can ild be reversed?

The lung scarring that occurs in interstitial lung disease can't be reversed, and treatment will not always be effective in stopping the ultimate progression of the disease. Some treatments may improve symptoms temporarily or slow the disease's progress.

• Corticosteroids (prednisone)
• Immunosuppressive therapy.
• Immunomodulator therapies.
• Antioxidants.
• Antibody treatment.
• Antifibrotic therapy (expected availability)
• Other such as intravenous immunoglobulin treatment.

The purpose of interstitial lung disease treatment is usually to:

Treatment may vary depending on the underlying cause. Temple interstitial lung disease specialists offer the following treatments that may be used alone or in combination:

If you smoke, the most important thing you can do is quit smoking. Your doctor can help you by recommending smoking cessation programs and products. In addition, joining a support group with other people who are quitting smoking can be very helpful.

You should also avoid secondhand smoke and places where other lung irritants are present as much as possible. These include spaces where dust, strong odors, allergens and toxins may be present in the air.

Physical activity can help to strengthen the muscles used in breathing and improve your overall wellness. Your doctor can help determine what kinds of activity are safe for you.

In addition, your doctor may recommend pulmonary rehabilitation, which encompasses a variety of methods designed to improve the well-being of people with chronic breathing problems. Rehab may include an exercise program, training in managing ILD, nutritional counseling and psychological counseling.

Depending on the underlying cause of your ILD, your doctor may recommend different medications. Some of the medications used to treat ILD include:

Surgery is usually a last resort for people who have more severe ILD that is not improved with medication or other treatments.

Lung transplantation is reserved for treating patients with very severe ILD who do not have other treatment options. A lung transplant involves removing a damaged lung and replacing it with a healthy lung from a deceased donor.

Lung transplants can significantly improve lung function and quality of life, but involve many risks, including the risk of infection and even death if the body rejects the transplanted lung.

Doctors may also recommend oxygen therapy. Oxygen therapy can help people with interstitial lung disease who have low levels of oxygen in their blood to breathe better. The treatment usually involves administering oxygen through 2 small tubes that enter the nose, called nasal prongs.

Some people who receive oxygen therapy need it all the time, while others only need it at certain times. Oxygen therapy does not stop the damage to the lungs associated with ILD, but it does have several benefits, including:

Interstitial lung disease is the name for lung disorders that affect a part of the lungs called the interstitium.

What is interstitial lung disease? What are the causes of interstitial lung disease? What are the signs and symptoms of interstitial lung disease? What are the possible tests to detect interstitial lung disease? What are the possible procedures and treatments for interstitial lung disease? What is the future plan if you have interstitial lung disease?

Interstitial lung disease (ILD) is the name for more than 200 lung disorders that affect the interstitium, the tissue and space around the alveoli (air sacs). The interstitium is the tiny, fluid-filled tissue and space around the air sacs in the lungs.

In healthy people, the interstitium is very thin. In interstitial lung diseases, the interstitium thickens and scars. Over time, the scarring can cause lung stiffness and eventually affect breathing.

People with interstitial lung disease find it hard to get enough oxygen into their bloodstream. If you have an interstitial lung disease, other compartments of your lungs can also be affected, including:

The image below illustrates interstitial lung disease. (Click to enlarge image)

Some types of interstitial lung disease include:

While some forms of interstitial lung disease are short-lived, others can be chronic and irreversible.

There are many different substances, conditions and triggers that can lead to interstitial lung disease, such as:

Interstitial lung disease is more common in people with autoimmune disease, including lupus, rheumatoid arthritis and scleroderma. However, men and women of any age can develop interstitial lung disease.

The most common symptom of interstitial lung disease is shortness of breath which develops slowly, over several months. Other symptoms include a dry, scratchy cough and weight loss.

Rarely, acute interstitial pneumonitis, can occur rapidly with onset of symptoms over hours or days.

There are many tests to look for specific signs of interstitial lung disease and rule out other forms of lung disease. If your doctor thinks you have interstitial lung disease, you may need one or more of the following tests:

All people with interstitial lung disease should have their case discussed by interstitial lung disease experts at a multi-disciplinary team meeting (MDT). This process will ensure all appropriate tests have been performed to enable an evidenced-based diagnosis and expert management plan.

St Vincent's Hospital has a fortnightly MDT where patient cases are discussed. Your referring respiratory physician and GP will be provided with a report.

Your doctor can make a referral to the Interstitial Lung Disease team at St Vincent's Hospital. You will then have a consultation by an interstitial lung disease respiratory physician in the ILD clinic, and your case will be discussed at the MDT meeting. You will receive ongoing clinical reviews if needed.

Treatment for interstitial lung disease depends on the type of disease you have. Your treatment plan may include:

Interstitial lung disease can be a progressive disease, meaning it may worsen gradually over time. Some types of interstitial lung disease can’t be cured or reversed. However, your doctor will give you a treatment plan that will help to improve your symptoms, slow the progress of the disease and maintain your quality of life if this is the case.