What is Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis?
Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis is a lung disease. It causes severe breathing difficulties for affected individuals because of fibroid (scar tissue) buildup in the lungs that inhibits the lungs’ necessary ability to transport oxygen into the bloodstream. The scar tissue forms around alveoli, which are the air sacs in the lung that fill with oxygen each time a person inhales. The thickness and fibrous nature of the scar tissue is especially debilitating because the walls of the alveoli are very thin.
Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis tends to be a progressive condition, meaning it worsens over time. The breathing problems people experience may get to the point that they need an assisted breathing device in order to avoid dying from this disease. There is ongoing research into idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis treatment, but as of now there is no cure and those with this condition must take a maintenance approach to it.
What Are the Causes of Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis?
The term idiopathic means that the exact cause of a medical condition is not definitively known, but the consensus in the medical community is that it is environmental in nature and related to what a person breathes into the lungs. There are known risk factors for idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis though, and they include cigarette smoking, and Epstein-Barr virus, hepatis, or herpes infections.
GERD (gastrointestinal esophageal reflux disease) is thought to also be a possible contributor to a person getting idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis because people with GERD may be breathing small amounts of refluxed stomach acid into their lungs. It is also known to be familial, meaning you are more predisposed to have idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis if a predecessor in your family has had it.
Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis Symptoms
In addition to difficulty breathing, people with IPF may also have chest pain or tightness, appetite loss, leg swelling, joint pain and muscle aches, excessive tiredness, unattributable weight loss, or clubbing. Clubbing is when the tips of your toes or fingers get wider. People with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis may also hear a crackling noise coming from their airway when they exhale.
It is worth nothing that idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis symptoms can be the same ones seen with tuberculosis, so it is very important to get a proper medical diagnosis if you are experiencing them. This will usually be with a chest X-ray scan but may also involve pulse oximetry testing.
Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis Treatment
There are prescription medications that can slow the growth of fibroid scar tissues in the lungs, and undergoing a course of treatment with medications like Esbriet or Ofev is the standard approach for idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis treatment. Oxygen therapy treatment can also be a possibility to make breathing easier and prevent complications from low oxygen levels.
Doctors may recommend patients start on pulmonary rehabilitation if they feel it can be helpful for managing idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis. This can involve physical exercise, breathing techniques, nutritional counseling, and emotional counseling and support.
