- You hear wheezing when you breathe – By wheezing, we mean a high-pitched whistling noise when you breathe in or out. If you have it, you should go and get it checked out, as it may come from various diseases, such as COPD, asthma, obstructive sleep apnea, upper respiratory tract infections, or many other causes.
- You have lost weight with no explanation – Naturally, there might be many reasons why you might be suffering from unexplained weight loss. The American Cancer Society explains that losing 10 pounds or more in one month might be the first sign of cancer.
- You’ve been dealing with mucus for way too long – Mucus is something you usually experience when you have a cold or allergies. But if you’ve had it for a long period of time, your body might be trying to tell you something. If it’s chronic, it might lead to chronic bronchitis, bronchiectasis, or other health issues.
- You’re coughing up blood – We know something’s definitely wrong when we cough up blood. It usually comes from the bronchial tubes in the lungs, and it can be a sign of lung cancer, tuberculosis infection, bronchitis, bronchiectasis, or pneumonia.
- Your voice is all raspy – If you suddenly notice you have a raspy voice, it’s an alarming sign. The hoarseness might be due to a chronic cough or a tumor that interferes with your vocal cords.
- Your chest feels tight – If you’re suffering from asthma, you already know it, as it usually begins in childhood. Even so, some adults might discover it later on in life, and it can even appear in your 60s, 70s, and 80s.
- You can’t sleep – If you aren’t getting enough good sleep at night, your lungs might be the cause. As the Lung Health Institute states, sleep disturbance is a common symptom in those with COPD. So common, that more than 40% of patients experience it.
- You have the chills – If your body is shivering or shaking, and you’re having other symptoms like fever, cough, and shortness of breath, you could be suffering from pneumonia. The infection targets the air sacs in the lungs and could become life-threatening.
