Usual Interstitial Pneumonitis Lung Disease

This lung disease involves a specific inflammation of the interstitium of the lungs. The interstitium is the tissue that sits between the air sacs in the lung. Usual interstitial pneumonitis is an uncommon autoimmune disorder for which neither cause nor cure has yet been found. Various treatments are used, though.

Description

• The disease involves inflammation and build up of fluid in the interstitium. The disease is not localized in a specific region of the lungs, but tends to pervade the entire lung. The inflammation does not affect the air sacs themselves, but only the surrounding tissue.

Causes

• The inflammation occurs because the body is healing the lungs, but it is doing so in an incorrect manner, which is why it is called an autoimmune disease. With usual interstitial pneumonitis, as with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis, there is no specific known cause. The doctors refer to this as idiopathic. There is simply inflammation without an identifiable cause.

Symptoms

• The most notable symptom is lowered lung capacity. There is scarring on the intersititum and you will notice difficulty breathing. You may also experience a dry cough, and even the enlarging of your fingertips (this will not be painful). Symptoms tend to occur slowly over time, and may lead to high blood pressure, and to heart and respiratory failure.

Diagnosis

• Unfortunately, it is a difficult disease to diagnose from a routine examination. If you experience the above symptoms your may need a blood test, chest x-rays, or CT scans. Additionally, you may need to test your lung functioning through tests that require you to blow into a spirometer. It tests the lowering of an average lung capacity.

Treatment

• Treatment will vary depending on the severity of your disease. Doctors often prescribe corticosteroid, a steroid designed to reduce inflammation. Other immune system-suppressing drugs will be used to reduce inflammation. Of course, not smoking will greatly help reducing the symptoms. Additionally, doctors may give the patient oxygen therapy (pulmonary rehabilitation), which helps with daily breathing. Finally, your doctor may, in extreme circumstances, perform a lung transplant.