About this topic
When you breathe in, your lungs take in oxygen. This is carried by your blood to all of the cells in your body. The lungs also get rid of carbon dioxide from your cells. If your lungs are injured, they may not work as well as they should. This means you may not be able to take in enough oxygen or get rid of enough carbon dioxide. Your lungs may be harmed by infections. Breathing in harmful substances or trauma can also damage your lungs. If these things happen over time, your lungs may not heal the right way and scars may form around the air sacs in your lungs. Then, you will have more problems getting oxygen in. ‚
Interstitial lung disease is also called ILD. This group of lung diseases causes the lungs to be inflamed. There may also be scarring in the lungs. This makes it hard to get air into the lungs. ‚
Treatment depends on the cause, type, and extent of the disease. The scarred areas will never work like healthy lungs. Some people are so sick they need to have a lung transplant. ‚
What are the causes?
Doctors may not be able to find a cause for your ILD. Other times, a cause is something like: ‚
- Taking certain drugs or treatments used to:
- Kill cancer cells
- Treat heart problems
- Treat infections
- Exposure to harmful substances known to damage the lungs like:
- Asbestos
- Silica dust
- Tobacco smoke
- Grain dust
- Bird and animal droppings
- Other illnesses like:
- Your immune system attacks your own body
- Long-term swelling of the joints, like in arthritis
- Swelling in the lungs
- Scleroderma
- Injury to the lungs
What can make this more likely to happen?
- Age
- Smoking
- Very high levels of oxygen used as a treatment
- Radiation therapy for lung or breast cancer
- Use of chemicals in mining, farming, and construction
What are the main signs?
Some cases of ILD develop suddenly and some may happen slowly over time. You may have signs like: ‚
- Shortness of breath, especially with moving around
- Dry cough
- Weight loss ¢ ˆ ’ People with lung disease have problems eating because it can be uncomfortable to eat and it takes extra energy away from breathing.
- Feeling very tired
- Blue color of the lips, skin, and fingernails
How does the doctor diagnose this health problem?
Your doctor will take your history and do an exam. Your doctor may: ‚
- Watch and observe the way you breathe
- Feel your chest for tenderness, vibration while talking, or deformity of the ribs
- Listen to your lungs with a stethoscope for abnormal sounds when breathing like wheezing and cracking sounds
- Tap the chest for normal, dull, louder, or lower pitched sounds
- Order tests like:
- Blood tests
- Chest x-rays
- CT scan of the chest
- Breathing test
- Exercise test
- Lung biopsy
How does the doctor treat this health problem?
Treatment is needed to help ease your signs. It may also slow the progress of ILD. Your doctor may treat you with: ‚
- Drugs
- Oxygen therapy to make breathing easier and prevent problems from having low levels of oxygen in your blood
- Pulmonary rehab which includes:
- Physical exercise to improve how much you can do
- Breathing methods to improve lung function
- Nutritional counseling
- Emotional support to help you cope with the condition
- If lung damage is very bad, a lung transplant may be needed. This surgery is where the doctor removes your damaged lung and replaces it with a new healthy lung.
What lifestyle changes are needed?
- Eat small meals more often. This can avoid fullness of the stomach which can make breathing hard.
- Increase your physical activity. Staying active helps keep up your strength, reduces stress, and improves lung function.
- Quit smoking and avoid secondhand smoke. If you have problems quitting, ask for help.
- Get a flu shot each year and the pneumonia shot when told to. A lung infection can make the signs of ILD worse.
What drugs may be needed?
The doctor may order drugs to: ‚
- Lower swelling in the lungs
- Help lower pressures in the lungs
- Help control any problems with your heart that result from the ILD
Will there be any other care needed?
- Your doctor may want you to have oxygen therapy at home. Oxygen will help you breathe more easily. Learn how to use, care for, and store the oxygen.
- You will learn coughing and breathing exercises. This will clear your lungs and make it easier to breathe.
- Avoid living at high altitudes where the air is thin and oxygen levels are low. If you live at a high place, you may want to consider moving to a lower place.
- Limit traveling by air. This can make signs worse. If you have to travel by air, make sure airplanes have pressurized cabins. You may need extra oxygen when you travel.
- Get lots of rest. Use an extra pillow to raise your head. This may help you breathe when sleeping.
What can be done to prevent this health problem?
If the cause is not known, there is no way to prevent ILD. Some actions you take may help lower the chance to develop ILD. ‚
- Avoid smoking and secondhand smoke.
- Avoid harmful items like chemicals, asbestos, grain dust, toxins, and bird and animal droppings. If avoiding exposure is not possible, follow safety measures when handling them.
- Go to your doctor right away to get checked if you have breathing problems.
- Avoid activities that can increase your risk for chest injuries.
Helpful tips
- Join a support group. This can help you cope and learn how to deal with your illness.
- Ask family and friends to help you with your treatments and with activities that cause you more trouble breathing.
Where can I learn more?
American Thoracic Society ‚
http://www.thoracic.org/education/breathing-in-america/resources/chapter-10-interstitial-lung-disease.pdf ‚
Australian Lung Foundation ‚
http://www.lungfoundation.com.au/lung-information/interstitial-and-orphan-lung-diseases/interstitial-lung-disease/ ‚
Consumer Information Use and Disclaimer
This information is not specific medical advice and does not replace information you receive from your health care provider. This is only a brief summary of general information. It does NOT include all information about conditions, illnesses, injuries, tests, procedures, treatments, therapies, discharge instructions or life-style choices that may apply to you. You must talk with your health care provider for complete information about your health and treatment options. This information should not be used to decide whether or not to accept your health care providers advice, instructions or recommendations. Only your health care provider has the knowledge and training to provide advice that is right for you. ‚
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Copyright ‚ © 2015 Clinical Drug Information, LLC and Lexi-Comp, Inc. ‚