While there are many symptoms of COPD, they can arise in a range of orders and severity, depending on the individual and the progression of the disease. If you are thought to have COPD your doctor is likely to use the following tests to obtain a diagnosis:
- Blood tests. These will test the levels of oxygen in your blood and assess the effectiveness of the gas exchanges that occur in your lungs. Because COPD stops the proper exchange of oxygen into the blood and carbon dioxide out of it, arterial blood gases can help to provide a diagnosis, as can a full blood count to test for hemoglobin levels.
- Pulmonary Tests. Pulmonary tests are performed in COPD diagnosis to test the function of the lungs and to ascertain the degree of any possible damage to the lungs. There are three different kinds of pulmonary test used to determine lung function.
- Bronchoscopy. This is a process where a camera (a bronchoscope) is inserted into the airways, usually through the nose. It enables doctors to actually see the lungs and any damage that has been caused to them, where the damage is, if there is any bleeding in the lungs and to collect fluid from the lungs for further inspection.
- Chest X-ray. A chest X-ray will allow the doctors to see any damage visible in the lungs, whilst eliminating the possibility of other causes of the symptoms, such as a tumor.
- Pulse oximetry. This is a simple process where a probe is attached to the patient (generally their fingertip, forehead, ear or nose). The probe measures the oxygen levels in the blood, if the blood saturation levels are lower than 95-100% they can indicate below normal lung function.
Once a diagnosis has been made your doctor will talk to you about possible treatment programs for your condition. Whilst there are a range of treatments, Stem Cell Treatment is the most effective as it facilitates repair to the damage that has already been caused to the lungs and stops progression of the disease. The sooner diagnosis happens and treatment starts, the better the results as COPD is a progressive disease, with conditions worsening over time. Immediate action therefore has better results, although treatment at any time in the disease can stop disease progression and repair some of the damage already caused.
If you have been diagnosed with COPD and would like to learn more about our Stem Cell Procedures then don’t delay, call us toll free today on 1.866.668.9263 or 1.619.621.2800 to find out how Stem Cell Therapy can help you.