COPD & Emphysema Support Group

Honestly, COPD and chronic bronchitis are pretty much one and the same. The emphysema part is where the tiny sacs in your lungs have died off (a few at the time) and are unable to process oxygen from your lungs.

You can see (a doctor can at least) on an x-ray parts of the lung where it is denser than normal, and that is an indication of those air sacs becoming unable to work.

Hope that helps, and of course, I'm no doc, so please talk to your doctor and have him explain it too. Take care,
Rosey

Thank you Rosey; this info is very helpful. Hope you are having a great day. Our weather here makes it very easy to breathe right now - 70 and very low humidity. Hope yours is the same. Warmly, Linda

As Rosey says I think it depends if the alveoli in the lung are damaged as in emphysema. In bronchitis I believe the alveoli is not damaged.

I hade lots of different tests, scans and xrays before I was first diagnosed as I have lung infection and shadow on lung. Since getting properly diagnosed, several courses of anti biotics, attending pulmonry rehab I have improved a lot, no more lung infection or shadow on lung.

Thank you Breathes! I have heard that these two conditions often overlap with COPD and also a third (a form of asthma) can complicate things! Thanks for your welcomed input.