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Emphysema
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Emphysema is a chronic lung condition. With emphysema, the air sacs in the lungs are destroyed. The lungs lose their ability to stretch. This makes it harder to get air in and out of the lungs.
When emphysema occurs with chronic bronchitis it is called chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).
Signs & Symptoms
Emphysema takes years to develop. When symptoms occur, they include:
• Cough with mucus.
• Shortness of breath on exertion. This gets worse over time.
• Wheezing.
• Chest tightness.
• Slight body build with marked weight loss and a rounded chest that doesn’t appear to expand when breathing in.
Symptoms of COPD are:
• Coughing that produces large amounts of mucus.
• Shortness of breath.
• Wheezing.
• Chest tightness.
Symptoms worsen over time. COPD has no cure yet. The goals of treatment are to help you feel better, stay more active, and slow the progress of the disease. Treatment includes:
• Stopping smoking.
• Avoiding lung irritants.
• Taking medications that make breathing easier.
• Preventing and treating respiratory infections.
Causes
• Smoking. This causes as much as 90% of cases. Most people with emphysema are cigarette smokers aged 50 or older.
• A genetic problem with a certain protein that protects the lungs from damage.
• Repeated lung infections.
• Chronic bronchitis.
• Heavy exposure to air pollution.
• Years of exposure to chemical fumes, vapors, and dusts. This is usually linked to certain jobs.
American Lung Association
800.LUNG.USA (586.4872)
National Cancer Institute’s Smoking Quitline
877.44U.QUIT (448.7848)
National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute
Smokefree.Gov
800.QUIT.NOW (748.8669)
Treatment
• A program, medication, and/or nicotine replacement to stop smoking.
• Physical therapy to loosen mucus in the lungs for chronic bronchitis.
• Medicines, such as bronchodilators, corticosteroids, and antibiotics.
• Flu and pneumonia vaccines.
• Surgery that removes the most severely diseased parts of the lung. A lung transplant may be needed for some persons with very severe disease.
Emphysema can’t be reversed. By the time it is found, 50% to 70% of lung tissue may already be destroyed. Prevention is the only way to avoid permanent damage.
Questions to Ask
Question 1
With emphysema, do you have any of these problems?
• Blue or purple-colored lips or fingertips.
• Severe shortness of breath or you can’t say 4 or 5 words between breaths.
• Coughing up true red blood.
Get medical care without delay. If symptoms are life threatening go to the ER or call 9-1-1. Don’t call 9-1-1 or use the ER if symptoms do not threaten life. Ask your doctor ahead of time where you should go for a problem that needs prompt care, but not emergency care.
Question 2
With emphysema, do your legs and ankles swell more than usual, do you have a fever, or does your cough get worse?
You should be seen by your doctor for medical advice. Contact your doctor or health care provider to find out how soon you should be seen.
Question 3
Do you have signs and symptoms of emphysema listed on this page?
You should be seen by your doctor for medical advice. Contact your doctor or health care provider to find out how soon you should be seen.
Use Self-Care / Prevention:
You can probably take care of the problem yourself if you answered NO to all the questions. Use the “Self-Care” measures that are listed. Call your doctor if you don’t feel better soon, though. You may have some other problem.
Self-Care / Prevention
• Don’t smoke. If you smoke, quit. Avoid secondhand smoke.
• Limit exposure to air pollution and lung irritants. Follow safety measures when working with materials that can irritate your lungs.
• Use a cool-mist vaporizer indoors.
• Drink plenty of fluids.
• Avoid dust, fumes, pollutants, etc.
• Do breathing exercises as advised by your doctor.
• Exercise daily as prescribed by your doctor or exercise therapist.
This website is not meant to substitute for expert medical advice or treatment. Follow your doctor’s or health care provider’s advice if it differs from what is given in this guide.
The American Institute for Preventive Medicine (AIPM) is not responsible for the availability or content of external sites, nor does AIPM endorse them. Also, it is the responsibility of the user to examine the copyright and licensing restrictions of external pages and to secure all necessary permission.
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