Wednesday the 15th November is World COPD day and the British Lung Foundation are raising awareness of COPD. They are trying to find the missing millions across the UK who have this condition and don’t even know it. The British Lung Foundation want to help suffers to get the treatment and support they deserve.
What is COPD?
Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), describes a group of lung conditions that make it difficult to empty air out of the lungs because the airways have been narrowed.
Two of these lung conditions are persistent bronchitis and emphysema. These two conditions can occur together.
– Bronchitis means the airways are inflamed and narrowed. If you suffer with bronchitis, you often produce sputum, or phlegm.
– Emphysema affects the air sacs at the end of the airways in your lungs. They break down and the lungs become baggy and full of holes which trap air.
These processes narrow the airways. This makes it harder to move air in and out as you breathe, and your lungs are less able to take in oxygen and get rid of carbon dioxide.
What treatments are available?
There are a number of treatments to help those with COPD. Sadly though, they cannot reverse the damage to your lungs so it is important that you get an early diagnosis.
The British Lung foundation website provides detailed information about the treatment options available along with other things that can be done to help manage the condition yourself.
https://www.blf.org.uk/support-for-you/copd/treatment
Is COPD covered under a Private Medical Insurance policy?
Private Medical Insurance policies do not cover chronic conditions. As there is currently no cure for COPD, your Insurer would deem this condition to be chronic. They would only look to cover tests/consultations up until the point of diagnosis. This is subject to policy underwriting and the insurer’s specific terms and conditions regarding this.
If you would like to know more about Private Medical Insurance and what benefits are available, then our experienced team will be more than happy to help you. You can contact us on 01245 929129 or email enquires@smphealthcare.com