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Pulmonary fibrosis is a disease characterized by the appearance of scars in the lung, called fibrosis. Over time the lungs may become more rigid, resulting in greater difficulty in breathing, which leads to the appearance of some symptoms such as shortness of breath, dry cough and excessive tiredness.
This situation often happens as a result of prolonged exposure to occupational dust, such as silica and asbestos, for example, or due to smoking, autoimmune diseases or the side effect of prolonged use of some medication. However, in some cases the cause of pulmonary fibrosis cannot be identified, and is now called idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis.
Pulmonary fibrosis has no cure because these damages caused to the lung cannot be repaired, however the disease can be controlled and the symptoms relieved by performing respiratory physiotherapy and medications that can be indicated by the pulmonologist.
Main symptoms
Initially, pulmonary fibrosis does not lead to the appearance of signs or symptoms, however as the disease progresses some symptoms may be noticed, the main ones being:
- Shortness of breathe;
- Dry cough or little secretion;
- Excessive tiredness;
- Lack of appetite and weight loss for no apparent reason;
- Muscle and joint pain;
- Blue or purple fingers;
- Deformity in the fingers characteristic of the lack of oxygen in the body, called "drum stick fingers".
The severity and speed of onset of symptoms can vary from person to person, especially according to the cause, and in general, it evolves over months to years.
When suspecting pulmonary fibrosis, the pulmonologist will order tests such as computed tomography, which assesses the presence of changes in lung tissue, spirometry, which measures the functional capacity of the lungs and other tests, such as blood tests, which rule out other diseases, such as pneumonia . In case of doubt, a lung biopsy may also be performed.
It is important not to confuse pulmonary fibrosis with cystic fibrosis, which is a hereditary disease, which occurs in children, in which some glands produce abnormal secretions that mainly affect the digestive and respiratory tracts. Check out how to identify and treat cystic fibrosis.
How the treatment is done
Pulmonary fibrosis treatment should be guided by a pulmonologist and usually includes drugs with antifibrotic properties, such as Pirfenidone or Nintedanib, corticosteroid drugs, such as Prednisone, and drugs that reduce the immune system's response, such as Cyclosporine or Methotrexate, and may relieve some symptoms or delay the progression of the disease.
Physiotherapy is essential to perform pulmonary rehabilitation, in which scheduled exercises are performed with the aim of improving the person's breathing capacity, who remains more active and has fewer symptoms.
In addition, in the most severe cases, the doctor may also recommend the use of oxygen at home as a way to help increase blood oxygenation. The disease can become very serious for some people, and in these cases, a lung transplant may be indicated.
Check out more details about the treatment for pulmonary fibrosis.
What causes pulmonary fibrosis
Although a specific cause for pulmonary fibrosis is not determined, the risk of developing the disease is greater for individuals who:
- They are smokers;
- They work in environments with many toxins, such as silica dust or asbestos, for example;
- They have radiation or chemotherapy for cancer, such as lung or breast cancer;
- They use certain drugs that have the risk of causing this effect, such as Amiodarone Hydrochloride or Propranolol, or antibiotics, such as Sulfasalazine or Nitrofurantoin, for example;
- They had lung diseases, such as Tuberculosis or Pneumonia;
- They have autoimmune diseases, such as Lupus, Rheumatoid Arthritis or Scleroderma.
In addition, idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis can be passed from parents to children, and genetic counseling is recommended if there are many cases of the disease in the family.