World COPD Day 2025: Is It Just Smoker’s Cough?

The term smoker's cough often suggests mere hoarseness and a scratchy throat. This also refers to a persistent tickle and irritation inside one's lungs. However, doctors caution that such a chronic cough is more than just a bad habit; it may signal Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD), a progressive condition with lifelong ramifications.

Generally, it is believed that COPD refers to a cough caused by smoking, but it is much more than that. To understand how COPD is different from a smoker’s cough and its unseen symptoms, we spoke to Dr. Manas Mengar, Consultant Pulmonology, KIMS Hospitals, Thane, Mumbai.

COPD: How Is It Different from Smoker’s Cough?

Dr. Manas Mengar shared that while a smoker's cough may improve once they quit smoking, the changes in the airways and alveoli, or small air sacs, often become permanent in COPD.

According to the Cleveland Clinic, COPD is a term for lung and airway diseases that restrict your breathing. People with COPD suffer from airway inflammation and scarring, damage to the air sacs in their lungs, or both.

Also Read: 7 Ways Poor Air Quality Can Disturb Your Pregnancy

“COPD is a disease in which inflammation and changes in the lung tissue damage the ability of the lungs to exchange air, leading to breathlessness and the production of mucus,” Dr. Mengar explained.

Unlike the simple irritation seen in a smoker's cough, COPD impairs the lung's capacity to exchange air, and people quite often find themselves tiring easily or gasping during day-to-day activities.

Unseen Symptoms of COPD: Not Just for Smokers

Dr. Mengar shared, “There are multiple symptoms, but the scariest thing about COPD may be just how gradual and insidious its early symptoms can be.” Below are a few symptoms of COPD:

• Prolonged cough with mucus (phlegm)
• Difficulty in taking deep breaths
• Shortness of breath even during light physical activity in a daily routine
• Barrel chest (a rounded, bulging chest)
• Bluishness in the skin (cyanosis)
• Wheezing or other sounds in the lungs

Health experts believe exposure to polluted air, indoor smoke related to cooking or heating, or industrial fumes has put people at risk of COPD. "If your cough lasts several weeks, or you feel progressively more winded, don't brush it off, get evaluated," advised Dr. Mengar.

What Else Can Cause COPD?

Dr. Mengar stated that smoking is the well-known culprit, but it is not the only one. Other environmental impurities, such as vehicle exhaust, factory fumes, and small particulate matter, continue to irritate the lungs over many years. “There is also a genetic predisposition, the alpha-1 antitrypsin deficiency, an inborn but very rare condition, which heightens any given person's vulnerability to COPD even if one has never smoked,” Dr. Mengar added.

Also Read: COPD During Pregnancy: Expert Lists Tips To Protect You And Your Baby’s Health

Why COPD Requires Professional Attention

Early diagnosis makes all the difference. Dr. Mengar said, “The gold standard of testing is the spirometry test, which measures the amount and/or speed of air that one can blow out.”

There are several supporting tools also available for COPD, such as chest imaging via X-ray or CT scan, pulse oximetry to check oxygen levels, or even blood gas tests. “Such examinations help eliminate all other major causes, such as asthma or heart disease, and guide the physician to the correct course of treatment,” he continued.

COPD is a lifelong condition, but it can be managed by making changes. As Dr. Manas underlines, basic lifestyle changes, such as quitting smoking, minimising exposure to environmental impurities, and staying active, help maintain health. Medication, including bronchodilators and inhaled steroids, may open up airways and reduce inflammation.

Pulmonary rehabilitation, an array of exercise training, breathing techniques, and education, can become a mighty key for improving the quality of life.

Bottom Line

COPD is not a smoker's cough; it’s a progressive disease that affects much more than just lifelong smokers. Symptoms often set in slowly, and too many people don't recognize them early. Yet, it's a disease where early diagnosis, proper treatment, and lifestyle changes may lead to fulfilling lives for people who have COPD.