Interstitial Lung Disease
Interstitial lung disease encompasses over 200 conditions that cause inflammation and scarring in your lungs. The condition seemingly occurs when the body’s response to repair some type of damage to the lungs does not proceed as is should, resulting in the scarring and thickening of the tissue around the air sacs in the lungs. This can restrict the amount of oxygen that is able to enter the bloodstream and often results in mild to severe breathing problems. Other parts of your lungs, such as the lining, airways and blood vessels, also may be affected.
At Orlando Health Medical Group Lung and Sleep Medicine, we offer consultation and testing services to timely diagnose your condition and begin treatment to bring you relief and an improved quality of life.
Causes
In many cases, the cause of interstitial lung disease cannot be determined and is called idiopathic interstitial lung disease. One of the most common and serious of these is idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis in which scar tissue develops throughout the lung tissue with no known cause.
Known factors that can trigger the abnormal healing response fall into three main groups:
- Exposure to occupational or environmental airborne toxins, such as asbestos, mining/farming dust and mold
- Autoimmune conditions such as lupus, rheumatoid arthritis and scleroderma
- Specific medications or medical treatments, including certain radiation therapies and chemotherapy drugs
Symptoms
Symptoms of interstitial lung disease can range in severity and may include:
- Shortness of breath at rest or worsened by physical exertion
- Dry cough
- Fatigue
- Chest pain
- Unusual breathing sounds
Risk Factors
Factors that may pose as risks for interstitial lung disease include:
- Older age
- Exposure to occupational and environmental toxins
- Gastroesophageal reflux disease
- Smoking
- Radiation/chemotherapy
Treatment
Once lung scarring has occurred, it cannot be reversed, but there are treatments that may help to slow progression of the disease or prevent additional scarring. Orlando Health Medical Group Lung and Sleep Medicine offers treatments to help manage the inflammation and scarring caused by interstitial lung disease, including:
- Supplemental oxygen to increase oxygen levels
- Pulmonary rehabilitation to improve energy levels
- Anti-inflammatory drugs to reduce inflammation in the lungs
- Immune-suppressing drugs to stop immune system attacks that can damage the lungs
- Antifibrotic drugs to prevent further scarring in the lungs