Alveolitis of the lungs

Alveolitis is a disease of the lungs, in which terminal sections (alveoli) are affected. They become inflamed, and with inadequate treatment, fibrosis can form in their place.

Alveolitis can accompany other diseases - AIDS, arthritis , Sjogren's syndrome, lupus erythematosus, hepatitis, thyroiditis, systemic scleroderma, etc. Along with this, alveolitis can be an independent disease. In the latter case, it has an idiopathic fibrosing, allergic or toxic form.

Symptoms of lung alveolitis

Alveolitis is accompanied by the following symptoms:

  1. Dyspnea. First it arises after exercise, and then persists and in a calm state.
  2. Cough. Often cough dry or with scant sputum.
  3. Chryps. When listening to breathing, unstable rales are observed.
  4. Fatigue. When the disease progresses, a person feels tired even after rest.
  5. Loss of body weight.
  6. Change the shape of the nails. The terminal phalanges of the fingers acquire a kolboid shape.
  7. The lag in growth.

In fibrotic lung alveolitis, the symptoms are more pronounced, as the proliferation of connective tissue suggests a complication of the course of the disease.

Types of the alveolitis

Physicians distinguish three forms of the alveolitis:

  1. Idiopathic.
  2. Allergic.
  3. Toxic.

With idiopathic fibrotic alveolitis , diffuse tissue damage occurs.

In case of allergic form, diffuse changes are caused by allergens, which may include fungi, dust, protein antigens, etc.

Toxic alveolitis is caused by the administration of some medicines - furazolidone, azathioprine, cyclophosphamide, methotrexate, nitrofuratonin. They can cause the disease, directly or indirectly, through the influence of the immune system. Also, toxic alveolitis can be caused by the influence of chemicals.

Treatment of pulmonary alveolitis

The main medication that is used to treat this disease is prednisolone. It is prescribed in small doses, but the treatment course is quite long. This is relevant for idiopathic fibrotic alveolitis. In the same case may need immunodepressants.

In allergic alveolitis, it is recommended to exclude contact with the allergen, take glucocorticosteroid preparations and mucolytics.

With a toxic form of the disease, it is necessary to stop the entry of a toxic substance into the body. As well as in other forms, glucocorticosteroids, mucolytics, and respiratory exercises are used.

Treatment with folk remedies for lung alveolitis is not recommended, because in this case, folk recipes are ineffective. In the home conditions it is possible to carry out inhalations with grasses of neutral influence - camomile, mint.

The degree of danger of fibrous lung alveolitis

Fibrous idiopathic form of the alveolitis is the most dangerous, because in the absence of treatment it leads to death. However, with proper treatment, the body is able to cope with the disease, and the person restores working capacity.

Alveolitis is a very dangerous disease in all forms, so treatment should be done immediately after the diagnosis has been confirmed.