory Care Center of National Taiwan University Hospital, said that there are no obvious symptoms in the early stage of pulmonary obstruction, and it may be confused with a common cold. Because patients’ lung function has deteriorated, wearing masks during the epidemic is more likely to cause dizziness, Headache and other symptoms. The big data poll also found that people believe that the symptoms of breathlessness caused by pulmonary obstruction are like being exposed to the exhaust gas of cars and motorcycles at any time.
Nearly 50% of high-risk groups cannot climb 80 steps in one minute without checking, so be careful
However, the latest survey found that among more than 60% of high-risk groups, nearly 50% (46.4%) of those who have experienced “cough, phlegm, and wheezing” symptoms that lasted for three weeks will not seek medical assistance. Further investigation found that high-risk groups mostly ignore the opportunity of early detection of pulmonary obstruction because their symptoms have not yet affected their daily lives, or they think that coughing, phlegm, and wheezing are just normal aging phenomena.
Dr. Wang Jianhe, chairman of the Taiwan Society of Thoracic and Intensive Care Medicine, reminded that the early symptoms of pulmonary obstruction are not obvious, and you should be extra vigilant when exposed to risk factors such as smoke, exhaust gas, air pollution, and dust. In addition, you can also perform a self-pulmonary function test through the “One-minute Stair Climb”. If you cannot climb 30 steps (about four floors) in one minute, and you have symptoms of cough, phlegm, and wheezing for more than 3 weeks, you can Seek medical attention as soon as possible to seek X-rays and lung function tests.
Deaths from pulmonary obstruction exceed 3 million every year, and the mortality rate from acute exacerbation may reach 20%
The health threat caused by pulmonary obstruction is far more profound than the general public imagines. Among the top ten causes of death announced by the World Health Organization in 2019, pulmonary obstruction ranked third. Globally, one person dies from pulmonary obstruction every 10 seconds, causing approximately 3 million deaths every year. In Taiwan, nearly 5,000 patients die from pulmonary obstruction every year. The prevalence of pulmonary obstruction among those over 40 years old ranges from 6.1% to 9.5%, but the consultation rate is only 2.1%, indicating that there are still many patients who do not seek medical treatment in time.
Lin Qingxiong, deputy director of the respiratory disease committee of the Taiwan Society of Thoracic and Intensive Care Medicine, pointed out that once lung function is damaged, it is almost irreversible. Current treatments for pulmonary obstruction are divided into four AD groups based on patient risk and symptoms. Class D patients face more symptoms and are at higher risk. Doctors remind that when severe acute exacerbation of pulmonary obstruction occurs, the mortality rate may be as high as 20% within 2 months.
Vice President Lin Qingxiong reminded that as long as the public finds relevant symptoms lasting for more than 3 weeks, they should seek medical examination as soon as possible. If pulmonary obstruction is diagnosed, a multi-specialty integrated care plan can be used to receive both drug and non-drug treatments, including smoking cessation, nutritional supplements, exercise, and pulmonary rehabilitation exercises, in order to maintain lung function and slow down the rate of deterioration.
Taking only prescription medicine may suppress symptoms and may lead to a vicious cycle. Prevent pulmonary obstruction and stay away from “risk factors”
Director Gu Shiji added that the initial symptoms of pulmonary obstruction are not obvious, but if cough, phlegm, and wheezing persist for more than 3 weeks, you should be alert. If you do not get checked out early and just take over-the-counter medicines to control symptoms, it may cause symptoms to persist and create a vicious cycle of lung function damage. Once it progresses to the point where you don’t seek medical attention until you have obvious symptoms, the disease may have caused irreversible damage to lung function.
Director Gu Shiji reminded that quitting smoking is the first step to prevent pulmonary obstruction. In addition, if there is environmental exposure in the workplace, long-term exposure to dust, dust and other substances are also risk factors. The impact of second-hand smoke cannot be ignored. As for the ubiquitous air pollution, it may cause increased harm to those who belong to high-risk groups. Doctors remind that staying away from risk factors and maintaining good living habits are the fundamental ways to reduce the risk of pulmonary obstruction.
