Kay Kay Healthcare Ltd.
EMPHYSEMA
SYMPTOMS
Emphysema progress slowly over time and is often mistake for other ailments, ranging from asthma to heart disease. Typical symptoms of emphysema include:
• Shortness of breath, worsening over the years.
• A chronic, mild cough, sometimes accompanied by a small amount of phlegm.
• A distended, “barrel shaped “chest.
WHAT IS EMPHYSEMA
Emphysema, a potentially fatal lung disease characterized by increasing loss of elasticity in the lungs, typically causes chronic, mild coughing and shortness of breath. Although a numbers of factors including heredity, pollution, and pre-existing chronic lung disease such as asthma can play a role in its development, emphysema is most often caused by long term, heavy smoking. In many cases, emphysema also suffers from chronic bronchitis, which accounts for some of the overlapping symptoms. More people in United States die from emphysema than from any other respiratory disease. To date, no cure has been found and no treatment can reserve its effects. However, by seeking professional medical help in the beginning stages of the disease, you can substantially slow its advance. Emphysema results when the alveoli tiny, thin walled air sacs clustered at the ends of the airways deep within the lungs become damaged or enlarged. Healthy lungs contain about 300 million of these spongy sacs, which are responsible for delivering oxygen into the bloodstream and drawing out carbon dioxide waste. But when the lungs airways constricted or damaged, usually from smoking, breathing becomes more forced and difficult. Long periods of laboured breathing put pressure on the lungs that eventually stretches the alveoli beyond their normal limits. Overtime they lose their natural elastic its and sometimes they burst. Such damage not only prevents the alveoli from working efficiently; it also significantly reduces the surface area and overall elasticity of the lungs. As emphysema develops, suffers are often unable to carry out even the simplest forms of exercise, such as walking up a flight of stairs, without becoming breathless. Emphysema is most common in men between the age of 50 and 70 who have smoked heavily for years, but the disease is becoming more common in women as they join the ranks of heavy smokers. People with emphysema are particularly vulnerable to pneumonia, bronchitis, and other lung infections, as well as to cardiovascular problems such as heart failure. Although emphysema patients need to be monitored by a medical professional, they can make changes in their lifestyle, learn breathing techniques, and supplement their doctor’s care with a number of other therapies to smoke their lives more comfortable.
CAUSES
By far the most common cause by emphysema is heavy, long term smoking. Cigarette smoke is tough to break down the elastic fibbers’ in the walls of alveoli, making the air sacs more susceptible to rupture. Smoking also has the effect of weakening the walls of the lungs branching air ways, causing them to collapse on exhalation, trapping stale air. Besides its role in the development of emphysema, smoking also makes people with the disease more vulnerable to lung infection and other serious disorders, such as chronic bronchitis. Even one puff on cigarette is enough to cause temporary paralysis in the tiny, hair like cells known as cilia that are responsible for brushing debris and excess mucus from the lungs. Cilia damaged by continued smoking function only poorly and eventually may stop working altogether. Clogged with mucus, the lungs are then vulnerable to viral and bacterial infections, which over time distort and permanently damage the lungs airways. Any lung disease that causes the narrowing of the respiratory airways such as chronic bronchitis or asthma may exhaust and ultimately damage the alveoli. In rare cases, emphysema can also be caused by the lack of a cellular enzyme that helps to maintain the elasticity of fibbers in the walls of the alveoli. People who have inherited this enzyme deficiency have an increased chance of coming down with emphysema sometimes in their thirties or forties, even if they don’t smoke.
DIAGNOSTIC AND TEST PROCEDURES
A doctor can diagnose emphysema by simply tapping on your chest and listening with a stethoscope. If the tapping produces a hallow sound, more than likely the lungs air sacs are enlarged or ruptured the telltale signs of emphysema. After diagnosis, the doctor will probably take an x-ray of your chest to help gauge the extent of the lung damage.
TREATMENT
No treatment will restore your lung healthy state, but there are things you can do to keep your emphysema from getting worse. The first important step is to see a doctor if you develop any of the symptoms listed on page 346. Never dismiss a “smoker’s cough” as harmless or merely bothersome; if you smoke, and if you have coughed steadily for more than a month or have suffered chronic breathlessness, chances are your lung are already damaged. You must stop smoking immediately. If you don’t, your condition will almost certainly deteriorate. Breathing techniques, aromatherapy, and oxygen therapy may help you cope with the disease.
CONVENTIONAL MEDICINE
It is important to see physician regularly if you have emphysema. Your doctor can teach you how to do breathing exercise correctly and how to practice controlled coughing as a way to remove excess mucus from your lungs. Mild physical exercise is also recommended for people with emphysema. A doctor may also prescribe bronchodilators to help ease breathing. In severe cases of emphysema, at home oxygen therapy may be necessary; oxygen delivering device are widely available at home use in both stationary and mobile tanks. In some cases, surgery may an opinion. One procedure in which damage portions of the lungs are removed has been shown to alleviate some of the symptoms of emphysema.
ALTERNATIVE CHOICES
If you have emphysema, you should think of alternative choices only as supplements to supervised medical care. The following remedies may provide some relief from the discomfort associated with the disease.
AROMATHERAPY
Essential oil such as eucalyptus, hyssop, lavender, and rosemary may help ease breathing and relieve nasal congestion. Inhale through your nose directly from the bottle, or from a tissue dabbed with a few drops of one or more essential oils. You might also try massaging your chest with 2 tsp of light vegetable oil mixed with 2 drops of essential oil.
CHINESE HERBS
The Chinese herb ephedrine, also the Chinese ma hang, is a potent bronchodilator. Note, however, that large quantities of ephedrine have the same effect as large quantities of epinephrine; do not use this herb if you have high blood pressure or heart disease. Prepare an infusion by combining 5 grams ephedrine, 4 grams cinnamon sticks, 1.5 grams liquorice and 5 grams apricot seeds. Let the mixture steep in cold water, and then bring it to boil. Drink it hot.
HERBAL THERAPIES
A number of act as soothing expectorants and may be appropriate in the treatment of emphysema. Elecampane, for example, is believed to help clear excess mucus from the lungs. To prepare an infusion, shred the root to yield 1 tsp and add a full cup of cold water. Let the infusion stand for 10 hours, then strain and drink it hot three times daily. Mullein tea is recommended for soothing the mucous membranes, especially during episodes of night time breathlessness. Other herbs that may help relieve shortness of breath include grindelia, lobelia, wild black cherry bark, liquorice, motherwort, and aniseed.
HOMEOPATHY
To treat emphysema, a homeopath might recommend the following substances, taken twice a day for a week or as needed. For wheezing and congestion, Antimonies terrarium (6c). For symptoms that worsen on damp days, in stuffy rooms, or early in the morning, Ammonium carbonic (6c). For symptoms that grow worse at night or in cold air and drafts, He par Sulphuric (6c).
NUTRITION AND DIET
Some nutritionists recommend avoiding foods that cause excess mucus production, such as dairy products, process foods, and white flour products.
REFLEXOLOGY
Toes outstretches, massage the upper surface of both feet, just below the second and fourth toes; this area corresponds to the lung and chest.
YOGA
The following yoga exercises can help you learn breath more efficiently.
With your fingertips on your shoulders, breathe in and join your elbows together in front of you. Lift your elbows as high as you can, then lower them, creating a circle with your arms as you exhale. Repeat.
While sitting on a stool or standing, make a breaststroke motion with your arms; slowly stretch them behind you. Clasp your hands, lowering your arms below your buttocks, and pull your shoulder back. Then still clasping your hands behind you, breathe in and left your arms up as far as you can. Breathe out, lower your arms, and unclasp your hands. Repeat.
AT HOME REMEDIES
Inhaling steam can help loosen phlegm in your lungs. First, fill a sink with boiling water. Keeping your eyes closed, drape a towel over your head and inhale the steam for two to five minutes. To further ease breathing and help relieve nasal congestion; try adding a few drops of one or more essential oils to the hot water. The warm steam distributed by vaporizers can also help clear the lungs. However, in an average sized room, most vaporizers aren’t powerful enough to generate the density of steam necessary to be truly helpful. If you want to use vaporizers, place it in a smaller space, such as a bathroom. Don’t use cold humidifiers: they must be scrubbed daily with bleach; otherwise, they can spread germs and encourage mould or mildew growth, increasing your chance of developing lung infections.
PREVENTION
If you smoke, the best way to prevent emphysema is to stop right away. Organizations such as smokers and the American Lung Association offer programs that will help you kick the habit. There are also a number of alternative smoking cessation techniques available .
EMPHYSEMA
SYMPTOMS
Emphysema progress slowly over time and is often mistake for other ailments, ranging from asthma to heart disease. Typical symptoms of emphysema include:
• Shortness of breath, worsening over the years.
• A chronic, mild cough, sometimes accompanied by a small amount of phlegm.
• A distended, “barrel shaped “chest.
WHAT IS EMPHYSEMA
Emphysema, a potentially fatal lung disease characterized by increasing loss of elasticity in the lungs, typically causes chronic, mild coughing and shortness of breath. Although a numbers of factors including heredity, pollution, and pre-existing chronic lung disease such as asthma can play a role in its development, emphysema is most often caused by long term, heavy smoking. In many cases, emphysema also suffers from chronic bronchitis, which accounts for some of the overlapping symptoms. More people in United States die from emphysema than from any other respiratory disease. To date, no cure has been found and no treatment can reserve its effects. However, by seeking professional medical help in the beginning stages of the disease, you can substantially slow its advance. Emphysema results when the alveoli tiny, thin walled air sacs clustered at the ends of the airways deep within the lungs become damaged or enlarged. Healthy lungs contain about 300 million of these spongy sacs, which are responsible for delivering oxygen into the bloodstream and drawing out carbon dioxide waste. But when the lungs airways constricted or damaged, usually from smoking, breathing becomes more forced and difficult. Long periods of laboured breathing put pressure on the lungs that eventually stretches the alveoli beyond their normal limits. Overtime they lose their natural elastic its and sometimes they burst. Such damage not only prevents the alveoli from working efficiently; it also significantly reduces the surface area and overall elasticity of the lungs. As emphysema develops, suffers are often unable to carry out even the simplest forms of exercise, such as walking up a flight of stairs, without becoming breathless. Emphysema is most common in men between the age of 50 and 70 who have smoked heavily for years, but the disease is becoming more common in women as they join the ranks of heavy smokers. People with emphysema are particularly vulnerable to pneumonia, bronchitis, and other lung infections, as well as to cardiovascular problems such as heart failure. Although emphysema patients need to be monitored by a medical professional, they can make changes in their lifestyle, learn breathing techniques, and supplement their doctor’s care with a number of other therapies to smoke their lives more comfortable.
CAUSES
By far the most common cause by emphysema is heavy, long term smoking. Cigarette smoke is tough to break down the elastic fibbers’ in the walls of alveoli, making the air sacs more susceptible to rupture. Smoking also has the effect of weakening the walls of the lungs branching air ways, causing them to collapse on exhalation, trapping stale air. Besides its role in the development of emphysema, smoking also makes people with the disease more vulnerable to lung infection and other serious disorders, such as chronic bronchitis. Even one puff on cigarette is enough to cause temporary paralysis in the tiny, hair like cells known as cilia that are responsible for brushing debris and excess mucus from the lungs. Cilia damaged by continued smoking function only poorly and eventually may stop working altogether. Clogged with mucus, the lungs are then vulnerable to viral and bacterial infections, which over time distort and permanently damage the lungs airways. Any lung disease that causes the narrowing of the respiratory airways such as chronic bronchitis or asthma may exhaust and ultimately damage the alveoli. In rare cases, emphysema can also be caused by the lack of a cellular enzyme that helps to maintain the elasticity of fibbers in the walls of the alveoli. People who have inherited this enzyme deficiency have an increased chance of coming down with emphysema sometimes in their thirties or forties, even if they don’t smoke.
DIAGNOSTIC AND TEST PROCEDURES
A doctor can diagnose emphysema by simply tapping on your chest and listening with a stethoscope. If the tapping produces a hallow sound, more than likely the lungs air sacs are enlarged or ruptured the telltale signs of emphysema. After diagnosis, the doctor will probably take an x-ray of your chest to help gauge the extent of the lung damage.
TREATMENT
No treatment will restore your lung healthy state, but there are things you can do to keep your emphysema from getting worse. The first important step is to see a doctor if you develop any of the symptoms listed on page 346. Never dismiss a “smoker’s cough” as harmless or merely bothersome; if you smoke, and if you have coughed steadily for more than a month or have suffered chronic breathlessness, chances are your lung are already damaged. You must stop smoking immediately. If you don’t, your condition will almost certainly deteriorate. Breathing techniques, aromatherapy, and oxygen therapy may help you cope with the disease.
CONVENTIONAL MEDICINE
It is important to see physician regularly if you have emphysema. Your doctor can teach you how to do breathing exercise correctly and how to practice controlled coughing as a way to remove excess mucus from your lungs. Mild physical exercise is also recommended for people with emphysema. A doctor may also prescribe bronchodilators to help ease breathing. In severe cases of emphysema, at home oxygen therapy may be necessary; oxygen delivering device are widely available at home use in both stationary and mobile tanks. In some cases, surgery may an opinion. One procedure in which damage portions of the lungs are removed has been shown to alleviate some of the symptoms of emphysema.
ALTERNATIVE CHOICES
If you have emphysema, you should think of alternative choices only as supplements to supervised medical care. The following remedies may provide some relief from the discomfort associated with the disease.
AROMATHERAPY
Essential oil such as eucalyptus, hyssop, lavender, and rosemary may help ease breathing and relieve nasal congestion. Inhale through your nose directly from the bottle, or from a tissue dabbed with a few drops of one or more essential oils. You might also try massaging your chest with 2 tsp of light vegetable oil mixed with 2 drops of essential oil.
CHINESE HERBS
The Chinese herb ephedrine, also the Chinese ma hang, is a potent bronchodilator. Note, however, that large quantities of ephedrine have the same effect as large quantities of epinephrine; do not use this herb if you have high blood pressure or heart disease. Prepare an infusion by combining 5 grams ephedrine, 4 grams cinnamon sticks, 1.5 grams liquorice and 5 grams apricot seeds. Let the mixture steep in cold water, and then bring it to boil. Drink it hot.
HERBAL THERAPIES
A number of act as soothing expectorants and may be appropriate in the treatment of emphysema. Elecampane, for example, is believed to help clear excess mucus from the lungs. To prepare an infusion, shred the root to yield 1 tsp and add a full cup of cold water. Let the infusion stand for 10 hours, then strain and drink it hot three times daily. Mullein tea is recommended for soothing the mucous membranes, especially during episodes of night time breathlessness. Other herbs that may help relieve shortness of breath include grindelia, lobelia, wild black cherry bark, liquorice, motherwort, and aniseed.
HOMEOPATHY
To treat emphysema, a homeopath might recommend the following substances, taken twice a day for a week or as needed. For wheezing and congestion, Antimonies terrarium (6c). For symptoms that worsen on damp days, in stuffy rooms, or early in the morning, Ammonium carbonic (6c). For symptoms that grow worse at night or in cold air and drafts, He par Sulphuric (6c).
NUTRITION AND DIET
Some nutritionists recommend avoiding foods that cause excess mucus production, such as dairy products, process foods, and white flour products.
REFLEXOLOGY
Toes outstretches, massage the upper surface of both feet, just below the second and fourth toes; this area corresponds to the lung and chest.
YOGA
The following yoga exercises can help you learn breath more efficiently.
With your fingertips on your shoulders, breathe in and join your elbows together in front of you. Lift your elbows as high as you can, then lower them, creating a circle with your arms as you exhale. Repeat.
While sitting on a stool or standing, make a breaststroke motion with your arms; slowly stretch them behind you. Clasp your hands, lowering your arms below your buttocks, and pull your shoulder back. Then still clasping your hands behind you, breathe in and left your arms up as far as you can. Breathe out, lower your arms, and unclasp your hands. Repeat.
AT HOME REMEDIES
Inhaling steam can help loosen phlegm in your lungs. First, fill a sink with boiling water. Keeping your eyes closed, drape a towel over your head and inhale the steam for two to five minutes. To further ease breathing and help relieve nasal congestion; try adding a few drops of one or more essential oils to the hot water. The warm steam distributed by vaporizers can also help clear the lungs. However, in an average sized room, most vaporizers aren’t powerful enough to generate the density of steam necessary to be truly helpful. If you want to use vaporizers, place it in a smaller space, such as a bathroom. Don’t use cold humidifiers: they must be scrubbed daily with bleach; otherwise, they can spread germs and encourage mould or mildew growth, increasing your chance of developing lung infections.
PREVENTION
If you smoke, the best way to prevent emphysema is to stop right away. Organizations such as smokers and the American Lung Association offer programs that will help you kick the habit. There are also a number of alternative smoking cessation techniques available .
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