Pneumosclerosis of the lungs is an abnormal increase in the size of connective tissue, which can occur in a person’s lung as a result of inflammation and dystrophic processes. Areas that are affected by such tissue can lose elasticity. In this case, patients observe pathological changes in the structures of the bronchi. The lung tissue can also wrinkle and compact, and the organ acquires an airless and dense texture. In addition, the lung is compressed. Often, men face diffuse pneumosclerosis of the lungs, but women are not protected from it. Age in this case does not play a role. In our article we will tell you what methods are currently available for the treatment of such a disease.
What are the causes of pneumosclerosis?
There are diseases, the lack of timely and adequate treatment of which can result in the development of pneumosclerosis in the patient. So, the following factors usually serve as the causes of this ailment:
- The presence of pulmonary tuberculosis.
- The presence of chronic bronchitis in the patient.
- The development of infectious, aspiration or viral pneumonia.
- All kinds of industrial gases.
- The consequence of radiation therapy in the fight against cancer.
- The development of fibrosing or allergic alveolitis.
- Damage to the vascular walls in granulomatosis.
- The development of chronic gastroesophageal reflux.
- The presence of sternal injuries or injuries of the lung parenchyma.
- The presence of a genetic predisposition to pulmonary diseases.
- The development of exudative pleurisy in severe form.
- The presence of foreign elements in the bronchi.
Diffuse pneumosclerosis is also triggered by the use of a number of medications, such as Apressin or Cordaron. Among other things, risk factors are bad habits, bad ecology, and so on. There are also professions in which people are automatically at risk. For example, we are talking about activities in hazardous industries, where harmful gases thrive and there is a lot of dust. The danger also threatens glass carvers, and, in addition, builders, grinders and the like. Next, find out what symptoms usually accompany this ailment.
What is basal pneumosclerosis? With this kind of pathology, substitution occurs mainly in the basal parts of the lungs.
With the advanced form of basal pneumosclerosis, the symptoms of the disease appear intensely. Muscle weakness is strong, it is difficult for a person to climb stairs, it is difficult to walk long distances, for example, to a store.
Respiratory failure is becoming apparent. Its objective signs:
- shortness of breath at rest during a conversation;
- increase in respiratory rate;
- due to a lack of oxygen in the body, the skin is pale with a blue tint;
- forced breathing - the respiratory act requires additional effort;
- deformation of the forms of the chest - intercostal spaces sink, the mediastinal organs (aorta, heart, bronchi) move towards the affected lung;
- severe muscle weakness, dizziness with a change in body position, headaches;
- persistent nausea;
- insomnia, impaired quality of night sleep;
- swelling of the extremities.
With extensive damage to the entire basal lung, the cough becomes permanent in patients. It is lingering, persistent, not bringing relief. In this case, severe pain in the chest appears, pressing, compressing.
Symptoms of pneumosclerosis
The main symptoms of pulmonary pneumosclerosis are called manifestations of the disease, the result of which he became. The following symptoms are also likely to appear, which indicate the need to visit a doctor immediately:
- The occurrence of shortness of breath, which has become permanent and remains even in a state of complete inaction.
- The appearance of a strong cough, accompanied by secretions, which have the form of a mucosa and at the same time purulent sputum.
- The presence of chronic fatigue, weakness, and dizziness.
- The appearance of pain in the chest area.
- The occurrence of cyanosis of the skin.
- Noticeable weight loss.
- The development of chest deformity.
- The appearance of severe pulmonary failure.
- Finger phalanges on the background of this disease resemble drumsticks. They are also called the fingers of Hippocrates.
- The presence of wheezing during auscultation, which may be dry or finely bubbly.
The severity of the symptoms of the disease directly depends on the amount of affected connective tissue. A minor manifestation is mainly characteristic of limited pneumosclerosis.
Treatment methods
In the presence of symptoms of pulmonary pneumosclerosis, you must first make an appointment with a therapist and then with a pulmonologist. Treatment methods are determined depending on the stage at which the disease is located. The initial form, which is not accompanied by severe symptoms, as a rule, does not need active treatment. Given that pneumosclerosis most often plays the role of a concomitant disease, it is necessary to conduct, first of all, treatment of its source. It should be noted that there are quite a lot of methods for treating this pathology, then we will consider the main ones.
Pneumosclerosis and pulmonary emphysema often go hand in hand. That is, the development of emphysema almost always leads to pneumosclerosis.
Stem cell treatment
Today, cell therapy is an innovative way to combat pneumosclerosis. The fact is that stem cells are the precursors of all cells in the human body. Their unique properties are the ability to transform into absolutely any cells. This quality is also actively used in cell treatment directed against such a phenomenon as pneumosclerosis.
These cells are administered intravenously. Thanks to blood flow, stem cells leak to the affected organs. Further, they replace tissue damaged by the disease. At the same time, the body's immune defense is activated, metabolic processes improve, and lung tissue, in turn, is reborn.
The effectiveness of cell treatment is usually determined by the time it started. It is advisable to begin such treatment before the entire lung is captured by the fibrosis process. Among other things, success depends on the availability of healthy tissue, which the cells need to attach and start the reconstruction process.
How to treat diffuse pulmonary pneumosclerosis is interesting to many.
Treatment with stem cells improves the metabolic process in the human body, which is sick with pneumosclerosis. Against the background of such treatment, the functions of various body systems are restored. These cells produce a very effective effect against various tumors. As a result of treatment, the affected organ returns its lost functionality and becomes healthy again.
The result of cell treatment can be the restoration of the structure of the lungs, and, in addition, shortness of breath and dry cough disappear in patients after such therapy, which are the main causes of pain in the diagnosis of pneumosclerosis. Safety with the effectiveness of this kind of therapy has already been repeatedly proven by numerous studies.
What is the life span for pneumosclerosis? About it further.
Carrying out oxygen therapy
Oxygen therapy is also a modern therapeutic technique, which is based on the patient inhaling oxygen-gas mixtures. The procedure makes it possible to compensate for the oxygen deficiency that has formed in the body. One of the indications for its implementation is pneumosclerosis of the lungs.
The gas, which is an oxygen therapy tool, is saturated with oxygen in a volume similar to atmospheric air. The gas supply is most often carried out using nasal catheters, as well as:
- Various oral and nasal masks.
- The use of oxygen tents.
- Tracheostomy tubes.
- Conducting hyperbaric oxygenation.
Due to the oxygen supply in the body of a sick person, cellular metabolism is activated.
What else is the treatment for pulmonary pneumosclerosis?
Conducting drug therapy
In the event that the course of pneumosclerosis is additionally accompanied by any inflammatory exacerbations, for example, pneumonia or bronchitis, then the patient is prescribed various medications, for example, it can be expectorant, antibacterial, mucolytic, anti-inflammatory or bronchodilator drugs.
In the event that pneumosclerosis is extremely difficult, and at the same time progression of the disease is observed, doctors additionally connect glucocorticosteroids. Course treatment, which involves the use of hormonal agents in small quantities, is practiced primarily to stop the inflammatory processes, and, in addition, to suppress the proliferation of connective tissue. Often, such drugs are combined with immunosuppressive drugs. Also, doctors can prescribe vitamin and anabolic drugs.
In order for drug therapy to be as effective as possible, therapeutic bronchoscopy is used. This manipulation makes it possible to deliver the drug directly to the bronchial tissue. Due to the effect of the drug, the stagnant contents of the bronchopulmonary system are removed.
Treatment of pulmonary pneumosclerosis should be comprehensive.
Physiotherapy treatment
In the event that the patient has pneumosclerosis, he may be prescribed physiotherapy. The task of physiotherapeutic procedures in this case is the relief of symptoms in the inactive phase along with the stabilization of the process.
In the absence of pulmonary insufficiency, patients are prescribed iontophoresis with novocaine and calcium chloride. Doctors can also prescribe ultrasounds using novocaine. When the disease is at a compensated stage, diathermy in the chest area is considered appropriate. Against the background of poor sputum separation, electrophoresis with iodine is used, and in case of malnutrition, ultraviolet radiation is used. A less effective alternative is the Solux lamp exposure procedure.
In that case, if possible, physiotherapy should be combined with climatic treatment. Patients with pneumosclerosis in particular are shown rest on the shores of the Dead Sea. The local climate can produce a healing effect on the affected body.
Physical therapy classes
The main task against the background of this disease is to strengthen the respiratory muscles. Achieving this goal is facilitated by regular exercise. But it is very important that such classes are conducted under the close supervision of a professional instructor, since any initiative can only do much harm.
Pneumosclerosis is often treated with breathing exercises. Patients should perform each exercise without any tension. It is very important to adhere to a slow or, in extreme cases, medium pace, increasing loads gradually. The best place to practice is the street along with fresh air, this will certainly increase the effectiveness of therapeutic exercises. True, physical therapy has some contraindications. For example, you can not do it at high temperature, and, in addition, against the background of a severe form of the disease and with multiple hemoptysis.
To combat the pathological process, patients can connect some sports. For example, with pneumosclerosis rowing is considered very useful along with skating or skiing. Doctors often recommend chest massage. With the help of such procedures, all kinds of stagnant phenomena that form in the lung tissue are eliminated. Massages improve the condition of the heart, lungs and bronchi. Thanks to massages, the development of pulmonary fibrosis is inhibited.
Surgery
Radical intervention is considered appropriate in the following cases:
- The patient has a local form of the disease.
- The presence of lung tissue destruction.
- The presence of suppuration of the lung parenchyma.
- The presence of fibrosis and cirrhosis of the lung.
The essence of this treatment is, first of all, in the surgical removal of the affected areas of the lung tissue.
Folk remedies for pneumosclerosis are also effective.
Eucalyptus treatment
In the treatment of this disease, it will be useful to turn to alternative methods. For example, inhalations based on eucalyptus essential oil help very easily ease breathing and work great for pneumosclerosis.
For treatment with eucalyptus, the leaves of the plant need to be crushed, and then add half a liter of boiling water, then the resulting product is insisted for fifteen minutes. To enhance the therapeutic effect, you can add honey. Folk techniques are characterized by the cumulative effect of exposure, in this regard, the reception of such funds should be lengthy. You can use eucalyptus infusion for about a month, after which it is recommended to switch to other herbs, for example, to thyme.
Still how to treat pulmonary pneumosclerosis?
With the help of oat grains
Oatmeal is considered a prophylactic for many diseases, including the treatment of such grains and pneumosclerosis. For the treatment of pneumosclerosis, natural grains or already processed ones are suitable. One glass of grains is poured overnight with a liter of water, and in the morning the resulting volume is brought to a boil, keeping it on fire until the liquid is halved. Next, the remaining liquid is filtered, it is taken before meals in a warm form.
Onion therapy
Since the symptoms of pneumosclerosis are very similar to manifestations of pulmonary ailments and colds, onions are commonly used to treat it. Finely chopped onions are boiled in sugar syrup, then the broth is filtered, after which it can be taken as a medicine. Take this medicine as often as possible. One spoonful can be consumed up to ten times a day.
Despite the large number of various treatment methods, it must be said that it is sometimes difficult to cure this disease in a person. In this regard, it is worthwhile to figure out what preventive measures should be taken so that they do not get sick.
The more effective treatment therapy, the higher the life expectancy for pneumosclerosis. The patient’s condition and his careful attitude to his health also affect life expectancy. It is an unhealthy lifestyle and a decrease in immunity that leads to a decrease in the quality of life. It is important to follow not only a preventive technique, but also a comprehensive treatment. Mandatory do not uncontrolled use of medications. Since this not only leads to disease, but also worsens the course of the underlying pathology. Life expectancy is higher if the patient complies with the doctor's prescription. In no case should you be treated on your own. This not only shortens life expectancy, but also leads to irreversible complications! Prophylaxis
To prevent a disease such as pulmonary pneumosclerosis is always much easier than to completely get rid of it later. The most important condition for prevention is the timely treatment of diseases such as pneumonia, tuberculosis, bronchitis, colds and so on. Among other things, the following measures will be useful:
- Complete cessation of smoking.
- It is very important to change work with frequent interaction with various harmful substances that you have to breathe.
- It is important to minimize the use of alcoholic beverages or to completely eliminate those.
- Conducting hardening procedures.
- Conducting regular breathing exercises, and, in addition, gymnastics.
- Reception of a balanced diet.
- Additional support for the body with vitamin complexes.
- The implementation of frequent walks in the fresh air.
- The annual passage of such a procedure as radiography.
Reviews of pulmonary pneumosclerosis
Reviews about this disease are abundant. This ailment is very severe, the symptoms are rather unpleasant. Only timely comprehensive treatment will help alleviate the condition.
Quitting smoking is perhaps the most important point. , . , , . , , . , .
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