Emphysema

Emphysema is a condition of the lungs that causes shortness of breath. In people with emphysema, air sacs damage the lungs. With the passage of time, the inner walls of airbags are weak and burst - creating large air Spaces instead of many small Spaces. This reduces the surface area of the lungs and results in the amount of oxygen that reaches your blood. With asthma and chronic bronchitis, emphysema belongs to a group of lung diseases known as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (copd), and once it develops, emphysema cannot be changed.

Emphysema is a condition in which the walls of the lung air sacs (alveoli) are damaged. Alveoli are small, thin walled, very delicate air sacs located deep inside the lungs at the end of the cluster of bronchial tubes. Normal lungs contain about 300 million alveoli. As you breathe in the air, the alveoli expands, pulling oxygen in and moving it to the blood. When you breathe, the alveoli shrink, leaving carbon dioxide out of the body.

Some people with emphysema make Spaces in the lungs called bulges. They can be as large as half the lungs. In addition to reducing the amount of space available for the spread of lungs, the giant cat can increase your risk of pneumothorax.

Causes of Emphysema 

The cause of emphysema is a long-term exposure to commonly itchy things that damage your lungs and airways. In the United States, cigarette smoke is the main reason. Pipes, cigars, and other types of tobacco fumes can also cause emphysema, especially if you breathe them.

Exposure to other respiratory irritation can contribute to emphysema. These include second-hand smoke, air pollution, and chemical fumes or dust from the environment or workplace. 

Smoking not only destroys the lung tissue it also disturbs the air ducts. It damages the swelling and cilia that line the bronchial tubes. This results in swelling of the air ducts, mucus production, and difficulty clearing the airways. All these changes can lead to shortness of breath.

Emphysema is one of the most preventable respiratory diseases because it has a very strong connection to smoking. Air pollution, alpha-1 antitrypsin deficiency, and respiratory infections can also play a role, but smoking is considered to be the number one cause.

Treatment of Emphysema 

Although emphysema cannot be treated, many treatments are available to help manage symptoms. Bronchodilator medications relax muscles, anti-inflammatory medications can reduce airway inflammation, and oxygen therapy can help patients who need help breathing. Under extreme conditions, lung volume reduction surgery can reduce pressure by removing part of the diseased lung tissue.

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