What is pulmonary emphysema? Symptoms and treatment of this disease are quite serious. It is accompanied by shortness of breath, severe cough, respiratory failure. The disease affects the heart and lungs, so if untreated, the probability of death is high.
Disease Description
Pulmonary emphysema is a disease in which the alveoli located in the lungs begin to expand. The walls of this organ are destroyed. Therefore, lung tissue completely changes in structure. This disease can be attributed to obstructive diseases, just like bronchitis with asthmatic syndrome and asthma.
From the Greek language the word “emphysema” is translated as “bloating”. Most often, it affects the elderly, as well as men. The disease has no acute course, it is chronic. It should also be noted that it is always rapidly and strongly progressing.
Due to the fact that the inflammation lasts quite a while, and also the airways are narrowed, the lung tissue does not stretch, so after exhalation there is air left that should have come out.
Types of Emphysema
Before considering methods of treating emphysema, it is necessary to pay attention to what types of people can suffer from it. The disease can be localized and diffuse. In the first case, all the lungs will be affected, in the second - only some parts. If we consider the diffuse type, then the entire tissue is affected, so a person may experience bronchitis.
In addition, several other forms of emphysema are also known.
- There are senile, which develops due to the age of the person. At the same time, the tissues are not destroyed, but only slightly deformed.
- The most common form is vesicular. It should be noted that it is one of the dangerous forms, since with it all changes are irreversible. Therefore, the treatment of emphysema in this case will be quite difficult.
- The interstitial form is characterized by the fact that it accumulates air under the pleura. This is due to the fact that the bronchi begin to burst. Often pulmonary tissue swells after a person's lung is removed, or after an asthma attack.
- The vicar form is characterized in that one part of the lung increases, and the second remains normal, while the alveoli are also in perfect order.
- The last form is MacLeod’s syndrome. It differs in that a person develops inflammation, the cause of which cannot be identified. The vessels and tissues are affected only on one side.
Causes of the disease
The causes of emphysema can be called asthma and any other diseases that are obstructive. Often these diseases can cause smoking, while passive too. If a person is constantly under the influence of any toxins, then the likelihood of developing emphysema is also huge. If microcirculation in the lung tissue is impaired, then most likely a person has emphysema. Under the influence of such factors, the lungs begin to become damaged, respectively, it is difficult for them to fill with air and remove it. The disease is constantly progressing, so with the time of branching of the bronchi will stick together. In this case, pulmonary emphysema is treated surgically. Cysts may form, and lung tissue swells. When the first ones burst, a person develops pneumothorax. In patients who suffer from this disease, the lungs resemble a sponge with large pores.
Symptomatology
Among the symptoms of emphysema should be noted weight loss, stoop, protrusion of the dimples that are above the collarbone, problems listening to breathing, barrel-shaped chest, severe shortness of breath. If we are talking about the development of diffuse emphysema in adults (its treatment is rather complicated), then on the x-ray you can see that the diaphragm is too low, and the lung area is too transparent. The heart changes its position, it becomes more vertical, and there is also a strong respiratory failure. The symptomatology of localized emphysema is due to the fact that the injured areas of the lungs press on the healthy, so a person may even experience asthma attacks.
Forecast
If you abandon the treatment of pulmonary emphysema (in Germany - the best clinics that accept patients with this pathology), then it begins to progress significantly. A person develops heart and respiratory failure. Therefore, the patient may remain disabled. Disability is developing. Unfortunately, with emphysema, a fatal outcome is inevitable, it can occur even earlier than three to four years. Accordingly, the prognosis is unfavorable.
If the therapy is carried out regularly, and inhalations are also made, then the quality of life can be improved, the term can be increased. A favorable prognosis is already considered a life expectancy of up to 5 years with this disease, however, with good therapy and with proper observance of all the doctor's recommendations, this period increases to 10-20 years.
Is it possible to fully recover?
Emphysema can be treated both with traditional medicine and with folk medicine. However, it should be noted that the second option is not very effective and they can only eliminate the symptoms. It is mandatory to consult a doctor. This is due to the fact that he will be able to prescribe an effective treatment. Depending on the patient’s condition, it will be decided where to administer the therapy: on an outpatient basis or in a hospital. Due to the fact that the change in lung tissue cannot be reversed, it must be concluded that emphysema is not completely cured. However, if effective treatment is started in time, then the development of pathology can be impeded. In some cases, in the treatment of emphysema, surgical treatment is the only true option.
Medications that are prescribed should improve bronchial patency. For this, inhalations are also prescribed. If there is a nebulizer at home, then this can be done directly at home, it is allowed to come to the hospital.
Be sure to take glucocorticoid hormones. Also, the doctor will prescribe drugs that allow you to thin the sputum and expectorate it. Most often, those drugs are prescribed that are prescribed for bronchitis.
If the cause is chronic bronchitis, then antibiotics have to be taken. In this case, it will be necessary to identify the causative agent of the primary disease, and only in this case can you choose a special drug that will completely get rid of the symptoms.
If there is respiratory failure, then oxygen therapy will have to be used. Alternative medicine can be used without a pause, but drug therapy should last no more than a month. Below we describe in more detail the methods of traditional medicine, as well as folk.
Treatment methods
In the treatment of pulmonary emphysema, therapy should be aimed at ensuring that a person completely eliminates respiratory failure, and the cause of the disease should also be minimized. If the patient smokes, then he first needs to give up this bad habit. In this case, you can use special drugs and it is allowed to resort to the help of a psychologist.
If a patient develops emphysema due to some primary disease, then it is initially necessary to treat it. Often use antibiotics, mucolytics, which must be selected individually. In order to facilitate breathing, you can use special physical exercises. Sputum helps massage. Some drugs will expand the bronchi.
Also, patients are prescribed air supply to the lungs. As a rule, depending on the symptoms, a solution with either low or normal oxygen content is used. The course of such therapy lasts no more than 3 weeks. If a person has a pronounced malfunction of the respiratory process, then it is necessary to do inhalation with pure oxygen. If the situation is completely running, then use lung ventilation.
Bullous type emphysema is treated with surgery. In this case, the doctor must remove all existing cysts. The operation is carried out using an endoscope or in the classic way. If you hold it on time, then you can avoid the development of pneumothorax.
ethnoscience
Treatment of emphysema with folk remedies can improve the breathing process, strengthen the body, some methods easily remove sputum, and also expand the bronchi.
First of all, you need to pay attention to infusions and decoctions. With the help of them, inhalations can be done, they can also be taken orally. Before you start using traditional medicine, you need to think about the fact that an unsuccessful attempt to take any medicinal herbs can cost a person either health or life. You can use onions, garlic, honey from honeycombs, aloe, Kalanchoe and so on. Consider some of the other options that are most popular.
Often, in the treatment of emphysema, folk remedies use milk, in which carrot juice is added. The first should be heated, as well as high fat. You need to add one tablespoon of carrot juice to it. Take this drug for 3 weeks before eating.
Ledum is also a good treatment for symptoms. It is necessary to fill the dried preparation in boiling water, leave for an hour. You need to drink 50 ml. Do not take more than twice a day.
Horsetail and fennel tincture is also a good option. It is necessary to fill these plants in equal proportions and add cool boiling water. Infusions must be kept for at least 60 minutes. Drink three times a day in 100 ml.
You can brew tea from thyme, mint and sage. They should also be mixed in equal proportions, chopped, put in a thermos and pour boiling water. You need to drink after each meal of 70 ml.
Black radish juice will be an effective way. This vegetable must be washed and peeled. Next, squeeze the juice from it, mix with a spoon of honey. It is necessary to take two tablespoons twice a day. You need to do this before eating.
Breathing exercises
Treatment of emphysema according to the method of Dr. Bubnovsky involves classes in special gymnastics. This doctor believes that the body itself is able to overcome all problems with the respiratory muscles. Therefore, you can use breathing exercises.
You just need to make the rib muscles work. Stretching the chest is quite difficult, but possible. You must use an exercise called Pullover. In order to perform it, you need to have dumbbells and a bench nearby. It is necessary to bend the knees of the legs, lying on the bench. You should take a dumbbell with your hands, which should be weighing no more than 2 kg, lower it behind your head, while taking a breath. Do it only through the nose. The dumbbell should be raised above the head and when exhaled, lower down. You should get the sound "ha." The diaphragm is stretched, intercostal muscles are also reduced. Every day you need to get your hands behind your head farther and farther.
When a person begins to increase the range of motion, the intercostal muscles are stretched. In this way, the thoracic spine is also involved. This effect is quite noticeable. Reviews of the treatment of pulmonary emphysema according to the Bubnovsky method make it clear that exercise really helps in many cases. It is necessary to deal with them before eating. Repeat should be about 15 times, breaking into two approaches. Every month you need to increase the weight of dumbbells.
At first, discomfort and muscle tension may be observed, but over time, these symptoms disappear. This exercise will help with other diseases, and it also affects the intestines. If you use this exercise in combination therapy with medicines, the effect will not take long.
Possible complications
If a person does not treat pulmonary emphysema or if the pathology progresses too quickly, various complications can occur. Among them should be called problems with ventilation of the lungs and hypertension, as well as insufficiency, due to which leg swelling, hepatomegaly and so on develop.
The most dangerous complication should be called pneumothorax, which develops spontaneously. With its development, it is necessary to drain the pleural cavity and conduct air aspiration.
Prevention
In order to never know what it is - pulmonary emphysema (symptoms, treatment are quite severe), it is necessary to carry out preventive measures. First of all, you should always treat bronchitis and other diseases associated with the respiratory system. Also, if a person smokes, then he needs to abruptly abandon this bad habit once and for all.
The best prevention of pathologies of the respiratory system is walking in the fresh air, as well as sports. It is imperative to monitor your immune system. You can use various folk remedies that will improve the body's defenses, as well as immunostimulants. Then you don’t have to think about treating emphysema.