15 COPD Symptoms

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A tricky lung disease

By Amanda Gardner

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a common problem—24 million people in the U.S. are thought to have it—but few people have a grasp of what it is.

In fact, half of the people who have COPD don’t even know it. Why? COPD symptoms can creep up gradually or be mistaken for something else, such as a cough, allergies, cold, flu, or other less serious ailments.

If you have COPD, you have emphysema or chronic bronchitis, or—most often—both. Read on to find out more about the symptoms of COPD.

Next: Shortness of breath