Late-stage symptoms and typical manifestations of pulmonary fibrosis

When pulmonary fibrosis occurs, it means that patients need to start paying attention to their lung care. Otherwise, once pulmonary fibrosis develops to the late stage, lung function may be severely damaged, and alveoli and other lung tissues may become necrotic, and the patient will then be in great pain. To prevent and care for pulmonary fibrosis as early as possible, we must start by understanding the symptoms of late-stage pulmonary fibrosis.

What are the symptoms of advanced pulmonary fibrosis?

When pulmonary fibrosis develops to the late stage, most patients will have difficulty breathing and become very dependent on oxygen inhalation, or even inseparable from oxygen cylinders. This is because the lung function of patients with pulmonary fibrosis has been severely reduced and the body is suffering from severe hypoxia, so they must get enough fresh air through oxygen inhalation.

Many patients with advanced pulmonary fibrosis find it difficult to take care of themselves because they will cough and wheeze at the slightest movement, so they cannot move and have to stay in bed all year round. In addition to difficulty breathing, there are many other symptoms of late-stage pulmonary fibrosis, such as weight loss, fatigue, loss of appetite, etc. Pulmonary fibrosis can also cause a series of complications, posing a huge threat to the health of patients with pulmonary fibrosis.

Typical symptoms of pulmonary fibrosis include:

① Dyspnea: In the early stage, there is shortness of breath after activity, dyspnea due to exertion and progressive worsening, shallow and rapid breathing, nasal flaring and accessory muscles may be involved in breathing, but most people do not sit up to breathe.

② Cough and sputum: There is no cough in the early stage, but dry cough often occurs during deep inhalation or at the end of inhalation, and may be followed by dry cough or a small amount of mucus sputum. Secondary infection is prone to occur, resulting in mucopurulent sputum or purulent sputum, and occasionally bloody sputum.

③ General symptoms include fatigue, weight loss, anorexia, fever when combined with infection, joint pain in a few people, and chest pain is rare.

④ Patients with secondary autoimmune diseases such as lupus erythematosus, accompanied by symptoms of the disease itself.

⑤ During physical examination, the chest respiratory movement is weakened, and fine moist rales or Velcro rales can be heard in both lungs. There is varying degrees of cyanosis and clubbing. Signs of right heart failure may appear in the late stage. Early detection, early diagnosis and early treatment are essential.

Through the above description, we should understand the symptoms of pulmonary fibrosis. We should pay more attention to various aspects of our physical condition, understand our own health status, and prevent it early so that we will not suffer from the disease.