Emphysema is a disease of the lungs which is sometimes the predecessor of lung cancer. In an emphysema patient the lungs’ small air sacks and airways are damaged. This causes difficulty when the patient tries to exhale, because the airflow is obstructed. As emphysema progresses, it is extremely difficult for the patient to exhale. The simple act of breathing uses an incredible amount of energy. This is why the most common emphysema symptoms are difficulty breathing, loss of breath, and exhaustion. But the problem with this disease is that emphysema symptoms often do not develop until the lungs have already been damaged. What causes emphysema? The most common cause of this respiratory disease is smoking. Smoking damages the cilia, or tiny hairs, that line the bronchial tubes in your lungs, which are designed to remove impurities from the airways. These hairs are temporarily paralyzed by the tobacco you breathe in which keeps them from performing their function. When germs stay in your lungs instead of being swept out by the cilia, the tissues in your bronchial tubes becomes inflamed, which will eventually break down the elastic fibers of your air sacs. As a result, you must physically force air out of your lungs when you breathe, rather than the act of exhaling happening naturally. Emphysema can occur in those who do not smoke, usually as a result of heredity, but the most common cause by far is smoking. You probably won’t realize you have emphysema until you develop some emphysema symptoms. Emphysema symptoms include a chronic cough, which can be quite minor, significant weight loss, usually due to lack of appetite, and fatigue. Many people are surprised to learn, however, that a chronic deep cough is not usually a sign of emphysema. It can be a sigh of other lung diseases, however, and should be investigated. If you are exhibiting emphysema symptoms, you should see a doctor immediately to start emphysema treatment and rule out other diseases. Your doctor will prescribe several tests, including a chest X-ray, blood tests, pulse readings, and possible a CT scan. These tests are designed to rule out the possibility of lung cancer and determine how bad the damage is from your emphysema. If the doctor determines that you have chronic emphysema due to smoking, you will be prescribed emphysema treatment. The first step will be to quit smoking to keep the disease from progressing. There is no cure for emphysema. Once the lungs are damaged, they cannot be repaired. The goal of emphysema treatment is to control the symptoms and help you breathe easier. This is done through bronchodilators, which are drugs that improve your breathing and relieve your coughing, inhaled steroids, flu and pneumonia shots, and antibiotics to prevent secondary infections. In severe cases of chronic emphysema you may need to be given supplemental oxygen. Sometimes surgery is necessary to reduce the total volume of the lungs. This surgery allows the rest of your lungs to work better and controls your symptoms. The best cure for emphysema is prevention. If you are not smoking, don’t start, and if you are smoking, quit! Remember, once damage to your lungs has occurred, you cannot fix it. So take your health seriously, and don’t do the activities that can cause emphysema.