by Jennifer Kirkman

Created on: September 17, 2009   Last Updated: September 19, 2009

Symptoms of Emphysema

Emphysema is a breathing disorder that is really challenging to live and deal with day in and day out. The most common cause is from smoking or working around chemicals that affect the lungs.

The onset of emphysema symptoms is shortness of breath all of the time. Since this disease progresses over time, you'll not only be short of breath, but have. (1) a lot of coughing fits, (2) may produce sputum with the cough or not, (3) a lot of wheezing, and (4) cyanosis is really common which means a bluish tint to your skin.

If you are having a lot of these symptoms, you need to see your physician for diagnosis and treatments.

Your doctor will run some tests and might suggest seeing a pulmonologist. A pulmonary specialist will take your full history of all medical conditions and also do a basic physical exam. One of the easier tests done is a peak flow test. You breathe into a peak flow meter and the numbers at which you can breathe up to helps determine lung capacity. A chest x-ray is also one of the first things done to see how the chest area looks and whether or not there is fluid build-up there or not.

A CAT Scan of the chest goes even further yet in evaluation of determining increased air in the chest area and the extent of lung disease.

There is also testing to determine exactly your arterial blood gases from carbon dioxide. This test is key into whether or not you really need some oxygen in place to help you breathe more comfortably.

Another test that helps determine emphysema is one known as diffusing capacity. This test can determine how well the lungs are able to transfer gases back and forth from lungs to the air. A marked decrease in this ability shows emphysema.

They now have newer treatments to stabilize emphysema. Many of the bronchodilator medications are of a great help along with Prednisone types of drugs, which are known as steroids.

Small doses of Albuterol may also help a person with emphysema depending on your doctor's recommendations.

Some people may be able to tolerate an actual lung transplant. But this is risky, and can have many complications connected with it. It is one of the most complex of surgeries done. A lung reduction surgery is almost better since this surgery takes out a piece of lung, thereby reducing the inflated lungs in size so that you can breathe better.

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