Emphysema
What is emphysema?
Symptoms of emphysema
Causes of emphysema
Prevention / remedies / treatment for emphysema
What is emphysema?
Emphysema is a long-term, progressive, obstructive lung disease that causes shortness of breath. Destruction of lung tissue around the smaller sacs (alveoli) causes their collapse during exhalation. Airflow is impeded and stale air becomes trapped. Sufferers do not get enough oxygen and suffer a build-up of carbon dioxide in their blood.
Symptoms of emphysema
- Shortness of breath (dyspnea). In the early stages of emphysema dyspnea only occurs during physical activity. As the disease progresses, the sufferer will be short of breath after even small amounts of physical exertion. In severe cases, the victim may feel short of breath all the time - even when at rest.
- Faster or rapid breathing.
- A blue-to-purplish discoloration of the skin from the shortage of oxygen.
- Weight loss.
- Expanded chest (barrel chest). Patients may lean forward with their arms extended or resting on something to help them breathe.
- A doctor may hear a hyper-resonant (hollow) sound when tapping the chest and listening to the lungs.
Causes of emphysema
- Poor breathing, especially breathing through the mouth rather than through the nose. In particular, emphysema patients exhale poorly, and suffer from a lack of fresh air in the lungs.
- Smoking tobacco, second-hand smoke.
- Long-term exposure to air pollution.
- Exposure to other chemicals and toxins.
- Genetic cause in rare cases.
- Aging - quite common in those older than 85 years.
Prevention / remedies / treatment for emphysema
- Practice breathing through the nose rather than the mouth. Adopt postures, sitting and bed positions that assist with good breathing and especially with exhalation, the expiry of air. For example, you do NOT want an expanded and raised chest - just the opposite.
- The Sugar Cure.
- Stop smoking, avoid exposure to second hand smoke, air pollution and any other lung irritants.
- Cayenne pepper.
- Iodine.
- Hydrogen peroxide.
- MSM.
- Methylene blue.
- Magnesium.
- Treat other conditions such as gastric reflux and allergies.
- Supplemental oxygen for most of the day. Lightweight portable oxygen systems are available.
- See details of remedies recommended by Grow Youthful visitors, and their experience with them.