You might have heard of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Did you know that emphysema is a type of COPD? While many people think that COPD is a single medical condition, it’s a group of lung diseases that each affect the lungs in different ways.
Over time, the lung diseases of COPD make it increasingly more challenging to breathe. In normally functioning lungs, the air sacs (called alveoli) are stretchy. When you take a breath in, the sacs fill up with air, and when you breathe out, the sacs deflate. That function is lost when emphysema sets in.
Emphysema gradually causes damage to the lung tissue. That damaged lung tissue, in turn, causes the air sacs in your lungs to rupture, eventually creating one large air pocket instead of multiple smaller ones.
As the walls of the air sacs lose their shape and rupture, creating one large air sac, it becomes much more difficult to breathe. Air gets trapped in the damaged lungs, keeping them from moving oxygen into the body and carbon dioxide out of it.
Because the condition is progressive, people with emphysema may not experience any symptoms when the disease first develops. As the condition worsens, it may cause shortness of breath, wheezing, frequent infections affecting the respiratory system, and chest tightness. A wet cough, meaning one that produces mucus, is also a symptom of emphysema.
The Causes of Emphysema
In rare cases, a genetic condition called alpha-1 antitrypsin deficiency can play a role in causing emphysema. Alpha-1 antitrypsin is produced in the liver and helps to protect the liver and the lungs from inflammation. People with a deficiency are at a greater risk of lung diseases, including emphysema.
Other causes of emphysema are preventable. Smoking is the most common cause because inhaled cigarette/cigar/pipe smoke destroys the air sac linings and irritates the airways. Other inhaled irritants, including air pollution, secondhand smoke and chemical fumes, can also cause emphysema.
How Emphysema Is Treated
If you’re experiencing symptoms of emphysema, you’ll want to check in with your primary care provider, who may refer you to a pulmonologist. To confirm a diagnosis, your provider will review your medical history, conduct a thorough physical exam and perform tests, including imaging tests like a CT scan and lung function tests.
A CT scan can capture detailed images of your lungs, helping the provider see if they’re damaged, the type of damage and how severe it is. Tests such as spirometry and oximetry can be used alongside these imaging scans to measure how effectively your lungs are working.
If you’re diagnosed with emphysema or another type of COPD, such as chronic bronchitis, your provider may also suggest testing for an alpha-1 antitrypsin deficiency.
Once you’ve been diagnosed, your care team will create a treatment plan personalized to meet your specific needs. This plan will be based on factors, including the severity of the lung disease as well as your overall health.
While emphysema cannot be cured, there are multiple treatment options available to help provide relief, allowing you to breathe easier. Your treatment plan may include:
- Anti-inflammatory medications to reduce inflammation in the airways
- Bronchodilator medications to relax the muscles in the lungs and widen the airways
- Lifestyle changes such as quitting smoking and avoiding exposure to inhaled irritants
- Oxygen therapy to help support your breathing when needed
- Pulmonary rehabilitation to help improve your quality of life with exercise, proper nutrition, disease management and counseling
- Surgery as a last resort for those with severe symptoms that haven’t responded to other therapies
In cases where surgery is necessary, there are several different procedures that may be used to remove damaged lung tissue or the large air spaces that form from damaged air sacs. In the most severe cases, a lung transplant may be recommended.
Anyone with a lung disease such as emphysema should also stay up to date on vaccinations, especially those for respiratory illnesses like the flu, pneumonia, RSV and COVID-19.
What You Can Do to Protect Your Lungs
The single most important thing you can do to prevent lung diseases, including emphysema, is not to smoke. Smoking is considered the single most preventable cause of death because it increases your risk of many different health conditions, including COPD.
If you smoke, talk with your medical provider to find a smoking cessation plan that will work best for you. There are multiple tools and techniques that may be helpful, including nicotine replacement products.
If you don’t smoke, don’t start. Even smoking only on occasion can damage your lungs, making you more likely to pick up infections and develop serious health issues. There is no safe way to smoke, either. Cigarettes, cigars and pipes are all harmful, and while vaping is marketed as being safer, it also harms your lungs.
Because emphysema can also be caused by exposure to other substances that can irritate the lungs, it’s best to steer clear of them whenever possible. That means limiting your exposure to air pollution, along with workplace or environmental hazards such as chemical fumes and dust.
If you’re looking for other ways to protect your lungs and your overall health, living a healthy lifestyle can help. Aim to move your body regularly, eat a healthy diet, drink plenty of water and stay up to date on vaccinations, including your annual flu shot.
Seeing your primary care provider regularly is also important. Your provider can keep an eye on your health and suggest tests as needed to give you a thorough checkup.
More to Read
- Nutrition for Lung Health and COPD
- Why (and How) to Quit Smoking
- How to Quit Smoking and Reduce Your Risk of Lung Cancer
- The COPD Transitional Care Team Gets You Home Safely
Medically reviewed by Karen Goodison, MS, RRT-NPS, RPFT, FACHE, Assistant Vice President, Clinical Operations at UM Upper Chesapeake Health
