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Emphysema is a long-term lung condition in which the tiny air sacs in your lungs, known as alveoli, become damaged and lose their ability to efficiently exchange oxygen with your blood. This condition progresses through four stages. Your stage of emphysema will guide the treatment options recommended by your doctor.
The first stage is referred to as being 'at risk' for emphysema. In this stage, lung tests may appear normal, but you could experience symptoms like a persistent cough and mucus production. The second stage is mild emphysema, where the symptoms remain similar to the 'at risk' stage, but changes start to show up on spirometry tests. You may notice more frequent mucus production, although your daily activities are typically not affected by the symptoms.
When you reach the third stage of emphysema, your symptoms will become more noticeable, and you might seek medical advice. Spirometry tests will show a decline in airflow, and you'll find yourself becoming short of breath during physical exertion, like exercising or working hard. The final, most severe stage of emphysema involves extreme shortness of breath from even minor activities. At this point, you might experience gasping for air and be prone to complications such as acute bronchitis or pneumonia. There is also a risk of respiratory or heart failure. You may feel exhausted and require supplemental oxygen, and the effort to breathe may lead to weight loss due to the extra calories burned during each breath.
To diagnose emphysema and determine its stage, a doctor will carry out several tests. These tests may include using a stethoscope to listen to your lungs, monitoring your breathing patterns, conducting a spirometry test to measure your lung capacity and airflow, performing arterial-blood-gas and pulse-oximetry tests, and taking chest X-rays.
