Emphysema and Smoking | Emphysema Symptoms | Lung Disease | Chronic Bronchitis | COPD | Stop Smoking
Emphysema is a type of lung disease characterised by shortness of breath. A large number of people with emphysema also have chronic bronchitis. Most cases of emphysema are caused by cigarette smoking. Also long term exposure to certain industrial pollutants or dust may also cause emphysema. Complications of emphysema can include pneumonia, collapsed lung and heart problems.
Many people with emphysema also have chronic bronchitis. A combination of the two lung diseases is commonly called chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Smoking is responsible for 82% of all COPD, including emphysema. An estimated 2 million Americans suffer from emphysema, and emphysema ranks as the 15th most common chronic condition that contributes to activity limitation. Almost half of the patients with emphysema report that their daily activities are substantially limited by the disease. The exchange of oxygen and carbon dioxide takes place in the small air sacs of the lungs (alveoli). If a person with emphysema, the alveoli are damaged. The main tubes leading into the lungs (the bronchi) are also damaged and narrowed. In addition, chronic bronchitis is marked by a thickening of the walls of the bronchi with increased mucus production and difficulty in expelling these secretions. This results in coughing and sputum production.
Emphysema is generally caused by cigarette smoking or long term exposure to certain industrial pollutants or dust. A small percentage of cases are caused by the inherited disorder alpha-1-antitrypsin deficiency. The damaged airways don’t regenerate and there is no cure.
Emphysema Symptoms
The symptoms of emphysema include:
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Breathlessness upon exertion
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Eventually, breathlessness all the time
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Susceptibility to chest infections
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Sputum produced with chronic bronchitis
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Coughing
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Fatigue
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Expansion of the ribcage, due to expansion of the lungs
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Cyanosis, or a blue tinge to the skin due to lack of oxygen.
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Chronic cough and breathlessness are the two earliest signs of chronic bronchitis and emphysema. A smoker's cough is not an insignificant symptom. It indicates that very definite irritation of the bronchi has developed and it should be checked early. As well as the cough there is often production of phlegm or sputum, especially in the morning, because of less effective emptying of the bronchial tree during the relatively motionless period of sleep. Another early manifestation of disease is the tendency to develop chest infections along with what would otherwise be simple head colds. With these chest infections there is often a tightness or dull pain in the middle chest region, production of sputum and sometimes wheezing.
Treatment Options
There is no cure for emphysema. Treatment options may include:
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Stop smoking immediately - there are many successful programs to help people quit.
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Medications such as anti-inflammatory drugs, corticosteroids and decongestants.
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Medications to widen the airways (bronchodilators) - in puffer or tablet form.
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Antibiotics to clear up bronchitis infection, if present.
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Stress management techniques.
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Gentle, regular exercise to improve overall fitness.
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Avoidance of air pollutants.
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Yearly vaccination against influenza to protect against respiratory infection.
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Respiratory rehabilitation programs.
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Oxygen treatment, in severe cases.
Stop Smoking Immediately
Once emphysema or bronchitis are diagnosed there are many forms of therapy that can help. Stopping smoking is the most important measure, and will in itself often produce dramatic effects. The more bronchitis the patient has, the more noticeable the effect, as the bronchial irritation and mucous production decrease, cough lessens, and a greater sense of well-being ensues. The emphysema component does not change, as the damage to the air sacs is irreversible, but the progression may be greatly slowed. When chest infections develop they can be treated with antibiotics.
For more severe disease a program of breathing exercises and graded exertion may be beneficial. When these people develop heart trouble as a result of the strain on the heart, a treatment to strengthen the heart is rewarding. For those with the most advanced stage of the disease new methods of treatment have been devised in recent years. One of the most encouraging is the use of controlled oxygen administration, treatment that can sometimes allow a patient to return to an active working life from an otherwise helpless bed-and-chair existence. But it must be remembered that all these measures produce little effect if the patient continues to smoke.
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