(StatePoint) Some respiratory symptoms are easy to dismiss, especially when they come and go over time. But recurring symptoms can be a sign that it’s time to ask more questions and take a deeper look at what’s going on beneath the surface.
Bronchiectasis (BE) is a serious and chronic lung disease that can get worse over time, and people living with BE may experience recurring respiratory symptoms such as chronic cough, excess mucus, and repeated lung infections. Because these symptoms can overlap with other respiratory conditions, like COPD or asthma, some people may live with BE for years before receiving a diagnosis.
July 1 marks World Bronchiectasis Day, a global observance dedicated to raising awareness of the disease and supporting people living with bronchiectasis, as well as caregivers, clinicians, researchers and advocates. Helping shine a light on the disease is Emmy Award-winning TV host, designer and carpenter Ty Pennington, whose mother has lived with bronchiectasis for nearly two decades. Her journey living with unresolved respiratory symptoms for more than 40 years, along with the extended time it took to receive a BE diagnosis, inspired Pennington to team up with Insmed on the Suspect Bronchiectasis (Suspect BE) initiative to raise awareness about the disease.
An estimated 500,000 people in the United States have been diagnosed with BE, yet experts believe many more may be living with the condition without knowing it. World Bronchiectasis Day serves as an important reminder that persistent respiratory symptoms deserve attention and may warrant further discussion with a pulmonologist.
As part of the initiative, Pennington draws on his home improvement expertise to highlight an important parallel: whether in a home or the lungs, taking a deeper look means exploring beyond the surface.
“In my world of home renovation, if something isn’t working, you don’t just paint over the problem — you look deeper to understand what’s really going on. Lung health isn’t that different,” Pennington said. “My mom is one of the most resilient people I know, and her experience taught our family the importance of asking questions and continuing to search for answers. If recurring respiratory symptoms keep coming back or don’t seem to improve, it may be worth talking with a pulmonologist and learning whether bronchiectasis could be part of the picture.”
To learn more about bronchiectasis and the Suspect BE initiative, visit SuspectBE.com.
If you or someone you love is experiencing recurring respiratory symptoms, it may be worth asking a pulmonologist whether additional testing, like a CT scan, is the right next step to rule out or confirm bronchiectasis.
