Cough is one of the most common symptoms in pulmonary fibrosis.  In fact, some patients will come to medical attention seeking help with their cough.  In health, coughing is a protective reflex or mechanism that helps keep our airway free of secretions and debris.  We may cough voluntarily or coughing may be triggered by irritation of any part of … [Read more...]

Patients with lung disease can experience many scary things, including feeling short of breath, inability to cough up phlegm, chest pain and lightheadedness.  Another less common symptom is coughing up blood.  The medical term for this is hemoptysis. Coughing up blood can be a particularly alarming experience.  Usually it is painless.  Your doctor will ask if the blood is … [Read more...]

Emphysema (also referred to as COPD - Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease) is usually a smoking related lung disease characterized by slowly progressive destruction of lung tissue resulting in holes in the lungs. This usually affects the top of the lungs more than the bottom.  Most patients have smoked for at least a decade typically a pack a day or more of cigarettes.  … [Read more...]

The organs in the body work together for it to function properly. For example, the heart and lungs work hand in hand to pump oxygenated blood throughout the body. If the lungs are not functioning as they should, it can affect the heart, and cardiac conditions can develop. Cardiac complications are common in people that have idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis. Having a co-existing … [Read more...]

    Many respiratory diseases present with similar symptoms, which is why getting an accurate diagnosis is not always so straightforward. For example, early symptoms of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis including coughing, fatigue, and shortness of breath often occur with other lung diseases. According to a survey by the Pulmonary Fibrosis Foundation, about half … [Read more...]