Interstitial Lung Disease: Causes, Symptoms, Treatment, Diagnosis, Life Expectancy, Prognosis

Interstitial Lung Disease or Diffuse Parenchymal Lung Disease is a group of lung illnesses. In this condition, the human lung fails to work properly. The lung tissues in between and supporting the air sacs become damaged severely. It spreads within the human body rapidly and ultimately becomes fatal.

Interstitial Lung Disease or Diffuse Parenchymal Lung Disease has at least hundred distinct disorders. All these diseases that create grave situation are the result of inflammation of interstitial lung tissue. It mainly affects the volume of oxygen which also damages bloodstream via respiratory system.

Among the physical disorders, resulting in from Interstitial Lung Disease or Diffuse Parenchymal Lung Disease, the noticeable disorders are Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis, Non-specific interstitial pneumonia, Desquamative interstitial pneumonia, Respiratory bronchiolitis, acute interstitial lymphoid interstitial pneumonia and cryptogenic organising pneumonia. These idiopathic lung diseases are caused due to inflammation, every time the causes cannot be identified. Several reasons are there which determines the factors. There can be genetic and environmental factors. Even there are occupational factors such as a farmer’s lung can be attacked by diffuse parenchymal lung disease due to inhalation of dust. There are also a few more systemic diseases like Dermatomyositis, Lupas erythematosus, Polymyositis, Scierosis which force the patients to get hit by the Interstitial Lung Disease or Diffuse Parenchymal Lung Disease.

Interstitial Lung Disease or Diffuse Parenchymal Lung Disease can generate from several things. Even the diseases which are meant to be auto-immune can lay the seeds of diffuse parenchymal lung disease.These are generally the outcome of exposure of the ingredients of organic, inorganic, medications & some kinds of radiation also. Even in some cases it becomes almost impossible for the doctors to detect the causes behind the Interstitial Lung Disease or Diffuse Parenchymal Lung Disease attacks into the human body. There are occupational factors. When a person is working with any of these ingredients like Asbestor fibres, Bird protein, Coal dust, Grain dust, Mold from indoor hot tubs, shower and prior water damages and silica dust he can be attacked by Interstitial Lung Disease or Diffuse Parenchymal Lung Disease. Many drugs can destroy your lung such as methotrexate and cyclophosphamide. Heart medications also can affect the lung.

Primary signs and symptoms of Interstitial Lung Disease or Diffuse Parenchymal Lung Disease can be noticed when one has got dry cough and then the shortness of breathing starts. Sometimes the breathing creates exertion also. That is also the sign of Interstitial Lung Disease or Diffuse Parenchymal Lung Disease getting into human body. There are also other conditions than the Interstitial Lung Disease or Diffuse Parenchymal Lung Disease which can force lungs to get damaged. So, anybody, affected by lung disease must go to doctor in the initial stage for diagnosis.

The doctors who look after the patients of Interstitial Lung Disease or Diffuse Parenchymal Lung Disease say detecting the cause of diffuse parenchymal lung disease is always tough. The disorder within the human body can spread in a broader way. This can ultimately lead to the Interstitial Lung Disease. So, some necessary tests might be needed to trace out the cause. Chest X-ray is one of the important tests, required to do by the patient. It helps doctors to clarify the shortness in breathing. In some cases, X-ray helps doctors to understand whether the disease is in advanced stage. Computerized Tomography (CT) scan is another required test to detect the cause of diffuse parenchymal lung disease. The scan with high resolution can guide the doctors to determine the extent the lung damage. This scan can help the doctors to find out the type of fibrosis and once finding out the pattern of the disease, the diagnosis might be specific. Echocardiogram, which is actually the sonogram of heart, is also one of the important tests for diffuse parenchymal lung disease. Sonogram conducts sound waves to visualize the heart. This test guides the doctors to see the video of heart and it becomes easy for the doctors to see whether heart is functioning properly.

There are also pulmonary function tests. It includes Oximetry, Spirometry and diffusion capacity tests. Oximetry is done to understand the measurement of oxygen saturation in the blood during and while walking. If the saturation or low level oxygen is noticed during the sleep then this test should be done immediately. Spirometry test is made to get to know about the measurement of air the lung is being able to hold on. This test also helps the doctor to measure that how much air moves out of the lung. The doctors can also be able to know about the detail that how oxygen can shift from the lung to the bloodstream smoothly. Other important tests are Bronchoscopic biopsy and surgical biopsy. Both the tests define the tissues in the lung. In the test, the tissue samples are removed through small and flexible tubes. Surgical biopsy however helps the surgeons to see the lung position through camera and finally monitor it in a video monitor while taking away tissue samples from the lungs.

From the research work all over the world the doctors have come to a conclusion that it extremely difficult to stop the progression of Interstitial Lung Disease or Diffuse Parenchymal Lung Disease. Still, they prescribe for some treatments. One of those is medications. Generally, there are two types of medications. One is anti-inflammatory and another is anti-fibrotics. As interstitial lung disease has a sign of inflammatory or autoimmune process, anti-inflammatory or immune-suppressing medications can come as benefit sometimes.

There is another treatment, called oxygen therapy. This treatment also can give patient relief but cannot stop the damage in the lungs. It helps the patient suffering from Interstitial Lung Disease or Diffuse Parenchymal Lung Disease to get some relief and feel of well-being. Surgery is another option, sometimes advised by the doctors. But transplanting lung becomes the ultimate option for a patient to survive. The patients, suffering from acute interstitial lung disease, have not been benefited from other treatments starts thinking of lung transplantation.

Interstitial Lung Disease or Diffuse Parenchymal Lung Disease is a progressive disease. There is no common process of cure of this disease. That might be the reason diagnosis of Interstitial Lung Disease or Diffuse Parenchymal Lung Disease can give a hint of impending death. Still the patients can fight against it through dieting, medications, all the required tests and lung transplantation, if needed. In that case the disease also can be arrested. Still, it is difficult tom predict exactly how long the patient will survive following the diagnosis of Interstitial Lung Disease or Diffuse Parenchymal Lung Disease.

If somebody, plagued by the Interstitial Lung Disease or Diffuse Parenchymal Lung Disease fights against the disease in a disciplined manner through proper diet, health care, quit smoking then the disease takes time to progress. But it becomes tough to comment that the patient will recover completely even if he or she takes care of health.

Fighting against Interstitial Lung Disease or Diffuse Parenchymal Lung Disease is needs discipline and determination. To slow down the advancement of disease one must have to quit smoking and leave the habit of eating such things which help Interstitial Lung Disease or Diffuse Parenchymal Lung Disease to progress fast. One has to make proper diet to try to protect lung.

It is tough to predict the future of a patient, suffering from Interstitial Lung Disease or Diffuse Parenchymal Lung Disease. Still, it can be said that if the disease can be detected in the beginning stage following methodical tests and diagnosis then the progress of the deadly disease can be restricted to some extent.

Mental strength is required to fight against Interstitial Lung Disease or Diffuse Parenchymal Lung Disease. One must have to quit smoking for prevention. In addition, the patient also must have to eat healthy food and more importantly, the patient must have to remain active to shrug off the depression, caused due to the disease.

Living with diffuse parenchymal lung disease becomes emotionally tough also. To combat that emotion, sometimes depression also, the patient needs to adjust and reschedule daily routine. The patient must have to care for health.

Age is one factor where Interstitial Lung Disease or Diffuse Parenchymal Lung Disease can hit. Sometimes children and infants are hit by Interstitial Lung Disease, but that is rare. Generally, adults are affected by diffuse parenchymal lung disease. Association with such occupations and environment which makes contaminants to human body can invite the danger by damaging lungs. In that case risk of diffuse parenchymal lung disease might grow up. Taking chemotherapy and radiation drugs can invite Interstitial Lung Disease or Diffuse Parenchymal Lung Disease any time. In this case, firstly the chest is attacked by the deadly disease. As its aftermath, the diffuse parenchymal lung disease factor might be fatal in due course. Smoking continuously can cause the dominance of Interstitial Lung Disease also. In that case, chest is first affected and gradually, the whole body gets attacked by Interstitial Lung Disease or Diffuse Parenchymal Lung Disease.

Interstitial Lung Disease or Diffuse Parenchymal Lung Disease can create series of critical complications. Respiratory function can deteriorate quickly. It is called Acute Exacerbation. In this case heart can be congested as well as blood clots also can take place in the lung. Acute Exacerbation can take place unexpectedly and it requires hospitalization immediately. Another complicated issue which can create diffuse parenchymal lung disease is GERD. Recent research work has disclosed that this complication can set rapid advancement of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis. That is a specific form of diffuse parenchymal lung disease. Along with these, respiratory failure, low Oxygen as well as high blood pressure are the other complications which can force diffuse parenchymal lung disease to damage human body.