Our lungs are composed of innumerable tiny air sacs, called alveoli that are separated by fine elastic walls or membranes. Minuscule blood vessels or capillaries run within these walls, and these vessels make the blood and air come closer. Actually, air in the lungs and blood in the capillaries remain quite close to each other. Under normal conditions, as we breathe in, air fills the lungs and the alveoli expand. As a result, oxygen (from the air we breathe in) is transported onto hemoglobin molecules in the red blood cells that are to be pumped into all parts of the body. Then, as we breathe out, the alveoli get squeezed by the force of elasticity in their walls, thus pushing out the air from the lung and the cycle is completed. What Causes Emphysema? However, when the alveoli gets permanently damaged, it loses its elastic properties through years of cigarette smoke or other pollutants, the whole procedure goes haywire. The alveoli cannot hold the desired amount of air, and it also fails to squeeze out the air because of loss of elasticity within its walls. Although smoking is considered to be the primary cause of emphysema, there are other contributory factors that are responsible too. This includes long-term exposure to both organic as well inorganic lung irritants like pollens, air pollution, chemical fumes, fine coal particles and such others. Emphysema may also happen because of genetic abnormalities too and this is known as Alpha 1-Antitrypsin (AAT) deficiency syndrome. This is however quite rare. The Different Emphysema Causes 1. Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease or COPD 2. Chronic bronchitis 3. Hereditary deficiency of alpha 1-antitrypisin – causing Familial emphysema 4. Smoking 5. Secondary or indirect smoking 6. Exposure to toxic fumes 7. Air pollution 8. Airway hyperresponsiveness What Causes Emphysema – You Can Have The Disease From Various Complications Too 1. Cystic Fibrosis 2. Cutis laxa congenital 3. Farmer’s Lung 4. Asbestosis 5. Fibrosing alveolitis 6. Homozygotic Alpha 1 antitrypsin deficiency 7. Silicosis 8. Acute whooping cough While looking for emphysema causes, you should not rule out the symptoms because they themselves can be considered as underlying causes as well. Here they are… 1. Alpha 1-Antitrypsin Deficiency 2. Aluminum lung 3. Cerebral calcification, pulmonary emphysema, cirrhosis and berry aneurysm 4. Blue and bloated syndrome 5. Cadmium poisoning 6. Cardiomegaly -- bronchitis -- emphysema syndrome 7. Chemical poisoning -- Coal Dust 8. Chemical poisoning -- Sulfuric Acid 9. Copper poisoning 10. Cutis Laxa, Autosomal Dominant 11. Cutis laxa, recessive 12. Cutis laxa, recessive type 1 13. Cystic fibrosis -- gastritis -- megaloblastic anemia 14. Ehlers-Danlos syndrome 15. Graphite Pneumoconiosis 16. Immune defect due to absence of thymus 17. Nezelof's syndrome 18. Paracoccidioidomycosis 19. Rathburn disease Understanding what causes emphysema is just the first step. Once you know them, and your condition has been diagnosed, you must seek treatment to get rid of the symptoms such as chest pain, difficulty in breathing and the others. Yes, emphysema is not contagious, but it can affect a child and the adult too, and it can be quite serious. Luckily, there are quite a few treatments that include both conventional as well as natural cures – perhaps not a cure, but they can definitely treat the symptoms. Once you have emphysema, it can last for some time – so you must treat it as soon as possible. |
Hialeah Gardens, Marlborough, Vienna, Muscle Shoals, New Hampshire, Kannapolis, Bremerton, Wisconsin, College Park, New Castle, West Chester, Virginia Beach, Pleasant Grove, Durant, Decatur, Long Branch, Canton, Madison, Arizona, Grand Terrace, Niles, McPherson, New Carrollton, Port Arthur, Cocoa Beach, Pennsylvania, Niagara Falls, Great Falls, Mount Vernon, South Ogden, Westmont, North Carolina, Lincolnwood, Valley Stream, Summit, Commerce, Wilmette, Eagan, Hermosa Beach, East Peoria, California, Columbia, Odessa, Kirkwood, Los Gatos, Addison, Merriam, Sherwood, Kearny, Urbana, Kendallville, Lemoore, Gainesville, West Lafayette, Hammond, Westminster, Mount Dora, Upper Arlington, Longwood, Canyon Lake, Fairfax, Mounds View, West Springfield, Brooklyn Park, Burien, Hemet, Janesville, Texas, South Bend, Bay City, Waterville, Gurnee, Clinton, Poquoson, South Carolina, The Colony, Plainview, Los Lunas, Rhode_Island, Palatka, Birmingham, New London, Charleston, Kentucky, San Ramon, Keller, Delaware, Stillwater, Ottawa, Auburn, Los Angeles, Chelsea, Glendora, Amarillo, Alsip, Costa Mesa, Oxford
