Symptoms Of Interstitial Lung Disease

One of the most common symptoms that is experienced by a person suffering from the problem of ILD is that of loss of appetite. As the breathing of the person gets worse, a person can lose weight due to the swallowing difficulties caused by breathlessness. If there is a loss of appetite then a person can opt for smaller meals at regular time intervals. If a person is experiencing loss of appetite then he/she must report it to the doctor as it is a symptom of ILD.

If the lungs of the person are working properly then he/she does not think about the breathing. However, if a person is suffering from the condition of ILD simple tasks like eating becomes an exercise. As we eat most of the blood flow is directed towards swallowing and chewing. With the progression of ILD, a person is forced to breathe shallowly and quickly due to the scar in the tissue of the lungs. Rapid and shallow breathing patterns interfere with the patterns of chewing. This leads to weight loss in a person.

In people who develop interstitial lung disease cough is the most common symptom. There are many pathological features of ILD and they are of varying nature. This suggests that the cause of the cough also varies with each disease of ILD. If a person is experiencing dry cough without phlegm then he/she must consult the doctor to diagnose the underlying medical condition causing this symptom.

Phlegm is a type of mucus produced in the lungs and lower respiratory tract. In people who develop interstitial lung disease long-term exposure to hazardous materials, may cause a type of mucus produced in the lungs and lower respiratory tract.

Discomfort or pain in the chest is usually not common in people suffering from the problem of ILD. However, there have been some cases in which the patients have experienced this symptom. If a person gets relief from the pain or the discomfort in the chest with painkillers then it is not a cause to worry, but if the discomfort in chest continues then a doctor must be consulted immediately to diagnose the reason behind the chest pain.

Labored breathing is one of the symptoms of the ILD which help in the diagnosis of the disease. A person suffering from ILD experiences labored breathing because of the scar in the tissue of the lungs. If this symptom is being experienced by a person then he/she must consult the doctor immediately. This symptom however, indicates towards presence of ILD in a person.

ILD affects the interstitial space. This space comprises of small airways, spaces around the blood vessel, and alveoli. In a person suffering from ILD abnormal accumulation of the inflammatory cells takes place in the tissue of the lungs. During the course of ILD the macrophages, protein-rich fluid, and white blood cells are responsible for inflammation. Thick-walled cysts are left as the alveoli get destroyed. All these things in combination lead towards shrinking and stiffening of the lungs. If a person is experiencing any symptom like this must consult the doctor immediately.