What is Emphysema?

Over time, the inner walls of the air sacs weaken and rupture, resulting in a larger number of air spaces rather than a large number of small ones. This decreases the surface area of the lungs and, as a result, the amount of oxygen that can be delivered to your bloodstream is reduced.

When you exhale, the damaged alveoli are unable to function properly, resulting in old air becoming trapped and leaving no space for fresh, oxygen-rich air to be drawn in.

The four most common types of emphysema are as follows:

Oesophagal emphysema is classified into four types, three of which are related to the anatomy of the lobules of the lung – centrilobular or centriacinar, panlobular or panacinar, and paraseptal acinar emphysema – and do not appear to be associated with fibrosis. The fourth type, paraseptal or distal acinar emphysema (scarring).

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease 

(COPD) is comprised of two conditions: emphysema and chronic bronchitis (chronic bronchitis) (COPD). Cigarette smoking is the most common cause of COPD. COPD treatment may be able to slow the progression of the disease, but it will not be able to reverse the damage.

Symptoms 

It is possible to have emphysema for a long period without noticing any signs or symptoms. Shortness of breath is the most common symptom of emphysema, and it usually develops slowly over time.

You may begin to avoid activities that cause you to become short of breath to keep the symptom from becoming a problem until it begins to interfere with your daily activities. Emphysema eventually causes shortness of breath even when you’re not doing anything physically demanding.

Consulting the doctor

Consult your doctor if you’ve been experiencing unexplained shortness of breath for several months, especially if the shortness of breath is getting worse or interfering with your daily activities. Make no excuses for yourself, such as telling yourself that you’re getting older or that you’re out of shape. If you notice any of the following symptoms, seek medical attention right away:

1. You’re out of breath, and you can’t even climb the stairs.
2. When you exert yourself, your lips or fingernails turn blue or grey.
3. You are not mentally alert at this time.

Causes

The most common cause of emphysema is long-term exposure to airborne irritants, which include the following substances:

• Tobacco smoke is a type of pollution.
• Marijuana smoke is a type of tobacco smoke.
• Air pollution is a serious problem.
• Chemical fumes and dust are present.
• The disease is caused by an inherited deficiency of a protein that is responsible for protecting the elastic structures in the lungs in rare cases. The condition is referred to as alpha-1-antitrypsin deficiency emphysema.

Factors that increase risk

The following are some of the factors that increase your risk of developing emphysema:

1. Smoking is most common in cigarette smokers, but it can also develop in cigar and pipe smokers as a result of prolonged smoking. Increasing the number of years and amount of tobacco smoked increases the risk of lung cancer for all types of smokers.
2. Age. The damage to the lungs that occurs as a result of emphysema develops over time, but most people with tobacco-related emphysema begin to experience symptoms of the disease between the ages of 40 and 60.
3. Secondhand smoke exposure is a serious health risk. Tobacco smoke from someone else’s cigarette, pipe, or cigar is referred to as secondhand smoke, passive tobacco smoke, or environmental tobacco smoke. Being exposed to secondhand smoke increases your chances of developing emphysema.
4. Exposure to fumes or dust at work is prohibited. Those who breathe in certain chemicals or dust from grain, cotton, wood or mining products are more likely to develop emphysema than those who avoid such exposure. If you are a smoker, the danger is even greater.
5. Exposure to pollution both indoors and outdoors. Breathing indoor pollutants, such as the fumes from heating fuel, as well as outdoor pollutants — such as car exhaust — increases your risk of developing emphysema.

Complications

Additionally, people who suffer from asthma are more likely to suffer from the following conditions:

1. A lung that has collapsed (pneumothorax). It is particularly dangerous for people with severe emphysema because the function of their lungs has already been severely compromised, to have their lungs collapse. This is a rare occurrence, but when it does occur, it is very serious.
2. Heart problems are a common occurrence. Emphysema can cause an increase in the pressure in the arteries that connect the heart and lungs, causing them to rupture. This can result in a condition known as cor pulmonale, in which a section of the heart expands and weakens as a result of the stress.
3. Lungs with large holes in them (bullae). Bullae are small empty spaces that develop in the lungs of some people who have emphysema. They can grow to be as large as half the size of the lung. Giant bullae, in addition to reducing the amount of space available for the lung to expand, can increase your risk of developing a pneumothorax (lung collapse).

Prevention

If you want to avoid emphysema, stop smoking and avoid breathing secondhand smoke. If you work with chemical fumes or dust, you should wear a mask to protect your lungs.

Conclusion 

Therefore it can be concluded that the majority of people who suffer from emphysema also have chronic bronchitis. Inflammation of the tubes that transport air to your lungs (bronchial tubes), which results in a persistent cough, is the cause of chronic bronchitis.