Shortness of breath. Family history of Alpha-1. -- select --AlabamaAlaskaArizonaArkansasCaliforniaColoradoConnecticutDelawareDistrict Of ColumbiaFloridaGeorgiaGuamHawaiiIdahoIllinoisIndianaIowaKansasKentuckyLouisianaMaineMarylandMassachusettsMichiganMinnesotaMississippiMissouriMontanaNebraskaNevadaNew HampshireNew JerseyNew MexicoNew YorkNorth CarolinaNorth DakotaOhioOklahomaOregonPennsylvaniaPuerto RicoRhode IslandSouth CarolinaSouth DakotaTennesseeTexasUtahVermontVirginiaWashingtonWest VirginiaWisconsinWyomingAlbertaBritish ColumbiaManitobaNew BrunswickNewfoundland and LNorthwest TerritorNova ScotiaNunavutOntarioPrince Edward IstaQuebecSaskatchewanYukon Territory •  About COPD •  COPD/Alpha-1 Education •  FAQs •  Helpful Links Imagine becoming short of breath while performing simple tasks around the house or at work. Shortness of breath can be caused by many medical reasons, but no matter what the reason, every person should know why they have trouble getting enough air. We try to keep it real simple: "If you’re short of breath, get tested!" Sometimes breathing is difficult because of "obstruction" in the airways. If this happens all the time, it is called "chronic." A breathing problem due to some kind of obstruction, or air blockage, is known as Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD). COPD is a progressive disease, which means, gradually, a person with COPD will find it harder to breathe over time. In COPD, the airways are partially obstructed, or blocked, and this makes it difficult to get air in and out of the lungs. This may sound scary, but the good news is COPD can be treated with both medication and lifestyle change. One common symptom of COPD is shortness of breath (additional symptoms are listed below). However, there could be several medical reasons why you are experiencing shortness of breath. If you suffer from shortness of breath, we encourage you to visit your family doctor to get tested for COPD. For more information on COPD, please visit the U.S. COPD Coalition. If you have tested positive for COPD, you also could have Alpha-1. New guidelines for physicians call for the testing of Alpha-1 in all adults diagnosed with COPD. If you have been diagnosed with COPD and need to get tested for Alpha-1, visit your family physician. If you do not have a family physician and would like to find an Alpha-1 expert in your area, please click here. COPD Symptoms: Shortness of breath Cough Wheezing Colds that last for weeks Experiencing flares in breathing problems, especially during winter months COPD Facts: It is estimated that there are 10 million people with COPD in the United States Another 14 million are estimated to be undiagnosed or developing COPD. The disease often is misdiagnosed as some other lung disease, such as asthma, severe allergies, or acute bronchitis. It has specific diagnostic tests, and specific medications.