Emphysema
What is Emphysema?
Emphysema [em-fah-ZEE-ma] is one of the lung diseases that makes up chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Remember that COPD is an umbrella term that describes multiple lung diseases.
Emphysema develops slowly over time and it destroys tiny parts of your lungs called alveoli. Alveoli are like little air sacs in your lungs that help you breathe.
When you have emphysema, these air sacs are not able to shrink down to their normal size. This may make it harder to breathe.
In This Article
What Causes Emphysema?
Smoking is the most common cause of emphysema. But air pollution, alpha -1 antitrypsin deficiency, and respiratory infections can also cause emphysema.
Symptoms of emphysema include: shortness of breath, coughing with mucus, wheezing and chest tightness.
Diagnosing Emphysema
A diagnosis of emphysema usually starts with a physical exam. Your healthcare provider will listen to your lungs with a stethoscope. If the lungs sound hollow, it may be indicative of “trapped air” or emphysema.
Following a physical exam, your provider may order a chest x-ray or CT scan to see if there is any damage to your lungs.
You may also be asked to do a pulmonary function test (PFT), which determines how well your lungs are working.
Finally, an arterial blood gas test (ABG) can measure the amount of oxygen and carbon dioxide in your blood. An arterial blood gas test can tell whether you need extra oxygen at home. It can also tell whether you need additional support getting carbon dioxide out of your bloodstream.
Treating Emphysema
Emphysema can get worse over time, which is why it’s important to start treatment as soon as possible. If you smoke, the first and most important step is to quit!
Lifestyle changes—like practicing good hygiene, staying up to date on your vaccinations, and exercising regularly—also help manage emphysema symptoms.
Medication is also an important part of treating emphysema. You may recognize some of them from your own treatment regimen:
- Bronchodilators—these medicines relax the muscles around your airways
- Inhaled corticosteroids—these medicines help calm ongoing inflammation in your airways
- Oral corticosteroids—like prednisone, these target ongoing inflammation
- Antibiotics—antibiotics help treat bacterial infections that can make your emphysema symptoms worse
Some people with emphysema may also benefit from a newer treatment called endobronchial valve treatment, which can help alleviate symptoms. An endobronchial valve is like an umbrella that is placed in one of the bronchioles to help improve your lung function. They are placed by a specialist in a minimally invasive procedure. Ask your health care provider if an endobronchial valve may be appropriate for you.
How Emphysema Affects COPD
COPD is the name for several lung disease, including emphysema.
What You Can Do Today
- Talk to your healthcare provider and/or Wellinks coach about strategies to stop smoking
- Update your COPD Action Plan with your Wellinks coach—if you don’t have one, your coach can help you develop one
- Use your medication as prescribed by your provider
- Exercise regularly as directed by your provider
- Make sure you are up-to-date on your yearly vaccinations
- Talk to your coaches about exercising and pulmonary rehab
- Use your Wellinks devices to keep an eye on your oxygen saturation levels
Resources
https://www.lung.org/lung-health-diseases/lung-disease-lookup/emphysema https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/9370-emphysema#diagnosis-and-tests https://foundation.chestnet.org/lung-health-a-z/emphysema/