Emphysema is a specific type of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD); COPD is the umbrella term for progressive lung conditions, primarily including emphysema (damage to air sacs/alveoli) and chronic bronchitis (inflammation/mucus in airways), with most patients having a mix of both, but emphysema focuses on damaged, enlarged air sacs and trapped old air, causing severe shortness of breath.
Sometimes, emphysema can be more severe than COPD with chronic bronchitis, but other times the chronic bronchitis form of the disease can cause worse symptoms than emphysema.
Emphysema is a cause of COPD, but not all patients with emphysema have COPD. Healthcare providers use the COPD stages to help describe emphysema.
There are four stages of COPD. At stages 3 and 4, a person has severe emphysema symptoms.
If you have COPD, your air sacs are damaged, making it harder for the lung tissue to facilitate the transfer of oxygen from the air to the blood. This can cause shortness of breath, which may leave you feeling dizzy, weak or fatigued.
Most patients with emphysema present with vague symptoms, including chronic shortness of breath and a cough, which may be accompanied by sputum production. As the disease progresses, these symptoms become more pronounced.
If you cannot pump sufficient oxygen-rich blood to the brain, you can feel lightheaded and even faint. Low blood flow may be caused by blood clots, heart failure, arterial obstructions, and irregular heartbeats. The problem can worsen with age.
Stage 4 emphysema is the final and most severe stage of the disease, in which a person may experience low blood oxygen levels due to advanced lung damage. Low blood oxygen levels can lead to chronic fatigue and an overall reduction in quality of life.
Common signs of COPD exacerbation or flare up:
Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a common lung disease causing restricted airflow and breathing problems. It is sometimes called emphysema or chronic bronchitis. In people with COPD, the lungs can get damaged or clogged with phlegm.
Low levels of AAT, a condition called alpha-1-antitrypsin deficiency, can cause liver damage, lung conditions such as emphysema or both. With AAT deficiency, there is usually a family history of emphysema, and symptoms begin at a younger age.
NUCALA is an add-on, prescription maintenance treatment of eosinophilic chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) in adults whose disease is not controlled. NUCALA is not used to treat sudden breathing problems.
Other Symptoms
Wheezing. Chronic cough that can be dry or productive. Decreased ability to exercise. Weight loss.
Treatment for emphysema
Between 88% and 92% oxygen level is considered safe for someone with moderate to severe COPD. Oxygen levels below 88% become dangerous, and you should ring your doctor if it drops below that. If oxygen levels dip to 84% or below, go to the hospital.
Common COPD Triggers
If you have emphysema, you can take steps to slow how fast it worsens and to protect yourself from complications:
Water is best, but other drinks can also be helpful like milk, flavored sparkling water, and low-sugar fruit juices.
Shortness of breath does not always indicate that you are hypoxic. In other words, your level of dyspnea, or air hunger, does not always correlate with your oxygen saturation. This means that you can be short of breath, even extremely short of breath, even in the presence of normal oxygen saturation.
HOW FAST DOES EMPHYSEMA PROGRESS? Emphysema usually progresses slowly and the majority of patients do not notice the changes in their breathing. Some patients do experience a faster onset of symptoms, though that is less common.
Exercising with COPD can improve breathing and reduce some of your symptoms. Many people find joining a walking or singing group helpful. Others find physiotherapy, tai chi or yoga can help their fitness and breathing. When you have COPD you may become less active to avoid getting breathless.
Losing your balance while walking, or feeling imbalanced, can result from: Vestibular problems. Abnormalities in your inner ear can cause a sensation of a floating or heavy head and unsteadiness in the dark. Nerve damage to your legs (peripheral neuropathy).
A. If you get a borderline pulse oximeter reading of between 94% and 95%and you are breathless, you should recheck your oxygen level in 5 minutes. If your oxygen saturation continues to be borderline, you should contact a healthcare professional (PCP, out-of-hours service or home monitoring service).
Dizziness or feeling lightheaded. Feeling euphoric for no known reason. Tachypnea (rapid shallow breathing). A sensation of numbness and tingling.