Danielle Chase

When Is COPD Considered a Disability? 💡TL;DR: Yes, COPD can be a disability when it substantially limits breathing or prevents steady full-time work for 12 months or more. Social Security approves COPD claims either by meeting strict Blue Book lung test cutoffs or by showing you cannot sustain any

💡TL;DR: Most people with COPD benefit from a HEPA air purifier that removes fine particles like smoke, dust, and pollen. A HEPA air purifier can help reduce COPD triggers, but it will not cure COPD or replace your prescribed treatments. Choose True HEPA, ozone-safe (CARB-listed), and a CADR sized

💡TL;DR: Clearing COPD mucus works best when you combine gravity positions, huff cough, and steady hydration; ask your clinician about hypertonic saline (3% or 7%) by nebulizer if phlegm is very thick. Do short sessions 1–3 times a day rather than one long effort to avoid getting winded.

💡TL;DR: With COPD, what you eat can make breathing feel easier or harder. Cut back on salty and processed foods and aim for < 2,300 mg sodium/day (CDC); choose 4–6 smaller meals, steady protein, and healthy fats. Skip big fizzy drinks and heavy fried meals; drink

💡TL;DR: Hospital-grade nebulizers produce a fine, consistent mist (~3–5 microns) and finish most treatments in about 5–10 minutes. Modern mesh and compressor units for home can match clinic performance when used correctly, and many are FDA-cleared medical devices. Expect quieter operation and durable, cleanable parts that keep

💡TL;DR: Dry coughs don’t produce mucus; wet coughs do. Treat dry coughs by soothing irritation and, if needed, using a short‑term suppressant; treat wet coughs by thinning and clearing mucus with fluids, steam, and an expectorant. Most simple coughs clear in about 3 weeks (NHS), while a

💡TL;DR: Do not nebulize distilled water. It is not guaranteed sterile and its very low salt content can irritate your airways. Use sterile 0.9% saline or prescribed medications in unit-dose vials; use 3% to 7% hypertonic saline only if your clinician prescribes it. For cleaning, you may rinse

💡TL;DR: Yes. Smoking weed can damage your lungs. Cannabis smoke carries many of the same toxins as tobacco and irritates airways, causing cough, phlegm, and bronchitis; these symptoms often improve after quitting (CDC, American Lung Association). Tobacco causes far more proven long-term disease because people smoke it more often,

💡TL;DR: Airway inflammation means your breathing tubes are swollen and narrowed, often making extra mucus that causes cough, wheeze, and chest tightness. Most acute cases follow viral bronchitis, while chronic inflammation shows up in asthma and COPD; in asthma, 50–70% of patients have Type 2 (allergic) inflammation. The