Exacerbations
People with COPD can sometimes experience exacerbations, also known as flare-ups. An exacerbation is a worsening of your normal condition, often caused by a lung infection.
In This Article
What is an exacerbation?
Symptoms of a flare-up can vary from person to person, but it can often feel harder than usual to breathe. Other common signs are fever, cough, chest tightness, tiredness, a change in the color of mucus, and wheezing.
Untreated exacerbations can lead to hospitalization and further lung damage, so it’s important to treat them as early as possible.
How is it different from a ‘bad day’?
Sometimes it can be tricky to tell whether you are having an exacerbation or just a bad day. An exacerbation is when your symptoms are worse and last longer than a simple day-to-day change in your condition.
This is why it is important to listen to your body and monitor your condition. Your Wellinks COPD Action Plan is a great resource to keep track of your symptoms, triggers, and instructions from your physician about what you should do if your symptoms get worse.
And if you notice that you are having multiple bad days in a row, talk to your healthcare provider.
Treating an exacerbation
It’s important to treat an exacerbation as early as possible, and your Wellinks COPD Action Plan can help you with this.
For example, you can use your COPD Action Plan to monitor changes in your condition that may be more subtle, such as feeling more tired than usual. Also, if you notice an increase in your shortness of breath, fever, or changes in the color of your mucus, consult your action plan.
Your action plan should have instructions from your healthcare provider about what to do. This could include taking rescue medication, antibiotics, and/or corticosteroids.
If you haven’t created an action plan yet, you can work with your Wellinks care team, who will help you fill it out according to your doctor’s instructions.
If you experience severe shortness of breath or chest pain, notice that your fingers and toes are blue or very pale, or are experiencing confusion or slurring of speech, you should call 911 right away.