Signs and Symptoms of Emphysema in the Alveoli Airways

Emphysema is an incurable disease that affects the alveolar walls in the lungs along with the capillary blood vessels. The resulting inflammation limits the ability for the blood to get the needed oxygen to transport throughout the body. Emphysema is normally a slow and progressive disease that is ultimately lethal. There are many symptoms that indicate that emphysema may be present.

Shortness of Breath

• According to the Mayo Clinic, one of the earliest signs of emphysema affecting the alveoili airways is a chronic shortness of breath. This can start slowly and begin to affect the patient after physical activity. As the disease begins to progress, the effects become more severe, and the patient will suffer breathing problems after mild activity, such as climbing a flight of stairs. Eventually, in the more advanced stages of the disease, the patient will have a chronically hard time getting oxygen and may require oxygen therapy to lessen the strain on the lungs.

Fatigue

• Another symptom of emphysema is fatigue. The body is not receiving the proper amount of oxygen that the cells and tissues require, and the body then has to work harder to try to get the oxygen into the body and properly disperse it. All of this combined tires out the patient. In the early stages, activity may be more difficult than normal, and the patient may need to take more frequent breaks. As the disease worsens, the patient may suffer chronic exhaustion from the amount of strain the body is under.

Coughing

• Emphysema frequently causes a chronic cough as a result of the airways narrowing. They can fill with mucus called sputum, and this thickened phlegm needs to be removed, which the body does by forcing it out with coughing. The coughs can be dry at times as well and can start instantaneously as the patient attempts to breathe in air. Coughing contributes to the fatigue mentioned earlier as well because the muscle spasms that occur with coughing are exhausting over time.