Emphysema, chronic bronchitis and colds

If you have emphysema or chronic bronchitis, you know how miserable it feels when you catch a cold. After all, breathing is difficult enough with a chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Not only does catching a cold worsen your ability to breathe and be active, but the cold virus increases your chance of getting a more serious respiratory tract infection. Here's what you must know to stay healthy.

What is emphysema and chronic bronchitis?

Emphysema and chronic bronchitis are chronic (long-term) lung diseases that make it hard to breathe. Both diseases are chronic obstructive pulmonary diseases (COPD), meaning they are conditions that cause a limitation in airflow in the lungs. Emphysema and chronic bronchitis can occur separately or together and are usually the result of cigarette smoking. In addition, although it happens rarely, a genetic form of emphysema can occur early in adulthood, even if you never smoked.

Around 835,000 people in the UK have been diagnosed with COPD, according to the NHS. However, there could be around two million people who have the condition who have not been diagnosed.

Emphysema comes on gradually after years of exposure to irritants such as cigarette smoke. With emphysema, the tiny air sacs in the lungs become damaged, and the sac walls can break down and form larger less effective sacs (bullae). 
Because the tiny sacs lose their elasticity and efficiency less air gets in and out of the lungs. This causes you to feel short of breath. 

With chronic bronchitis, the airways that carry air to the lungs are inflamed and produce a lot of mucus. The mucus and inflammation cause the airways to narrow or become obstructed, making it difficult to breathe. Once the airways have been irritated over a long period, the lining of the airways becomes thickened. This thickening of the airways results in an irritating cough, hampered airflow, and lung scarring. The damaged airways then become a breeding place for bacterial infections that can cause pneumonia.

What happens with emphysema and chronic bronchitis and colds?

A cold is a viral respiratory illness that mainly affects your nose and throat, but in some instances can affect your airways. When you have emphysema or chronic bronchitis, you already have some difficulty breathing because of the damaged airways and lungs. Catching a respiratory virus along with COPD can hinder breathing even more and can cause the following changes in your symptoms:

• An increase in phlegm or sputum
• An increase in the thickness or stickiness of the phlegm
• A change in phlegm colour to yellow or green
• The presence of blood in the phlegm
• An increase in the severity of shortness of breath, cough, or wheezing
• A general feeling of ill health
• Difficulty sleeping
• Increased fatigue