The key to managing any significant disease is early detection, which is certainly the case with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). This chronic disease is characterized by significant inflammation of the lung tissue. COPD is very common among smokers and people who are frequently exposed to irritants like insecticides and gaseous fumes. According to the American Lung Association, as many as 35 million Americans may be suffering from COPD, though only about a third of the cases have actually been diagnosed.

If you are not sure if you have COPD, you might want to look for the following early warning signs:

1. Increasing breathlessness when active

When you are participating in sports or strenuous activities, your heart rate increases, and your body has an increased need for oxygen. This causes your lungs to expand to take in the extra oxygen. If you have COPD, it would be typical for you to have increasingly more difficulty breathing as your heart rate goes up. With the inflammation caused by COPD, your lungs would have less capacity to draw in and hold air.

2. Persistent cough

With lung inflammation, there is usually an increase in mucus build-up in the lungs. When this happens, coughing is the body’s way of loosening and trying to discharge the mucus. If you develop a chronic cough that won’t dissipate no matter what you do, it’s a sign you may have COPD. A chronic cough would be loosely defined as coughing that persists for at least eight weeks and seems prevalent on a daily basis.

3. Chest congestion with phlegm

If you have ever had pneumonia or bronchitis, then you have likely experienced what it feels like to have a “heavy chest.” That heavy chest feeling is indicative of congestion in your lungs. With those types of conditions, the congestion is usually temporary. However, if COPD is the cause of your congestion, it will result in you having that heavy chest feeling on a regular basis. When your lungs get congested, that’s when other symptoms like coughing and wheezing kick in.

4. Frequent chest infections

While conditions like the aforementioned pneumonia and bronchitis can lead to COPD, it’s also possible for COPD to lead to other respiratory illnesses. Any time one of the body’s organs are functioning improperly, that organ becomes susceptible to more infections and medical conditions, with lack of good blood circulation playing a role.

5. Persistent wheezing

If you have a problem with wheezing, you will notice a whistling sound coming from your lungs when you inhale. That is usually indicative of your lungs struggling to pull in as much air as they need before exhaling. In such instances, you might also notice a “rattling” in your lungs. If either of these conditions is commonplace in your day-to-day life, it’s a strong indication that you might be dealing with COPD.