October is Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease Awareness Month, and its milder forms, COPD—an umbrella term for lung diseases that include emphysema and chronic bronchitis—can seem like you’ve just got a cold, or a cough that won’t go away. COPD is most often linked to smoking, but can also be caused by inhaling other chemical gases and particulate matter that are lung irritants. [1] In COPD, permanent, irreversible lung damage is present by the time symptoms occur and a diagnosis is made. [1] While COPD can be progressive, steps can be taken to prevent COPD symptoms and lung function from worsening.

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