Pulmonary fibrosis is a specific kind of lung disease which occurs when the tissues of the lungs become damaged or scarred. The thickened, as well as stiff tissue, makes it very difficult for the person’s lungs to work properly. When the disease goes on to become worse, the patient becomes more and more short of breath. Scarring, as a side effect, is associated with pulmonary fibrosis. It can also be caused by a number of varying factors. However, in most number of cases, doctors are unable to pinpoint the particular reason which is causing the problem. When doctors are unable to find a cause, the condition is given the medical term idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis. The treatments for pulmonary fibrosis are discussed in the following section.
Treatments for pulmonary fibrosis
The scarring of the lungs which is a very common occurrence in pulmonary fibrosis cannot be reversed, and there are no present treatments that have proven effective in stopping or hindering the progression of the disease. Some treatments for pulmonary fibrosis, however, have the potential to improve symptoms for the time being or slow down the progress of the disease. There are other techniques which may help to improve the general quality of life. Doctors are known to evaluate the severity of the patient’s condition to determine the most appropriate treatment for an individual’s condition. Some of these are:
Medications
Doctors often recommend newer and more recent medications as they have a higher and better chance of working. These medications have the potential to possibly slow the progression of what has been defined as idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis. However, one must keep in mind the fact that such medication should always be consumed under medical supervision and with proper prescriptions and in the appropriate dose.
Oxygen therapy
This is one of the many treatments for pulmonary fibrosis that is prescribed to a patient. This is basically to use oxygen for various purposes including:
- To ease the process of breathing and exercise
- It can also lessen and prevent complications which arise from low blood oxygen levels in the blood
- The blood pressure in the right side of a patient’s heart is controlled and restrained by it
Pulmonary fibrosis is a repetitive disease, which progresses in magnitude, getting worse over time. If someone learns more about this disease in the very initial stage, it can help them and their family to cope up with it. If a patient attends pulmonary rehabilitation then it can also help him/her to manage their symptoms and improve daily functioning. You can opt for any of the aforementioned treatments for pulmonary fibrosis, however, medical consultation is strongly advised before taking any such step.
