Serious Symptoms Of Cystic Fibrosis

Cystic fibrosis is a genetic disease that currently affects about thirty thousand individuals in the United States alone. It is a progressive disease that creates an accumulation of mucus in the lungs and other vital organs, making it difficult for the patient to breathe. As the disease progresses, it causes lung damage, respiratory damage and inhibits the absorption of nutrients. In the past, a cystic fibrosis diagnosis in childhood typically meant an individual would not live past five years old. While there is currently no cure for cystic fibrosis, improvements in medical treatment have increased the lifespan prognosis for those diagnosed with cystic fibrosis to an average age of forty years old.

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A Persistent Cough With Mucus

A persistent cough with mucus is a very common symptom of cystic fibrosis. The body typically produces thin and slippery mucus, which acts as a lubricant for the lungs, throat, and other parts of the respiratory system. Cystic fibrosis causes the body to create a thick mucus that blocks air passages, resulting in a persistent cough as the body tries to clear the blockage. As the disease progresses, the mucus builds up in the air passages, making it difficult for the body to expel the blockage with coughing. This eventually damages the lungs causing respiratory failure and death.

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Chronic Lung Infections

Individuals with cystic fibrosis also suffer from chronic lung infections. Instead of being expelled from the body through normal respiratory functions, bacteria is trapped by the accumulation of thick mucus. The bacteria then begin to attack the lung tissue, causing inflammation and increased production of mucus. Treatment for cystic fibrosis induced lung infections typically include anti-inflammatories and antibiotics, which help open the patient's breathing passages and reduces swelling while killing the invading bacteria. Chronic lung infections eventually lead to damage to the lung tissue and respiratory system failure.

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