COPD: What is it?COPD, also commonly known as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, is a disease that makes it hard to breath and it progresses over time. The main symptoms of COPD are shortness of breath or a cough that produces slimy like phlegm. A person diagnosis with COPD falls into one of two categories. They either have shortness of breath which would fall under the label of emphysema, or a chronic cough that produces phlegm that puts them under the category of chronic bronchitis.Cigarette smoking is the number one cause of COPD. Other airway irritants such as pollution, second hand smoke, and being exposed in the workplace to various inhaled irritants can also contribute to COPD. A medical professionals goal while treating a patient diagnosis with COPD is to slow the progression of the disease down to manageable levels. This can overall improve the quality of life. Before treatment can begin, recognizing the symptoms and seeking medical help are the first steps. Below is a list of things to look for when trying to identify the symptoms of COPDIdentifying the SymptomsStep 1. A chronic cough that hasn't went away is one symptom to be suspicious of. People with COPD produce a good amount of mucus and coughing is the only way of clearing this out of the airways.Step 2. Look for an increase in the amount of mucus production. An increase in mucus could be because of inflammation in the airways or a respiratory infection that goes hand in hand with COPD sufferers.Step 3. Shortness of breath is the Hallmark symptom of COPD. Shortness of breath, also know as Dyspnea, means lack of oxygen within the blood.Step 4. Wheezing is another symptom to look for. Wheezing is the result of damage to the airways occurring from blockages or narrowing because of the disease.Step 5. Look for chest tightness. To determine if that is what a person is experiencing it feels like pressure with breathing that causes breathes to become difficult to take in and out and sometimes accompanied with pain.