Are you a cigarette smoker?
Are you a victim of second hand smoke?
HOW WELL HAVE YOU TREATED YOUR LUNGS???
Do you become short of breath without much activity?
According to the American Lung Association, Emphysema is in the top 4 reasons people die from sickness in the United States……. What is Emphysema??
Emphysema is a long term disease of the lung. It affects the area of the lung responsible for gas exchange in part of the lung is called the alveoli; it helps your lungs to get bigger and smaller while you are breathing in and out. The walls around the alveoli is destroyed, due to the swelling of the alveoli as Smoking, getting older and some genetic factors are among the most likely to cause this disease. How do I find out??
Physical Exam, checking oxygen content in the blood, blood tests, chest x-ray, and function tests of the lungs. Treating Emphysema
The damage to the lungs from emphysema is permanent. A variety of medications are given to treat swelling of lung tissues and possible infections. There are a few surgery options to take out damaged tissue, depending on the stage of the sickness. Patients are taught different ways to breathe so they will not use up all their energy. Patients, who smoke, should work towards quitting. Smoking is one of the main causes of emphysema. Resources for patients with Emphysema
American Association for Respiratory Care (AARC) www.aarc.org National Emphysema Prevention Program (NEPP)
National Lung Health Education Program (NLHEP) www.nlhep.org US COPD Coalition