16 million people in our country have been diagnosed with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disorder but it estimated that millions more go undiagnosed.

Regional Director American Lung Association, Kurt Goerke explains that "COPD stands for Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disorder and it's kind of a catch all group for people that are dealing with things like chronic bronchitis, emphysema -- adults who have asthma are also in that group."

Kenneth Corbett ran into serious health problems 6 years ago and was diagnosed with this condition. He says that he was "Short of breath, extremely congested, more so than you'd ever believe."

Dr. Stephen Zellner says that research has shown that smokers, like Kenneth, are at the highest risk for developing this condition. But whether or not you smoke, you should always see your physician if you have difficulty breathing. "We can do some breathing tests or pulmonary function studies that can actually determine how well the lungs work and treat these people with appropriate medication."

Kurt says that "There's a lot of things you can do to feel better."

But if you continue to let your symptoms go, the effects of COPD can be so debilitating that it's difficult to even get out of bed. Kenneth explains that "It's like getting a gut punch from Ali and the recovery is very scary."

For early detection of COPD it's recommended that all smokers and former smokers 45 and older, and people with respiratory problems go see their physician for pulmonary function testing.

For many people, the earliest symptoms of COPD are a cough that just won't go away, or shortness of breath.

Early detection and proper treatment are important to help slow the progression of this potentially life threatening disease.