What is Emphysema (COPD) and how can it be treated by Low Dose Naltrexone (LDN)?

Emphysema is a Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) that is related to the lungs. In this disease, the walls of the alveoli get damaged progressively. Alveoli are the small and fragile air sacs present in your lungs in clusters at the end of bronchial tubes. They are responsible for drawing oxygen in and transporting it to the blood. In people with emphysema, the alveoli and lung tissues get damaged. The alveoli stop supporting the bronchial tubes due to which the tubs collapse causing a blockage.

The blockage traps the air inside the lungs. When too much air gets blocked, the patient may appear as barrel-chested. This also decreases the number of alveoli. As a result, the lungs lose their elasticity which means there will be less oxygen to transport to the blood. It is developed due to chain-smoking usually. Once you acquire emphysema, it cannot be reversed.

Causes of emphysema

Following are all the potential causes of emphysema:

Smoking

The most common cause of emphysema is smoking. This smoking can be tobacco smoking or marijuana smoking. It causes inflammation and damage to the cilia which is the lining of the bronchial tubes. As a result, the airways get swollen, and the mucus gets overproduced. All these changes lead to shortness of breath. The risk of acquiring emphysema in smokers increases with the type of smoke, the number of years of smoking, and the amount of tobacco or marijuana smoked.

Exposure to secondhand smoke

Passive smoking, secondhand smoking, or environmental smoking is the smoke of others’ cigarettes that you accidentally breathe in. In such cases, you are more likely to acquire emphysema as compared to direct smoking. In direct smoking, the smoke you breathe in is filtered. Whereas in passive smoking, the smoke isn’t filtered. Occupational exposure to fumes or dust. If you breathe fumes from certain chemicals or dust from grain, cotton, wood, or mining products, you're more likely to develop emphysema. This risk is even greater if you smoke.

Exposure to pollution

There are a number of pollutants in the air such as car exhaust, heating fumes, dust particles, pollens, etc. These increase the risk of developing emphysema in you. The long term exposure to these pollutants can irritate and inflame your lungs.

Asthma patients

Asthma is a chronic inflammatory airway disease due to which the patients have trouble breathing. People with asthma may have an increased chance of developing emphysema. If a person has asthma and smokes too, he or she has an even increased risk of COPD.

Genetics

There is a rare genetic disorder known as an alpha-1-antitrypsin deficiency. In this condition, the levels of proteins reduce significantly. It is known to be a cause of emphysema or COPD.

Symptoms of emphysema

Emphysema is a disorder of the lungs therefore symptoms of emphysema will significantly show lung-related problems. Initially, the symptoms of emphysema do not appear. You will start noticing its symptoms until more than half of your lung tissue is destroyed. Until this time, the symptoms you will experience can be shortness of breath, tiredness, fatigue, etc., which may be mistaken as something else. You might see the following symptoms of emphysema once they start to appear:

● Shortness of breath, especially during movement

● A continuous feeling of not getting enough air to breathe

● Increase in production of mucus

● Chest tightness

● Continuous tiredness or fatigue

● Long term cough with white, clear, green, or yellow mucus

● Wheezing

● Weight loss

● Swelling in legs, feet, ankles, etc

● Increased rate of heartbeat

● The blueness of nails or lips

● Frequent infections in respiratory organs

It is possible that you spend a lot of time without knowing that you have this condition. At first, you will lose breath during any physical activity. But when the condition starts to worsen, you will start losing breath at rest as well. You will not consider the shortness of breath as a big problem unless it starts interfering with your life.

You must see a doctor if you notice shortness of breath over a long period of time. Tell your doctor about any symptoms that you may be facing. Do not ignore else it may cause serious complications.

Complications of Emphysema

If emphysema is remained undiagnosed and untreated for a longer period of time, it may cause the following complications:

Heart problems

Emphysema can increase the risk of heart problems in you. The flow of blood may increase in the arteries connecting the heart and lungs. It can cause a section of the heart to expand and weaken, it may also cause a heart attack.

Respiratory problems

People with emphysema or COPD have a greater risk of developing respiratory problems and symptoms of cold such as bronchitis, pneumonia, flu, etc. Any such problem may make it difficult to breathe.

Lung problems

Emphysema can cause the lungs to collapse which may be fatal. It may also cause holes in your lungs that are known as bullae. They may be as large as 50% of the whole lung. COPD can cause lung cancer, serious lung infections, or even pulmonary hypertension.

Depression

Difficulty in breathing may keep you away from all your daily activities. This can become a cause of depression. Any other serious complications due to emphysema or COPD can also cause depression.

Treating Emphysema or COPD with Low Dose Naltrexone (LDN)

COPD or emphysema is known to be treated by Low Dose Naltrexone (LDN). Doctors gave this to patients suffering from these conditions and they have noticed that LDN has improved the oxygen levels in the blood as well as breathing problems.

You can get low dose naltrexone (LDN) in all forms at the Harbor Compounding Pharmacy. Please visit their website for more information.