Let me speak of the two conditions separately.

COPD (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease) is a state where the airways and alveoli are damaged and it cannot be reversed. Smoking is the biggest cause. The centre of treatment is the inhaler from respiratory medicine and stopping smoking, and Korean medicine treatment cannot restore damaged lungs.

What we help with is the discomfort from cough and sputum, decline in stamina, and parts such as digestion and sleep. As maintaining weight and muscle strength is known to be important to the outcome in COPD patients, we look at this part together.

If breathlessness suddenly increases, the sputum becomes darker in colour and greater in amount, or there is fever, it may be an acute exacerbation and immediate respiratory medicine care is needed.