Emphysema

Emphysema: symptoms, causes and treatment

Emphysema is a disease that is caused by the expansion of pulmonary vesicles - alveoli. There are two types of emphysema: limited (covering individual areas of the lung) and diffuse (general), which is more common.

Chronic diffuse pulmonary emphysema is a common disease that occurs at any age, but most often after 40-50 years, and is caused by obstruction of the bronchial tubes. A decrease in the lumen of the bronchi can be a consequence of chronic bronchitis, bronchial asthma and other lung diseases.

With pulmonary emphysema, the expiratory power becomes insufficient, some of the air remains in the pulmonary alveoli (residual air) and with new air intake (during inhalation), they stretch. In addition, the development of emphysema is facilitated by a decrease in the elasticity of the lung tissue due to inflammatory processes. In this case, the walls of the alveoli become thinner, tears occur, and the alveoli expand. Such changes in the lung tissue cause impaired ventilation and difficulty in pulmonary circulation.

The main symptom of pulmonary emphysema is shortness of breath, first during physical activity, then at rest, difficulty breathing. Often patients are bothered by a cough with scanty, difficult to separate sputum. The patient's appearance gradually acquires characteristic features: the face is puffy, the skin of the upper half of the body, the limbs are bluish in color, and the “barrel-shaped” chest.

Smoking contributes to the development of emphysema. To treat emphysema, you must stop smoking. For better mucus discharge and increased pulmonary ventilation, a special set of breathing exercises is recommended that increases the amplitude of breathing by deepening exhalation and reducing the volume of residual air. Therapeutic exercises also have a beneficial effect on blood circulation.

You can use inflatable toys to practice exhalation. Measured walking and walking tours are recommended. Good results are observed with climatic treatment in dry and warm weather conditions. Long-term and severe cases of pulmonary emphysema may require drug treatment aimed at improving respiratory function and reducing inflammation. For this purpose, bronchodilators, glucocorticosteroids, and antibiotics can be used. In severe cases, oxygen therapy may be required.

In some cases, surgery may be recommended - a lobectomy or pneumonectomy (removal of part of the lungs). However, these operations are performed only in severe cases when conservative treatment is ineffective.

In general, emphysema is a chronic disease that requires constant monitoring and treatment. An important measure is to prevent the disease by quitting smoking and living a healthy lifestyle. Regular breathing and exercise, as well as monitoring medications, can help improve the quality of life for patients with emphysema.