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Pulmonary Fibrosis
Summary
Pulmonary fibrosis is a condition in which the tissue deep in your lungs becomes scarred over time. This tissue gets thick and stiff. That makes it hard for you to catch your breath, and your blood may not get enough oxygen.
Causes of pulmonary fibrosis include environmental pollutants, some medicines, some connective tissue diseases, and interstitial lung disease. Interstitial lung disease is the name for a large group of diseases that inflame or scar the lungs. In most cases, the cause cannot be found. This is called idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis.
Symptoms include:
- Shortness of breath
- A dry, hacking cough that doesn’t get better
- Fatigue
- Weight loss for no known reason
- Aching muscles and joints
- Clubbing, which is the widening and rounding of the tips of the fingers or toes
Your doctor may use your medical history, imaging tests, a biopsy, and lung function tests to diagnose pulmonary fibrosis. There is no cure. Treatments can help with symptoms and improve your quality of life. They include medicines, oxygen therapy, pulmonary rehabilitation, or a lung transplant.
NIH: National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute
National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute
Encyclopedia
- ACE blood test Medical Encyclopedia
- Bronchoscopy Medical Encyclopedia
- Chest x-ray Medical Encyclopedia
Find an Expert
- American Lung Association American Lung Association
- National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute
- Pulmonary Fibrosis Foundation Pulmonary Fibrosis Foundation
Patient Handouts
- Blood gases Medical Encyclopedia
- Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis Medical Encyclopedia
- Lung diffusion testing Medical Encyclopedia
- Pulmonary function tests Medical Encyclopedia
Diagnosis and Tests
- Blood Oxygen Level National Library of Medicine
- Bronchoscopy and Bronchoalveolar Lavage (BAL) National Library of Medicine
- Lung Function Tests National Library of Medicine
- Spirometry Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research
- Spirometry American Lung Association
- Tests for Lung Disease National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute
Clinical Trials
- ClinicalTrials.gov: Pulmonary Fibrosis National Institutes of Health
Specifics
- Familial Pulmonary Fibrosis National Jewish Health
Genetics
- Hermansky-Pudlak syndrome: MedlinePlus Genetics National Library of Medicine
- Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis: MedlinePlus Genetics National Library of Medicine
Reference Desk
- How the Lungs Work National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute
Start Here
- Introduction to Pulmonary Fibrosis American Lung Association
- What Is Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis? National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute
- What Is Pulmonary Fibrosis? Pulmonary Fibrosis Foundation
Living With
- Maintain Your Health Pulmonary Fibrosis Foundation
- Pulmonary Rehabilitation: MedlinePlus Health Topic National Library of Medicine