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The two main symptoms of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) are coughing and feeling short of breath.

Many people with COPD cough up a lot of mucus (also called sputum or phlegm).¹

You may think a cough is a sign that you have a cold. But if you have COPD, your cough doesn't go away.

If you smoke, you may think that your "smoker's cough" is normal. You may not want to go to the doctor in case he or she nags you to give up smoking. But your cough could be a sign that you have lung damage, and you should see your doctor.

If you have COPD, you may also:

• Lose weight
• Get tired easily
• Have bones that break easily
• Have swollen ankles.

For information about these and other signs, see More about the symptoms of COPD.

If you have COPD, you may have attacks every so often. If you have an attack, your symptoms get worse very fast. This is what happens:

• It gets very hard for you to breathe
• You may cough more and bring up more mucus
• The mucus will probably be thicker than usual and have a different color.

Normally, the mucus people cough up is clear, but if you have a COPD attack, it may be yellow or greenish. Many people with COPD have attacks after they've caught a cold or had a bout of the flu. Both those illnesses and COPD attacks are caused by infection, usually because of bacteria. But sometimes attacks happen without any sign of infection.

When you're having an attack, your doctor may want you to take these extra medicines:

• Antibiotics to kill any bacteria that are causing an infection
• More of the drugs you take to help you breathe
• Steroids to reduce the inflammation and swelling in your airways.

You may need to go to the hospital.

This information is for educational use only, and is not a substitute for prompt professional medical advice. Readers should always consult a physician or other professional for advice and treatment. ©BMJ Publishing Group Limited 2008. All rights reserved.