Inflammation of the alveoli. Fibrosing alveolitis of the lungs. Diagnostic value and other components

Scientists still cannot determine the causes of idiopathic fibrosing alveolitis and the mechanism of its development. However, thanks to many years of research, it was possible to identify a risk group, which includes:

Poultry workers.
Employees of chemical enterprises.
Persons who have undergone chemotherapy.
Pharmaceutical companies.

The percentage of the disease in people at risk today exceeds 10% and continues to increase dynamically. In order for the treatment of alveolitis to be as effective as possible, attention should be paid to timely diagnosis and prevention.

Experts emphasize that the symptoms this disease are non-specific and are ranked as follows:

General indicators. As with all inflammatory diseases, general well-being worsen: body temperature rises, muscle pain and weakness appear. In addition, many patients experience weight loss with the same diet as before.
Dyspnea. Most patients state shortness of breath only after significant physical exertion, although it occurs already at the first stage of the inflammatory process. Only after 2-4 months, after shortness of breath manifests itself at rest, patients become worried and seek advice.
Cough. A symptom that almost always accompanies diseases respiratory system. In idiopathic alveolitis, cough is not specific symptom, has no special characteristics. Individuals with concomitant bronchitis may experience severe wheezing. AT modern medicine cases of bloody sputum discharge in patients with affected alvioli have not been described.
Pain manifestations. Irregular pain in the area of chest rarely force a person to see a doctor. Almost all those suffering from alveolitis go to the pharmacy and purchase classic drugs. But ointments, rubbing and compresses only aggravate the situation. If the patient ignores the disease and does not start timely treatment of pulmonary alveolitis, initially weak pains will intensify significantly.

Classification of fibrosing alveolitis

Doctors - pulmonologists distinguish three types of fibrosing alveolitis:

Fibrosing idiopathic.
Fibrosing toxic.
Exogenous allergic.

ICD-10: J84.1 (Other interstitial lung diseases) and J84.9 (Interstitial lung disease, unspecified)

Fibrosing idiopathic alveolitis

Fibrosing idiopathic alveolitis is rarely diagnosed. Basically, this form of the disease, fraught with complications, affects men. Predictions are quite clear:

Sharp form.
Chronic respiratory failure.
Pneumosclerosis.

Non-specific symptoms, which include weakness, shortness of breath, cough and fever, increase the distance between the appearance of the inflammatory process and the circulation to medical institution. Believing that he is dealing with bronchitis or a common cold, a person with a serious illness begins to self-medicate, haphazardly use advertised syrups and candies, drink expensive antipyretic pops. It is noteworthy that the temperature really drops, and the cough disappears, but the disease, nevertheless, continues to affect the respiratory system.

X-ray - the only way accurately diagnose fibrosing idiopathic alveolitis. It should be understood: in the absence of competent therapy, not only serious complications, but also fatal. Even with successful therapy mandatory registration and monitoring throughout life.

Exogenous allergic alveolitis

Alveolitis exogenous allergic appears as a result of the fact that allergens enter the human body. This disease is most often diagnosed in people who work in the woodworking industry or come into contact with tannins. However, the risk group includes pharmacists, chemists and representatives of similar industries. Irritants enter the body directly through the respiratory system, causing pathological changes in the pulmonary vesicles.

Fibrosing toxic alveolitis

The main cause of this form of the disease is the regular exposure of certain toxins to the human respiratory tract. In some cases, drugs that have been taken for a long time can be irritants.

In cases where it is possible to diagnose toxic alveolitis on early stage, and then completely eliminate contact with the toxin and begin treatment, a complete recovery is possible. Otherwise, the alvioli will form connective tissue, resulting in acute pulmonary insufficiency and " cor pulmonale».

Alveolitis treatment

Before treating alveolitis, you should undergo a complete medical examination and be sure to consult with a pulmonologist. It should be understood that only integrated approach, which includes a diet and even a change in type of activity, it is possible to stop the course of the disease. In almost all cases, patients will have a long course of treatment, based on the use of mucolytics and glucocorticosteroid drugs. For a full recovery you need:

Medical therapy. Any attempt to treat alveolitis at home, without first consulting a doctor, can lead to irreversible consequences. All medications are prescribed on an individual basis, and their administration is carried out under the supervision of specialists. If the attending physician sees that glucocorticoids do not give the expected result, then they promptly replace them with immunosuppressants and / or penicillamine.
Physiotherapy, breathing exercises and LFC. Inhalations can significantly reduce the symptoms of the disease, improve general state sick.
special diet. Most patients experience rapid weight loss with the same diet. But even with the refusal of food, a person cannot be force-fed. In some cases, fasting is allowed, provided that the patient consumes plenty of fluids. It is recommended to regularly give a rosehip decoction, herbal preparations, tea. Along with meat broths, grated fruits and fresh carrots, beets, apples or oranges are required. Honey, sea buckthorn and blackcurrant significantly increase immunity, so their use should not be stopped even after recovery.
Spa treatment. It is recommended after achieving a stable positive dynamics. On the this moment, specialists of many sanatorium complexes special programs have been developed to restore health and improve immunity.

Alveolitis of the lungs in children

Exogenous allergic alveolitis in children is observed quite often and can be diagnosed only after a full clinical and instrumental examination. Unfortunately, even experienced doctors rarely able to deliver correct diagnosis if parents refuse x-rays. In addition, the symptoms of alveolitis are non-specific:

coughing, wheezing in the lungs and shortness of breath often lead to staging misdiagnosis"bronchitis";
weakness, headache, lack of appetite, weight loss, fever - can cause a diagnosis of pneumonia.

Parents and pediatricians should understand that pulmonary alveolitis is an insidious and rapidly developing disease. That is why, already at the first symptoms of EAA, an anamnesis should be taken, on the basis of which an allergen will be identified, contact with which should be immediately excluded and a pulmonologist should be consulted.

Alveolitis in children cannot be treated at home, especially with traditional medicine. Even after full recovery, the child long years will be registered with a pulmonologist. The treatment features include: exercise therapy, chest massage, sparing antibiotic therapy.

Treatment of lungs with folk methods

Alveolitis of the lungs - serious illness, which can only be treated by folk methods for adults and only after consultation with a pulmonologist. Ideally, combine medication and diet with popular folk remedies.

At the same time, allergic alveolitis, the symptoms of which you began to notice, is useless to treat with herbs, decoctions or conspiracies, unless the allergen that generates the inflammatory process is excluded. But to increase immunity, traditional medicine recommends the following decoctions and fees:

Flax seeds

The preparation of the remedy is very simple: pour 4 tablespoons of flax seeds with two liters of boiling water and bring to a boil. After 50-60 minutes, we filter the finished broth and use 120 grams every 3 hours, making a 6-hour sleep break.

Alveolitis of the lungs is inflammatory pathology, characterized by the replacement of lung tissue with connective tissue. This disease can develop on its own or be the result of another disease, such as:

Sjögren's syndrome;
sarcoidosis;
hepatitis.

Most often, pathology develops in people who have reached the age of 50. Men are predominantly ill.

Features and classification of pathology

Before starting treatment, you need to understand what alveolitis is. So, the alveoli in the lungs are very elastic, thanks to the connective tissue. With the development of the inflammatory process, they thicken and cannot fully perform their functions.

Over time, the pathology leads to respiratory failure. In turn, other tissues and organs do not receive enough oxygen, the metabolism in cells is disturbed. If the pathological process develops further, which is facilitated by constant irritation of the alveoli, it becomes chronic. In this case, the alveoli cannot fully participate in breathing.

Most often, pathology is diagnosed in patients oncological diseases receiving chemotherapy, poultry farmers, industrial workers. Despite the fact that it is not always possible to completely cure alveolitis, therapy should not be abandoned.

Specialists distinguish several types of alveolitis:

These forms of the disease should not be confused with post-extraction alveolitis, which is poor healing tooth sockets after its extraction.

Alveolitis can also be divided into chronic and acute. In the first case, the disease proceeds rather slowly, so it is diagnosed for more late stages development. The acute form is characterized early appearance signs - 4-12 hours.

Symptoms of pathology and the causes of its occurrence

Before treating a disease, it is necessary to find out how it manifests itself. Symptoms of alveolitis depend on the form of pathology:

If treatment is not performed in the presence of alveolitis, the patient develops circulatory disorders and respiratory failure, which leads to death.

idiopathic fibrous form the disease manifests itself very clearly, since it is a complication of the pathology itself. The changes that occur in the lungs are irreversible. Idiopathic alveolitis is characterized by the appearance of changes in the nail plates.

The following signs are characteristic:

There are also common features alveolitis is:

pain localized in the chest;
when listening, the doctor hears wheezing in the lungs;
swelling and noticeable weight loss;
fast fatiguability;
enlargement of the veins of the neck;
blue skin;
muscle weakness.

The neglected form of pathology often leads to death, even if its treatment has been started. Over time, fabric respiratory organs are replaced by connective tissue, and cannot fully perform their functions. This process cannot be reversed.

Serous alveolitis or idiopathic form of the disease develops according to unknown reasons, although some factors that trigger the pathological mechanism can be distinguished:

It is not always possible to establish the cause of the appearance of pathology. But for effective treatment lung alveolitis is very important, since therapy directly depends on the time of its onset. That is, the sooner the diagnosis is established, the more effective the therapy will be. Otherwise, the prognosis of the disease will be unfavorable.

Features of diagnosis and therapy of the disease

In order to determine the type of pathology, as well as the form of its development, the patient is prescribed a thorough examination. It includes the following procedures:

Since the symptoms are not specific, the diagnosis must be differential. Alveolitis must be distinguished from pneumonia, sarcoidosis, tuberculosis.

Even a child whose immunity is not yet strong enough is not immune from the appearance of such a disease. Alveolitis in children manifests itself in almost the same way as in adults, but they endure it much harder. Most often, an ailment is diagnosed in the child whose parents or other close relatives faced this problem.

In the presence of alveolitis, the symptoms can be very pronounced. After staging accurate diagnosis the patient is prescribed a specific therapy. Of course, it is desirable to initially establish the causes of the development of the disease, but its idiopathic form is characterized by the fact that it is impossible to determine the provoking factors.

Treatment of alveolitis involves not only the fight against the pathology itself, but also the prevention of the growth of connective tissue that replaces the lung. At toxic form pathology, the patient should stop contact with those substances that provoked the development of alveolitis. Concerning drug treatment, then the patient is usually prescribed:

Physiotherapy is also used in therapy - plasmapheresis and breathing exercises. Together with medications, they help to achieve a greater effect.

Alternative methods of treating the disease, prognosis, complications and prevention of pathology

Many patients are interested in how to treat alveolitis with folk remedies, and whether they will be effective. Generally alternative medicine can be used to alleviate the patient's condition. But it should be regarded as a separate method. Without medical treatment, it will not work.

Usually the patient is prescribed:

inhalations based on decoctions of chamomile and mint;
infusions based on birch leaves and buds;
decoctions of motherwort, red hawthorn, cudweed;
infusions of oregano, thyme, aloe;

It should be noted that the presented funds contribute to the removal of sputum from the lungs, reducing the intensity of the inflammatory process. But they should be used only after consulting a doctor, as in some cases they can be harmful.

How long a person with this disease will live depends on the form of alveolitis, the degree of its development and complexity. Disappointing forecast can be called in the event that the treatment began untimely and the lung tissue has already begun to change. Most often, deaths are recorded due to idiopathic fibrosing alveolitis. Life expectancy in this case is from two to six years.

The disease can cause serious complications:

respiratory failure;
Chronical bronchitis;
emphysema;
heart failure.

Alveolitis is very complex disease causing serious complications that could lead to the death of the patient. It is desirable to avoid those factors that trigger the mechanism of the development of the disease. To do this, you need to follow the following preventive measures:

Alveolitis is a severe pathology, the treatment of which is long and complicated. You should try to start therapy as early as possible. Only in this case, a person has a chance for recovery. Naturally, great importance in the treatment of pathology has the qualifications of a doctor. Be healthy!

Alveolitis of the lungs is a disease in which there is an inflammatory process in the respiratory sections of the respiratory organs. Alveoli are components of the lungs, they are formed from a special tissue. With alveolitis, this tissue is replaced by connective tissue, which can lead to dire consequences. The disease is accompanied by an inflammatory process and sometimes leads to death.

Alveolitis is different, and the prognosis of life with different forms may differ. If you have any suspicions about the presence of this disease, be sure to contact a pulmonologist who will determine the exact diagnosis and prescribe the appropriate treatment. Today we’ll talk about what lung alveolitis is, how it happens, how the disease manifests itself and how experts fight it.

The lungs contain specific vesicles, the so-called alveoli. They consist of lung tissue with special properties. However, for some reasons, which we will talk about a little later, an inflammatory process may begin, accompanied by the replacement of this tissue with connective tissue. This process is called alveolitis. The most prone to it are men aged 50 years and older. The most common risk factor is smoking.

The disease is classified according to several criteria. For example, by origin, it is primary (developed independently) and secondary (become the result of a disease).

Secondary lung alveolitis can develop against the background of the following diseases:

AIDS;
sarcoidosis;
autoimmune disorders;
thyroiditis.
lupus erythematosus;
arthritis;
connective tissue lesions, etc.

To date, medicine knows three forms of the disease, which include:

Toxic. Caused by the ingestion of any toxins into the respiratory system, it may be the result of the body's reaction to certain medications.
Exogenous allergic. It is provoked by all kinds of allergens, it is especially common in families where pets are kept.
Idiopathic fibrosis. Becomes a consequence of any genetic disorders or is inherited.

The latter type of the disease is quite rare and has not yet been fully studied. However, it is also considered the most dangerous. Such alveolitis may be accompanied by progressive pneumofibrosis, respiratory failure and hypertension of the pulmonary circulation. Next, let's talk about how alveolitis manifests itself.

Typical Symptoms

Please note that alveolitis is also divided into acute and chronic. This is important because characteristic manifestations these two forms of the disease are different. Typical manifestations acute diseases are as follows:

A sharp increase in body temperature.
Strong wet cough and runny nose.
Sudden onset of shortness of breath.

Actually, these manifestations are similar to other diseases of the respiratory system, for example, with pneumonia. However, if you notice something similar in yourself, this is already a reason to consult a doctor, regardless of the type of disease. Concerning chronic form, the manifestations will be as follows:

strong dry cough;
shortness of breath, which manifests itself gradually;
Difficulty breathing, accompanied by soreness;
Coughing up bits of blood.

If you do not take care of the treatment on time, shortness of breath will only get worse. Ultimately, it can lead to an increase in pressure in the small circle, which will end in respiratory failure. Bottom line this process becomes fatal. The problem of diagnosing the disease is the similarity of its main symptoms with the common cold, which is why a person may not seek medical help. long time. There are also other manifestations of alveolitis, which include:

fast fatiguability;
significant weight loss;
bulge of the nail plate and thickening of the fingertips;
blanching skin;
increased sweating;
feeling of goosebumps on the skin;
squeezing in the sternum;
soreness behind the sternum, when listening, a characteristic wheezing is heard.

If alveolitis is diagnosed in a child, growth retardation may occur.

Diagnosis and treatment

If you notice symptoms of damage to the respiratory system, you should definitely consult a specialist. In the office of a pulmonologist, it is necessary to describe in detail the complaints and manifestations of the disease. Then the doctor will refer you to the diagnosis, which includes a complex of various measures, such as:

radiography;
cytological studies;
immunological studies, etc.

After receiving the results of the examination, appropriate treatment is prescribed. It can be both traditional and folk remedies. Please note that it is strictly forbidden to take any drugs or drugs on your own. Any actions must be agreed with the pulmonologist. The tactics of dealing with the disease is chosen based on its type. It is necessary to be treated in a hospital setting. The tasks of a pulmonologist are to eliminate the disease itself, as well as to prevent the transformation of lung tissue into connective tissue.

If you are suffering from allergic or toxic alveolitis, the first step is to avoid contact with the toxin or allergen that caused the disease. To combat the disease, the specialist prescribes inhalations hormonal drugs glucocorticoid nature. Also appointed internal reception mucolytic agents. If the patient applied too late and there is a strong growth of connective tissue, cytostatic drugs will also be prescribed. When diagnosing an idiopathic form of the disease, inhalation is immediately prescribed using glucocorticoid hormones. Cytostatic agents may also be prescribed if treatment with glucocorticoids has not produced the desired effect.

Fibrosing alveolitis is a rare serious disease lungs. An irreversible process in which lung tissue thickens and is replaced by connective tissue. In this case, respiratory failure progresses, which leads to death.

Features of the disease

First there are inflammatory processes in the pulmonary alveoli - respiratory vesicles, the main function of which is gas exchange. Then the inflammation passes to the connective tissue. Fibrosis develops - compaction of lung tissue and its replacement with connective tissues. It becomes more and more difficult to breathe.

The disease can occur at any age, but is more common in the elderly. Women get sick less often than men. Fibrosing alveolitis is very difficult to treat and is fatal. AT best case it is possible to achieve stable remission, thereby prolonging the life of the patient and improving its quality. In some cases, the disease regresses. If therapy does not bring results (or is not carried out at all), a person lives on average five years from the onset of the disease.

This is especially dangerous because for a long time fibrosing alveolitis is almost asymptomatic. First of all, shortness of breath appears, but patients may not attach importance to it, attributing everything to age, physical activity. However, the sooner treatment is started, the greater the chance of a favorable outcome.

Causes and mechanisms of development

The causes of alveolitis are not fully understood. The common thing is that when exposed to certain factors, the body for some reason begins to perceive its own cells as hostile and attacks them. Therefore, fibrosing alveolitis is an autoimmune disease.

In addition, this disease is believed to have genetic predisposition. But this does not mean that pathology will necessarily arise if there were such cases in the family. Autoimmune fibrosing alveolitis is caused by some not completely clear triggers. So, it is noticed that people are at particular risk under the influence of such factors:

smoking;
infection with viruses, including herpes, hepatitis and HIV;
living in unfavorable environmental conditions;
prolonged exposure to harmful chemicals.

The relationship between alveolitis and gastroesophageal reflux disease has been proven. This is a pathology in which the contents of the stomach or duodenum as a result of weakness of the sphincters, it is thrown into the esophagus. In this case, it is possible not only to damage it, but also respiratory tract- Nasopharynx, trachea and bronchi.

At risk are people whose work is associated with the regular inhalation of irritating substances: dust of various origins, wool particles, fluff and animal epidermis. Therefore, fibrosing alveolitis is often found in farmers, poultry farmers, workers in contact with wood, asbestos, metal and silicate dust. There are even such concepts as "farmer's lung", "poultry breeder's lung", "cheesemaker's lung", "worker's lung".

Classification

There are many slightly different forms and types of fibrosing alveolitis. However, there are three main forms:

Idiopathic fibrosing alveolitis. This includes some types of pneumonia: ordinary interstitial, desquamative interstitial, acute interstitial and non-specific interstitial.
Toxic fibrosing alveolitis. This form is caused by prolonged toxic effects of chemical, medicinal, industrial substances.
Exogenous allergic alveolitis. This group includes diseases that are caused by regular inhalation of dust mixed with animals and vegetable proteins or inorganic allergens. More often occurs on the background of allergies.

Both allergic, and idiopathic, and toxic fibrosing alveolitis can be acute and chronic in nature of the course of the disease.

Symptoms of fibrosing alveolitis

The first and main symptom of this disease is shortness of breath. At first, it is insignificant, it occurs during movement and loads. Over time, the progression of the disease intensifies and occurs even at rest. In addition, as the condition worsens, fibrosing alveolitis has the following symptoms:

Cough. Most often it is dry and unproductive, does not bring relief. Sometimes stands out a small amount of sputum.
Pain in the chest. Occurs behind the sternum and under the shoulder blades, bilateral, intensifies when trying to take a deep breath.
Inability to take a breath full chest, a feeling of inadequate breathing.

it primary symptoms associated directly with the lungs. But with the development of the disease, the general condition of the body worsens, and the following symptoms appear:

increase in body temperature;
weight loss;
weakness and fatigue;
reduced performance;
blueing of the skin;
thickening nail phalanges fingers, bulge of the nail plate.

In addition, many patients complain of changes in heartbeat (tachycardia and muffled tones), muscle and joint pain, and swelling. On auscultation of the lungs, hard breathing, dry rales and crepitus - a sound reminiscent of the crackling of cellophane.

Diagnostics

If you experience shortness of breath that does not go away on its own for a long time, especially in conjunction with a cough, you should consult a doctor. The sooner this is done, the greater the chance of a favorable outcome.

First, the doctor will interview the patient. He needs to find out when and under what conditions the symptoms arose, which could serve as an impetus for the development of the disease - past infection, poisoning, allergy. Need to know about all additional factors like smoking, the specifics of the job. After a general examination and listening to the lungs.

To establish an accurate diagnosis, the following procedures are prescribed:

Radiography. It allows you to detect changes in the lungs, but it is not enough to make a diagnosis of fibrosing alveolitis.
CT scan. This procedure reveals not only pathological processes in the respiratory organs, but also their character.
Spirography. Evaluates airway patency.
Bodyplethysmography. Allows you to evaluate all possible lung volumes and evaluate respiratory functions.
Bronchoscopy. For this special device is introduced into the bronchi, evaluates their condition from the inside and takes samples for analysis.
Biopsy. For research, a small piece of damaged tissue is taken. This method is resorted to as a last resort, if the diagnosis is not possible by previous methods.

Additionally, sputum and other tests may be ordered.

Treatment of fibrosing alveolitis

When a diagnosis of fibrosing alveolitis is made, treatment is prescribed immediately. It is completely impossible to get rid of the disease. Therefore, the goal of therapy is to relieve symptoms, slow down the course of the disease, and improve the quality of life.

AT complex therapy are included drug therapy, psychological support, as well as a rehabilitation program that includes physical activity and correct image life.

Anti-inflammatory and antifibrotic drugs, immunosuppressants and their combinations are prescribed. Additionally, bronchodilators, potassium preparations, pyridoxine can be prescribed. Nice results provides oxygen therapy. Because the viral diseases worsen the patient's condition, the patient is vaccinated against influenza and pneumococcus.

A radical method of treatment is lung transplantation. Indications for it is a severe degree of alveolitis, especially in combination with other pulmonary pathologies.

Forecast and prevention

Idiopathic fibrosing alveolitis cannot be completely defeated, only the condition can be significantly improved. After treatment, remission occurs, but sooner or later the disease again makes itself felt. Regular therapy can increase life expectancy. If the disease is not treated at all, then the patient will live a maximum of five years.

Toxic and allergic form diseases have a more favorable prognosis than idiopathic. If you start treatment at an early stage and isolate the patient from the factor that caused the condition, then regression of the pathology may occur. In this case, the patient will remain registered with a pulmonologist, allergist and occupational pathologist, regularly undergoing preventive examinations.

Prevention of fibrosing alveolitis is healthy way life. Should be abandoned bad habits- in particular smoking, eat right. Avoid risk factors. If the work is associated with exposure to wood, metal dust, chemicals, then care must be taken to protect the respiratory tract from its ingress.

Strong immunity will avoid the occurrence of infections, including pulmonary infections, which provoke the appearance of alveolitis. If you have gastroesophageal reflux disease, you need to treat it, as well as other diseases.

Of course, not a single preventive measure will give an absolute guarantee that a person will not get sick with fibrosing alveolitis. However, it should be remembered that this pathology is very rare. And if you lead the right lifestyle, carefully monitor your health, especially when you reach the age of risk (after 50 years), and with the slightest deviation, do not self-medicate, but consult a doctor, then there is every chance to avoid big problems.

Alveolitis of the lungs is diffuse disease inflammatory type alveoli with the formation of fibrosis in the future - the spread of connective tissue. Connective tissue is present in the walls of the alveoli, which ensures their elasticity. When an alveolus occurs, the walls become denser and do not allow them to function freely. After some time, respiratory failure develops, as a result of which it does not enter the organs required amount oxygen, which contributes to the disruption of cellular metabolism.

Considering etiological factors, we can distinguish the following types of alveolitis:

Depending on the time of the course of the disease, the following types of alveolitis are distinguished:

Chronic - the course passes gradually, as a result of which, the diagnosis is carried out late at the moment when the disease can no longer be cured. The aggravation is accompanied by a long period of retreat.
Acute - the first signs of this form occur in the period from 4 to 12 hours.

Causes of lung alveolitis

Each type of lung alveolitis implies its own causes. To date, experts have not been able to determine the factors that contribute to the development of the disease. It is generally accepted that the basis of the origin of the disease is precisely the virus. Among the main causes of alveolitis can be identified:

Viruses - hepatitis C, cytomegalovirus, herpevirus, HIV. Interacting with immune system, they destroy it, as a result of which, the body easily gives in to external stimuli.
Heredity. There is no exact information on the influence of heredity, but despite this, experts are confident in the influence of genes on the development of alveolitis.
External stimulus
autoimmune factor.

External stimuli include chemical substances and natural ingredients such as bird droppings or feathers, bark, fur, puffball spores, rotten hay, sawdust, certain types of cheese, rotten coffee.

Alveolitis can manifest itself with constant interaction with an irritant. When natural origin it contributes to allergic diseases, if toxic components are toxic diseases.

Note! Alveolitis of the lungs is not contagious, since the inflammatory process is based on damage, as a result of which immune complexes arise that affect neutrophytes.

Symptoms

Depending on the stage of the disease, there are various symptoms lung alveolitis. For acute form The disease is characterized by the following symptoms:

Wet cough
Elevated temperature
Dyspnea
Runny nose.

In case of correct treatment process, similar shape disease disappears instantly.

For the chronic form of pulmonary alveolitis, the following symptoms are characteristic:

If you do not carry out treatment, there is an increase in shortness of breath, pressure in the small circle increases, as a result of which the person dies. This disease has general symptoms with others respiratory diseases, which can lead the patient to another diagnosis, as a result of which self-treatment will be in vain.

In addition, this disease is characterized by fatigue, rapid weight loss, pallor of the skin, thickening of the fingertips, the appearance of a feeling of "goosebumps" throughout the body, wheezing and pain in the chest area.

In the fibrous form of the disease, all the most vivid symptoms, as it is the final stage of the development of the disease.

Symptoms of fibrosing alveolitis:

Shortness of breath, which is manifested as a result of severe physical activity, and after a while, it can be observed even with little activity.
Cough with little or no sputum.
Edema
Rapid weight loss
Significant fatigue
Skin may have a blue tint
muscle weakness
Elevated temperature.

Allergic alveolitis has the following symptoms:

Inability to take a deep breath
Severe pain in the chest area
Cough with phlegm
Decreased appetite resulting in weight loss
Finger deformity
Chills
Temperature rise
Strong headache.

Diagnosis of the disease

Often, patients do not notice symptoms present alveolitis and confuse it with completely different diseases.

As a result, the diagnosis of alveolitis is based on a number of different procedures - a detailed conversation with the patient about the complaints present, determining the time of onset of symptoms, viewing by a doctor clinical history the patient, the search for the causes of the disease, based on the living and working conditions of the patient. The main components of diagnostics are gas, biochemical, general analysis blood, the study of sputum that occurs during a cough.

Hardware diagnostics consists of:

Chest x-ray, which will provide information about lung disorders.
Spirometry - research respiratory function sick
HRCT - a thorough examination of changes in the lungs
Biopsy - a small area of damaged tissue is taken for microscopic experiments.
Bronchoscopy - a way to determine internal structure bronchi.

In addition to these studies, consultation with a therapist may be required. After the research, the specialist determines individual therapy each patient, and also provides detailed recommendations for treatment at home.

Complications

If alveolitis of the lungs is not treated, serious complications can occur, including pulmonary edema, cor pulmonale, and developing respiratory failure. AT lung tissue penetrates liquid part blood, resulting in changes in gas exchange. In such a situation, the patient should immediately receive medical care to prevent death. Pulmonary edema can be of different forms:

In addition, a progressive disease can provoke an increase in pressure in the arteries of the lungs, heart failure, chronic bronchitis, emphysema.

Alveolitis treatment

Treatment of alveolitis is carried out under the constant supervision of a specialist. Certain treatments are prescribed depending on the type of disease. In the case of toxic or allergic alveolitis, in addition to the use medicines should be eliminated external stimulus, due to which the disease progresses.

In the case of fibrosing alveolitis, glucocorticoids are used. With this type of disease, treatment should be started quickly, since a quick replacement epithelial tissue fibrous is the cause of the cessation of the activity of the alveoli in the process of respiration, which can be fatal. In case of ineffectiveness of glucocorticoids, immunosuppressants and penicillins are prescribed.

In the treatment of toxic or allergic alveolitis, glucocorticosteroids are used. Initially, you should eliminate the external stimulus that contributes to the progression of the disease. Allergic alveolitis contributes to fibrosis. For treatment to be effective, medications prescribe a course of vitamins, certain physical exercises and breathing exercises.

Folk methods of treatment

Therapy with folk remedies has little effectiveness in the battle with this disease.

Home treatment plays a role auxiliary method, which helps to reduce pronounced symptoms. ethnoscience is based on the use of infusions, decoctions and inhalations from:

Eucalyptus
Chamomile and mint
Oregano and lungwort
Plantain and nettle
Motherwort and hawthorn
Ground pepper and cinnamon
Coriander
Dill and ginger.

Exactly herbal decoctions help to calm irritated airways, promote expectoration and eliminate inflammation, reduce cough and shortness of breath. To achieve the desired result, you should follow a simple diet:

Drink plenty of fluids, more than two liters per day
Consume broth from low-fat varieties meat and fish
AT in large numbers consume dairy products
All meals must be boiled, oven-baked or steamed.
Consume in large quantities fresh vegetables and dried fruits.

Important! In case of lung alveolitis, the patient's life expectancy depends on timely treatment and effectiveness of treatment. Fatal outcome observed in any case if the disease was detected on last stage. Patients with idiopathic fibrosis live for several years with destroyed lungs.

Prevention of lung alveolitis implies compliance with the standards of work with toxic components, getting rid of the irritant that provokes allergies. It is prevention that will save people from possible problems with the lungs, which can be fatal.