Emphysema is a chronic lung disease caused by smoking tobacco or exposure to toxic chemicals. Emphysema is caused by the loss of elasticity in the tissues around the lungs. The result is air will be trapped in the lungs. Because of this, the person infected will have shortness of breath particularly when doing heavy activities. Since emphysema is a respiratory disease, it is highly associated with bronchitis.
Diagnosis is done through spirometry. Emphysema can also be detected through x ray, extreme high resolution CT scan and even blood tests.
Sadly though, there is no cure for emphysema so prevention is definitely better than cure. There are treatments in prolonging the life of the person suffering from emphysema. This includes giving him or her supplemental oxygen. There do have other medicines available although as I’ve written earlier, none of them will ever cure emphysema. The pharmacology groups of these medicines are classified as bronchodilators, corticosteroids and even antibiotics and respiratory shots. Bronchodilators open your airways.
Corticosteroids reduce the swelling of your lungs. Corticosteroids are either inhaled or taken orally. But it is advised to inhale them since oral corticosteroids may cause nausea. If nothing of the above can cause you physical relief, consult your physician right away. Always be alert of the following signs that you are in grave danger: your phlegm is either yellow, green or brown and it is relatively thick, you have chest pain, you experience fever up to a hundred degrees Fahrenheit, there is tremendous swelling in your ankles and you need to sleep sitting up instead of lying down. Ain’t that a ridiculous way of sleeping? But this is no laughing matter, persons having emphysema will have a painful way of sleeping when lying down because of the buildup of air in their lungs. Then there are the instances of headaches after waking up, dizziness and confusion in your senses caused by the lack of air that you breathe since your lungs have been filled up with unwanted air already. You will also experience numbness, coldness and blueness of color in your fingers.
Emphysema condition will also worsen if there is heavy air pollution around. Thus, it is highly advisable too that a person suffering from emphysema live in rural areas where there is fresh air. This can surely prolong the life of the person, especially if he or she chooses to give up smoking cigarettes completely. Just make sure though that the temperature in that area where you transfer is not that cold since cold air is painful to breathe. This can definitely worsen emphysema. Speaking of cold air, weather changes can be damaging too to a person suffering from emphysema. Also avoid strong perfumes and second-hand smoke. Smoke from barbecue grills can also trigger an emphysema attack. In women, emphysema can also be triggered during pregnancy because of the obvious high stress emanating from that condition. The alternative is to adopt a healthy lifestyle. Never ever smoke cigarettes because they contain the highly toxic nicotine.
Exercise can also trigger emphysema. So better relax, don’t be tense if you have that condition. Always avoid strenuous activities.
