A disease in which lung tissue has become scarred and thickened from inflammation. Pulmonary fibrosis is also known as interstitial lung disease or interstitial fibrosis of the lung. Pulmonary fibrosis causes the permanent loss of the affected lung tissue’s capacity to absorb oxygen into the blood. The extent of the scarred tissue determines the level of disability experienced by the person who has the disease. The condition can be the result of several diseases and conditions, particularly those that involve abnormalities of the immune system. Other causes include infections that affect the lungs, including tuberculosis, and exposure to mineral dusts (such as silica, carbon, metal, and asbestos) or organic dusts (such as molds and bird droppings).
A condition which may develop in both lungs (interstitial pulmonary fibrosis) or part of one lung. Scarring and thickening of lung tissues occur as a consequence of previous lung inflammation, which may have been caused by pneumonia or tuberculosis. Symptoms include cough and breathlessness and diagnosis is confirmed with a chest X-ray. The patient’s underlying condition should be treated, but the damage already done to lung tissue is usually irreversible.
The scarring and thickening of lung tissue typically stem from prior lung inflammation. This occurrence can be localized to a region impacted by a condition like pneumonia or tuberculosis, or it might extend broadly across the lungs. Shortness of breath stands as a prevalent symptom.
Confirmation of diagnosis is achieved through chest X-ray. Treatment strategies hinge on the underlying cause, although in the majority of instances, the fibrosis itself is irreversible. The primary goal of treatment is to impede the progression of the condition.