Exacerbations/Flare-Ups Episodes

Sept. 15, 2026

How Stress Affects Breathing for People Living with COPD

If stress changes how you breathe, it's real. In this episode, we explain how stress affects breathing and how it relates to living with COPD. We also share practical tips you can use to manage your breathing before you feel breathless. In this episode of the Lung Health Champion, host Arnelle Konde speaks with pulmonologist Dr. Trisha Parekh and Lisa Hall, a person living with COPD, about the connection between stress and breathing. Lisa describes how stress can cause chest tightness, faster sp...
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April 15, 2026

Understanding Exacerbations: Signs, Triggers, and Taking Action

In this episode of the Lung Health Champion, host Arnelle Konde speaks with Dr. Stephanie Christenson, a pulmonologist, and Caroline Gainer, who is living with COPD, about exacerbations, also known as flare-ups. They examine what an exacerbation is, how it differs from a bad day, and why early recognition is critical. Caroline shares her personal experience learning to identify symptoms, while Dr. Christenson explains the role of inflammation, common triggers, and the importance of understand...