Emphysema is a lung condition that causes shortness of breath. In people with emphysema, the air sacs in the lungs are damaged. Over time, the inner walls of the air sacs weaken and rupture creating larger air spaces instead of many small ones.
You can have emphysema for many years without noticing any signs or symptoms. The main symptom of emphysema is shortness of breath, which usually begins gradually. You may start avoiding activities that cause you to be short of breath, so the symptom doesn’t become a problem until it starts interfering with daily tasks. Emphysema eventually causes shortness of breath even while you’re at rest. Emphysema is a progressive disease, which means it continues to get worse.
The major cause of emphysema is smoking cigarettes and marijuana, also longtime exposure to dust or chemical fumes and aging. Regardless of the cause, lung damage in emphysema cannot be reversed.
Emphysema patients may develop pneumothorax, heart problems and bullae.
If you or someone you know has been diagnosed with Emphysema and you would like a second opinion on an Xray or CT by a board certified radiologist please visit secondopinions.com for your peace of mind.