How do I know if I have COPD?

First ask yourself:

1.    Do you cough regularly?
2.    Do you cough up sputum (mucus or phlegm) regularly?
3.    Do even simple chores make you short of breath?
4.    Do you wheeze when you exert yourself, or at night?
5.    Do you get frequent colds that last longer than those of other people you know?

If you answered, “Yes” to any of these consult your doctor and ask for a Spirometry test, which tests your lung function. Spirometry is a painless way to measure the amount of air that your lungs move in and out and at what rate. This result can be used to determine whether you have COPD and how severe it is.

Using this information doctors can determine the stage of COPD you are currently at. COPD can be classified based on your severity of symptoms or by the loss of lung function. The stages of COPD go from mild, moderate, to severe (and if classifying using loss of lung function, very severe).