Because the disease progresses slowly, it can be many years before the afflicted notices any symptoms of emphysema. Emphysema sufferers gradually may start avoiding things which they formerly enjoyed that now cause shortness of breath. In its late stages, emphysema can cause shortness of breath even while resting.
Beyond shortness of breath, the early stages of emphysema may see the fingernails or lips turning blue after exertion, an inability to concentrate and minor activities leaving the afflicted severely weakened.
Causes of Emphysema
Emphysema is caused by exposing your lungs to airborne irritants. Smoking, because of its direct application, is a prime cause, but factors like air pollution and workplace fumes also can trigger the disease. In rare cases, a certain protein deficiency that protects the elastic structures in the lungs may cause emphysema. This is an inherited trait and called alpha-1-antitrypsin deficiency emphysema.
Cigar and pipe smoking are as bad as cigarettes as emphysema triggers. The risk increases substantially with extended use but can be affected by the amount smoked in a shorter period. Secondhand smoke is another cause of emphysema, particularly among workers who toil in smoky environments.
Age is another factor in emphysema development. It primarily strikes those between 40 and 60 years old.
Occupational exposure is yet another hazard. Chemical workers or miners are particularly susceptible, but those who work with grain, cotton and wood products are also at risk. Factors multiply if those workers also smoke and live in a particularly polluted environment. Even things like car exhaust and fumes from heating fuel can increase risk.