Pulmonary, meaning lung, and fibrosis, meaning scar tissue, basically means exactly what the name translates to: scarring in the lungs. Beyond the problems scars present, pulmonary fibrosis impacts how you breathe and get oxygen into the blood.
So how can we know more about this largely unspoken disease? We sat down with Dr. In technical terms, fibrosis means thickening or scarring of the tissue. In this case, the normally thin, lacy walls of the air sacs in the lungs are no longer thin and lacy, but get thick, stiff and scarred, which is also known as fibrotic. With this scarring, the architecture of the lung gets stiffer and is less efficient in the ability to get oxygen into the blood stream.
In addition, the stiffness or fibrosis of the tissue makes it more difficult to expand the lungs and breathe. It takes more energy to breathe and this additional demand of energy leads to shortness of breath with activities that were usually easier to do before. There are a number of known causes of pulmonary fibrosis as well as unknown causes, called idiopathic.
Exposure to toxins like asbestos, or coal dust or silica including workers in the coal mining and sandblasting industry can lead to pulmonary fibrosis. There are medications known to have a side effect of pulmonary fibrosis amiodarone, bleomycin, nitrofurantoin, to name a few. A more common cause of pulmonary fibrosis is that seen in conjunction with a group of diseases known as collagen vascular diseases. This would include systemic lupus, scleroderma, rheumatoid arthritis and Sjogren's syndrome.
There can be familial or hereditary cases of pulmonary fibrosis as well. And as mentioned earlier, there are many cases of pulmonary fibrosis which cannot currently identify a cause and is therefore called "idiopathic" pulmonary fibrosis. Early symptoms consist of chronic dry cough , and as it progresses, shortness of breath with exertion becomes evident.
This can lead to a decrease in exercise tolerance, and this prolonged state of muscles throughout the body going unused can make the patient more easily fatigued. Every person who is diagnosed with pulmonary fibrosis has a unique experience with the disease. A digestive disease where stomach acid moves up out of the stomach and irritates the lining of the food pipe oesophagus 9.
An event characterized by sudden, severe worsening of symptoms or an increase in disease severity 1. Breathlessness may be one of the possible symptoms experienced by patients with pulmonary fibrosis , because scarring of the lungs makes them stiffer and less elastic.
It can become harder to breathe in deeply as the lungs are less able to expand properly. This leads to less oxygen in the blood and can make you feel breathless. It can be frustrating when routine daily tasks that were once manageable start to become more challenging.
If you feel anxious, your breathlessness can become worse and you may begin to hyperventilate when you start breathing very fast without control. Breathing exercises can control your breathing and help you to strengthen your lungs. Below are five simple breathing exercises that can help prevent breathlessness and settle your breathing. Pursed-lips breathing can help you to control your breathlessness and return your breathing to normal if you are beginning to hyperventilate.
It may also help reduce any fear and anxiety you may be experiencing. Belly breathing is an exercise that engages your diaphragm the flat muscle at the bottom of the rib cage that controls your breathing. When you begin to breathe, you should feel the hand on your belly move, but the hand on your chest should remain as still as possible. Gently press on your belly, this will push up on your diaphragm to help get air out of your lungs.
Blow-as-you-go is useful for helping you carry out daily activities that make you feel breathless. For example, when lifting heavy items, breathe in before you lift the item and then breathe out as you lift. This method can be used as you perform any activity no matter how big or small. You may also try combining blow-as-you-go with the pursed-lips breathing exercise. Pacing your breathing can be useful while you are active, for instance, while you are walking, climbing stairs or when performing any activity that makes you breathless.
Paced breathing means matching your breath with your physical steps. Try matching your steps to your rate of breathing. You can combine this method with the pursed-lips breathing exercise if it helps. Adjust the number of steps you take while you breathe in and out to a pace that feels comfortable for you.
Paced breathing is also useful when climbing stairs. Try to slowly breathe in and out over the course of seconds as you gradually make your way up one step at a time. If you are feeling comfortable, you can try to increase the number of steps you take in a single breath.
Use it as soon as you begin an activity, whether that be during small activities around the home or when you go out walking. Whilst keeping active, try to slow your breathing and inhale through your nose as deeply as possible. Take your time doing and learning these breathing exercises. While these exercises are useful, they are not to be used alone for managing your health while living with pulmonary fibrosis.
Read the other advice in this section for more information on how to take care of yourself while living with pulmonary fibrosis.
Make sure that you have spoken to your treatment team and agreed on a full plan of care with them. The plan should include all the appropriate medications, pulmonary rehabilitation exercises, emotional support and lifestyle changes. Pulmonary Fibrosis Foundation. Approach to the adult with interstitial lung disease: Diagnostic testing.
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