When Cystic Fibrosis Hits the Lungs, HIT BACK

A genetic disorder known for causing thick, sticky mucus, cystic fibrosis (CF) can quickly become a serious problem for the lungs and digestive system. In fact, it often contributes to long-term respiratory infections, which are a main product of airway inflammation and a progressive drop in lung functioning.

While CF can be a serious, chronic issue for many sufferers, it can also be readily treated with the right medications and approaches.

When CF hits your lungs hard, hit back.

Let’s cover five critical ways to do just that. From using potentially life-changing medications to knowing which lung exercises are right for you, being on top of your lung health is critical to managing CF.

Don’t look any further. Everything you need to know about getting your lungs back into shape is right here…

1. Inhaled Medications

Probably the most common way to treat CF, inhaled meds can be great when used properly. The main advantage of these therapies is their ability to open the airways, lower inflammation, and reduce the mucus in your lungs. More than that, what they do is improve your quality of life by making normal breathing more manageable.

When it comes to inhaled medications, there are several types. You have bronchodilators, which help relax your airway muscles, thereby making it easier to get rid of problematic mucus.

Then you have so-called ‘mucolytics’ which directly thin that problematic mucus, again making it easier to clear it and breathe. After mucolytics, we have something broadly called anti-inflammatory medications, which include corticosteroids used to alleviate chronic airway inflammation common in CF.

Finally, you have a class of medications called CFTR modulators, which are relatively new compared to the others. These drugs specifically target a main problem relating to CF, namely something known as the defective cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR).

With repeated use, these advanced medications can help you restore your lung functioning by significantly helping with the clearance of mucus.

Just make sure you use these medicines as directed, and if any questions or concerns arise, never hesitate to ask your CF team.

2. Airway Clearance Therapy

Airway clearance therapy (ACT) is a critical treatment protocol that can greatly reduce the effects of excess mucus and inflammation in your lungs. It essentially works by clearing that mucus, opening your airways, and allowing you to breathe more normally.

There are multiple therapies involved in ACT. They include techniques such as CPT, HFCWO, PEP, and ACBT.

Now, if these abbreviations mean very little to you, that’s to be expected. Each one has its unique benefits, and not all may be of particular help to you. While they are best used together, in some cases, your CF team may implement some over others.

What’s important to know is that these techniques offer a wide range of potential benefits. What they do is help loosen the mucus in your lungs. Sometimes, that’s achieved by actually manually vibrating your chest. In other cases, it’s through a machine or vest that you wear that produces rapid air busts to dislodge the mucus inside.

The important thing to remember is that every CF patient is different, so if you feel as if one therapy is not working, or if you’d like to explore other options, do not hesitate to ask your provider. With a good healthcare team at your side, you can find the best protocols, therapies, and treatments for your particular case!

3. Antibiotics

There’s a strategy behind using antibiotics, and one of them is to ‘mix it up,’ so to speak. One way to do this is through the use of various delivery mechanisms.

Take, for instance, oral antibiotics which you take by mouth usually to treat infections like Pseudomonas aeruginosa or Staphylococcus aureus. You may have heard of some of these, one of which is the widely prescribed azithromycin.

Then we have inhaled antibiotics, such as colistin, which goes right to your lungs, the source of the problem. Inhaled antibiotics for CF are best used in chronic cases, especially when treating common pathogens that affect patients with the condition.

And finally, we have IV antibiotics, which are most commonly used for the most severe cases. These are usually employed when a patient has been hospitalized, and are delivered through the vein for the most potent and rapid treatment.

Regardless of your treatment type, it’s critical that you listen to your healthcare team and follow the protocol exactly as given. Failure to follow a full course of medication may lead to the recurrence of potentially serious infections, so always make sure you’re on top of your treatment.

4. Controlled Exercise

Overall physical health is critical to maintaining well-being throughout a lifetime of CF. One of the best ways to do this is through regular, but controlled exercise. What this means is that you are carefully managing your exertion levels, never pushing yourself hard enough to hurt your immune system or disrupt daily functioning.

After all, the main goal of exercise – aside from improving overall health – is to clear mucus and open your airways.

Research indicates that regular exercise can help boost your mood, increase your energy levels, and manage your weight, which are all critical aspects of a healthier, more manageable life with CF.

To achieve these goals, consider both aerobic and muscular activities. That is to say, try to walk, swim, cycle, or run, while also focusing on weight-bearing exercises. These may include activities such as using resistance bands, weights, pushups, and other workouts that use your body weight specifically.

Beyond these, many CF sufferers also find great effectiveness in activities that focus on breathing. Mindfulness, meditation, yoga, and pilates are all fantastic ways to unlock these benefits.

Be sure to ask your doctor about the exercise regimens most appropriate for your condition, health, and fitness level.

5. Lung Transplant

This is usually the last resort and represents a time when you’ve exhausted all other options without adequate results.

If you find your lung function is severely impaired (and your team will know), then a lung transplantation surgery may be your best course of action. In the case of this procedure, it essentially involves one thing: diseased lungs are replaced with healthy ones. Although not a simple surgery, lung transplantation may drastically improve your life.

Not sure when to consider this option?

The best time to look into having a lung transplant is when you either (a) have severe respiratory failure, or (b) have a chronic infection that’s leading to worse health. Both cases are considered severe and demand significant action to improve your life quality and prognosis.

A seasoned healthcare team can evaluate your condition, and should you receive the surgery, provide the much-needed transplant care you need to come back better than ever!

Hopefully, by following the five recommendations in this article, whether something as simple as oral medication or a more major option like surgery, you can start feeling more like yourself in no time at all.

Weigh your options, consult your team, and find the personalized approach for you. A better, healthier, happier life awaits!