Pulmonary Emphysema

Pulmonary emphysema is just a progressing stage of the deeper and more severe lung disease, COPD (Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease), that is a condition affecting the air sacs in the lungs. In this medical condition, alveoli or air sacs face serious complications. Alveoli or air sacs may narrow, collapse, stretch or become over inflated. This disease can have several negative consequences on health as it causes breathlessness and interferes with the respiratory function.

Symptoms
Symptoms of pulmonary emphysema include breathing problems, particularly shortness of breath and coughing. Moreover, fatigue, anxiety, sleep problems and heart problems are some other signs of this disease. In several cases, weight loss and depression have also been linked to emphysema. The most evident and common symptom of emphysema is shortness of breath that gradually advances in the later stages.

Causes
Emphysema develops gradually over a period of time and hence it's more difficult to detect it in very early stages. Lungs contracts and relaxes with the help of elastic fibers in them, chemical imbalance in these fibers leads to their destruction which in turn leads to pulmonary emphysema. Smoking, excessive exposure to air pollutants and bacterial infections through dust, dirt etc., are also several possible reasons for occurrence of this disease. In some cases, due to alpha 1 anti-trypsin deficiency, certain people develop this emphysema although this cause occurs rarely.

Diagnosis
While going for the diagnosis, the patient must consider a medical expert. The doctor will analyze the lung's ability to inhale oxygen and give out carbon dioxide. Using machines like spirometer and Peak Flow Monitoring (PFM) device, an individual's air inhaling/blowing speed in the lungs is measured. Electrocardiogram (ECG or EKG) is a test required to test effective functioning of heart muscles. Besides these diagnostic tests, blood tests (to measure CO₂ presence), chest X - ray, sputum tests and electrocardiograms are used to diagnose a person with this lung disease.

Treatment
An expert medical health professional will first analyze the patient's medical records and then give medications. Age, holistic health, medical history and the extent to which the disease has spread is analyzed by health professionals. Further, he may inquire you about your tolerance level, types of medications you have taken in the past and your own opinion about the disease. This will help him to zero in on most suitable treatment procedures for you.

The major objective of treatment measures for this disease is to ensure that patients are able to get relief from pain and discomfort accompanied in this complication. Preventing symptoms of this disease from aggravating into later stages forms the key to pulmonary emphysema treatments. Mostly, oral medications and antibiotics are given for treating bacterial infections causing this disease. As a part of healthy lifestyle, you have to ensure that smoking must be stopped completely, in case, you sincerely wish the symptoms to lessen their effects. Bronchodilators and various other types of inhalers are prescribed to provide relief from this condition. Further, strengthening muscles of heart by practicing various breathing exercises forms and essential part of the treatment for this disease.

In cases, where the lung has been damaged, lung reduction surgery and lung transplantation is also done. Treating emphysema is more of controlling this disease from letting it to aggravate. Pulmonary emphysema is a serious condition and people experiencing it must consult an expert doctor before going for any medication.