Emphysema: treatment
Once emphysema has been diagnosed, the lung damage has been done and it is not possible to reverse it. Treatment is aimed at relieving symptoms and preventing the disease from progressing even further.
Quit smoking
If you have been diagnosed with emphysema and are a smoker, your doctor will advise you to stop smoking immediately. Stopping smoking is the most important thing you can do to maintain the health of your lungs and prevent further damage. There are many methods available to help you – talk to your doctor now.
Medications
Medications called bronchodilators may be prescribed to help you breathe – they relax and open up the airways in the lungs. Corticosteroids can also help relieve symptoms in some people. If you develop a bacterial chest infection and you have emphysema this can be dangerous, so antibiotics will be prescribed.
Self-care tips
You should strive to maintain good health habits by ensuring you eat a balanced diet and get adequate rest. Your doctor will also probably advise you take up a regular exercise programme that may include exercises to improve your breathing. These are called pulmonary rehabilitation exercises and may improve your exercise capacity and quality of life.
Try to avoid air pollution, which may make your symptoms worse.
Make sure you see your doctor at the start of the winter season for a vaccination against flu. It may also be worthwhile being vaccinated against pneumococcal pneumonia, as this infection would also aggravate emphysema.
Surgery
Some people with emphysema may be suitable for surgery called lung volume reduction surgery, which gives some patients improvement, at least in the short term. Lung transplantation can also provide symptom relief for some people.
Oxygen
Portable oxygen cylinders are used by some people for short walking trips of an hour or so. Other people have such low oxygen content of their blood that they have to have an oxygen supply at home.
Last Reviewed: 01 April 2009
