You know your emphysema stage through pulmonary function tests (PFTs), primarily spirometry, which measures airflow (FEV1) and classifies it into four GOLD stages (Mild, Moderate, Severe, Very Severe), combined with your symptoms (like shortness of breath, cough, fatigue) and imaging tests (like CT scans) showing lung damage, all assessed by a doctor to determine severity and treatment.
Stage 2 Shortness of breath worsens, accompanied by a persistent cough and phlegm production. Flare-ups can cause changes in phlegm color. Stage 3 Symptoms become more severe, especially in the mornings, with more frequent flare-ups. Some notice swollen ankles, feet and legs.
Stage 3 COPD means your lungs have developed a severe level of airflow limitation. At this stage, your lungs are working harder than before, and simple things like walking up stairs or carrying groceries might feel more tiring.
Stage 1. This is the mildest stage of emphysema. Your lungs operate at least 80% as well as the healthy lungs of someone who's the same age, height and sex.
It takes several years to progress to the final stages of COPD or emphysema, but lifestyle factors play a role. Quitting smoking can significantly improve the outlook. According to the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute , COPD can progress quickly in people with alpha-1 antitrypsin deficiency who also smoke.
Indeed, exercise training has been identified as the best available means of improving muscle function and exercise tolerance in patients with COPD. So, exercise training truly makes a difference in the life of patients with COPD.
Stage 4 emphysema is the final and most severe stage of the disease, in which a person may experience low blood oxygen levels due to advanced lung damage. Low blood oxygen levels can lead to chronic fatigue and an overall reduction in quality of life.
Common signs of COPD exacerbation or flare up:
To prevent emphysema or to keep symptoms from getting worse: Don't smoke. Talk to your healthcare professional about options for quitting. Stay away from secondhand smoke.
There are four stages of COPD: mild, moderate, severe, and very severe. Your healthcare provider will determine what stage your COPD is at when you are diagnosed and throughout your COPD journey. Your healthcare provider will recommend treatment based on your COPD stage, health history, risk of flare ups, and symptoms.
Sometimes, emphysema can be more severe than COPD with chronic bronchitis, but other times the chronic bronchitis form of the disease can cause worse symptoms than emphysema.
Stop smoking.
Continuing to smoke can cause more damage to your lungs and worsen emphysema. If you need help giving up smoking, join a stop-smoking program or talk to your healthcare professional about ways to quit. As much as possible, avoid secondhand smoke. Secondhand smoke may add to lung damage.
Oxygen therapy, if you have severe emphysema and low levels of oxygen in your blood. Oxygen therapy can help you breathe better. You may need extra oxygen all the time or only at certain times. Remove large air spaces (bullae) that can form when air sacs are destroyed.
Learn how to avoid the triggers that can make your COPD worse.
Emphysema life expectancy varies greatly but shortens with disease severity, though quitting smoking and managing symptoms (like through exercise, diet, and medication) significantly improves outlook, with mild cases potentially allowing for normal life expectancy while advanced stages reduce it, requiring proactive management to slow progression. Factors like age, smoking status, and overall health play a big role, with severe cases potentially reducing life by several years compared to non-smokers, while early intervention and lifestyle changes are key to slowing decline.
Symptoms
Short-acting bronchodilators should be used on an as-needed basis and last for about 4-6 hours. They are usually used when emphysema is mild. Long-acting bronchodilators are used every day and last for 12 hours or more. They are generally prescribed when emphysema is moderate or severe.
Because emphysema, like other forms of COPD, reduces the amount of oxygen that can reach your bloodstream, the heart works harder to spread oxygen throughout the body. A person with severe emphysema may get tired easily, may have chest pains or palpitations, or experience headaches, sleep problems and irritability.
Pursed Lip Breathing
This exercise reduces the number of breaths you take and keeps your airways open longer. More air is able to flow in and out of your lungs so you can be more physically active.
Pinto-Plata et al (9) showed that 6MWD was able to predict survival in COPD patients and that patients unable to walk >100 m had an extremely high mortality (92%) at one year.