It's a symptom of air trapping, just like the previous answer states. One of the ways to deal with it is to use pursed lip breathing and make sure your exhales are a lot longer than your inhales. One of the hardest things to realize with COPD is that inhaling isn't nearly as important as exhaling for as long as you can.

you may be having bronchial spasms. I get them a lot and can not inhale deeply, or at all, until the spasm relaxes.. You can get them if you have asthma or COPD. I have both .I use a Ipratropium in my neb and it is supposed to stop, or reduce them . It does help but I still get them . If you have not already done so mention them to your doctor .. When you inhale do so for a count of four and exhale for a count of 8 through pursed lips as if you were blowing up a balloon . You can exhale a bit longer but the 4 / 8 count is what is recommended by RT and doctors I see .

Breathe through perused lips like you are whistling. In through your nose and out throughput lips it takes all the air in your lungs out

True hope this helps.Jean is correct

Yes, I get it too and I have 95-96 off the room . I get bronchial spasms as I have asthma too and this is part of the asthma. You may get trapped air as some people have said with COPD but I get spasms from the asthma. I have both COPD and Asthma . It releases and I can take deeper breaths again . Go online and search COPD spasms and bronchial spasms and see what they tell you . Talk with your doctor and do as he / she tells you . Do not panic, relax and it will pass. If you are getting a lot of them and they are long lasting go to your doctor or ER. It is all part of our disease and the spasms may be either trapped air or an irritation in the bronchial tubes .