Emphysema is mainly caused by smoking, which damages the tiny air sacs in the lungs called alveoli. Symptoms include wheezing, shortness of breath, and chronic fatigue. Quitting smoking can slow or halt the progression of the disease, but there is no cure. Smoking can also lead to other conditions such as lung cancer and heart disease.
Most doctors consider smoking to be the main cause of emphysema. The disorder can potentially be caused by many other lung irritants, but in most cases, smoking and emphysema tend to go hand in hand. A person’s lungs are filled with tiny air sacs called alveoli, and these are damaged by the presence of irritants such as tobacco smoke. When the irritation causes the alveoli to become enlarged and ineffective, doctors call the condition emphysema.
It generally takes a long time for the condition to develop, which is one reason why smoking and emphysema are so closely linked. Smokers typically irritate the lungs constantly for years at a time, so emphysema is often a consequence. There is no current cure for emphysema – any damage that is done to the sockets generally cannot be undone and the condition will not heal on its own. Where smoking and emphysema are linked, some people are able to slow or halt the progression of the disease by giving up cigarettes. They may never have the full lung function they once had, but sometimes it is possible for a person’s overall respiratory capacity to improve significantly, even if the alveoli have not actually returned to their previous state.
The symptoms of emphysema can easily be ignored because they take so many years to develop. These symptoms also mimic many other lung conditions, so it’s easy to mistake them for something else. Some of the more common symptoms include wheezing, shortness of breath, dry cough and chronic fatigue. As the condition worsens, people may develop a blue pallor on the skin, caused by oxygen deprivation, and may have episodes where they feel lightheaded.
In most cases, the primary treatment for most emphysema sufferers is to quit smoking. There are also medications that improve lung function, and some people with severe symptoms may require oxygen therapy. For people who are able to get emphysema early enough, it may not have an effect on how long they live, and many people with more severe symptoms are also able to control the disease to some extent. In cases where people continue to smoke even after symptoms develop, the disease can be fatal.
The connection between smoking and emphysema is just one example of the potential dangers of tobacco. Most experts say smoking can also lead to lung cancer and many other conditions, including heart disease. Some doctors view cigarette smoke as a poison that slowly damages the body, and many people have great difficulty quitting because some of the chemicals in tobacco are potentially addictive.
Protect your devices with Threat Protection by NordVPN
