Emphysema

Emphysema is a chronic disease in which the patient has difficulty breathing. This is because the exchange of carbon dioxide and oxygen does not take place properly in the lungs. In emphysema, the air spaces in the lungs become abnormally inflated and in some cases the walls between the air spaces are damaged and this creates even more air space. Because of this the lungs lose their elastic property and cannot expel all the air during exhalation. You can have emphysema in only one part of the lung or throughout the whole organ.

There are many forms of emphysema, with the most serious being obstructive emphysema. This condition occurs when a tumor or a disorder, such as asthma or chronic bronchitis, causes the air passages leading to the lungs to narrow. Scar tissue can also form and cause an obstruction. This type of the disease often occurs after recurring bronchial infections or a long history of smoking.

Senile emphysema occurs in older people and is caused by the aging process. Compensatory emphysema is the result of lung collapse or when one part of the lung has been removed through surgery. The remaining part of the lung then works harder to compensate and as a result it becomes overinflated.

The main symptoms of emphysema are shortness of breath during strenuous activity and coughing. It slowly worsens so that the patient has difficulty breathing under normal conditions.

This disease can be fatal in the absence of medical treatment. If there is an obstruction, it can be removed in surgery and antibiotics help to cure infections. Smokers should stop smoking, get lots of rest and limit the amount of strenuous activity they do. They can also do special exercises to help them with their breathing. Quite often, patients suffering from emphysema need to have oxygen to help them breathe.