Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease is characterized as varying combinations of asthma, chronic bronchitis, and emphysema. Though the three conditions are usually found together, some people only have one or two of these conditions. Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) may also be called chronic obstructive lung disease (COLD) and chronic airflow limitation (CAL). Common diagnostic procedures for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease are the pulmonary function tests. They provide information about airway dynamics, referring to the patient's ability to inhale or exhale by force. During these tests, the diffusing capacity is measured. This is the ability of gases to diffuse across the alveolar capillary membrane. These tests are effort dependent, meaning that the patient must be mentally alert, cooperative, and be able to follow directions. Healthcare providers will diagnose chronic obstructive pulmonary disease based on both reports of symptoms and test results. The most important things to help a healthcare provider in diagnosing chronic obstructive pulmonary disease is to be honest about smoking history, exposures to pollutants and chemicals and when the symptoms first started. Signs and symptoms of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease are sputum production, shortness of breath and a productive cough. A patient may also experience some chest tightness. They will also be unable to breathe out fully and expel all of the CO2. Your healthcare provider may prescribe bronchodilators, anti-inflammatory drugs, or antibiotics. Medications have been shown to help stabilize the breathing passages and decrease swelling. In order to provide control of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, these medications must be taken every day, probably for the rest of the person's life. Currently, there is no treatment available to restore damaged bronchi from asthma or bronchitis or alveoli affected by emphysema. Unfortunately, the damage that has been done to the alveoli is permanent. Patients exhibit symptoms of coughing with extensive mucus production, occasional wheezing and shortness of breath, especially on exertion. Treatments are prescribed medications; fluticasone, Duoneb, Albuterol, Robitussin DM and to utilize oxygen at 2 liters by nasal cannula. The musculoskeletal system is among the extrapulmonary organ systems most frequently affected by chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. The involvement of the musculoskeletal apparatus in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease is now better understood as a loss of fat-free mass and bone mineral density. Increasing severity of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease is found to be associated with decreasing fat-free mass and bone mineral density that