Pulmonary Fibrosis: Early Signs, Causes, and Treatments
Pulmonary fibrosis is also known as a progressive lung condition which is characterised by scarring of lung tissues. Such a condition heavily affects breathing and lung function. Some of the common symptoms of the disease which you may notice include shortness of breath, cough, and more. A recent study from 2025 suggests that approximately 3 million people are affected by idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis worldwide 1. The data highlights the need for early detection and treatment to tackle severe health implications in the long run.
In this blog, we will understand what pulmonary fibrosis is, its different stages and symptoms, along with diagnostic and treatment plans for effective management of the disease.
Key Takeaways:
- Pulmonary fibrosis is the primary cause of lung scarring, which causes shortness of breath with fatigue and overall deterioration in lung function.
- Early detection of the condition with personalised treatment strategies such as oxygen therapy and specific medications is critical to manage the disease effectively.
- Diagnostic tools like HRCT and pulmonary function tests (PFTs) are critical for the appropriate diagnosis of pulmonary fibrosis.
Stages of Pulmonary Fibrosis
There are no formally designated stages for pulmonary fibrosis. However, the condition progresses from early to advanced stages for idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis. A recent study suggests that the median survival for such patients ranges between 3 and 5 years 2.
Here is a closer look at the different stages of pulmonary fibrosis:
- Early Stage: Patients discover early symptoms such as mild shortness of breath accompanied by a dry cough.
- Middle Stage: Symptoms deteriorate, with patients needing oxygen for physical activities, with increased dyspnea.
- Advanced Stage: At this stage, patients require a 24-hour oxygen supply due to chronic respiratory impairments.
- End Stage: Significant reduction in lung function, which often leads to respiratory failures, and patients require advanced oxygen needs in the form of high-flow oxygen.
With a proper understanding of pulmonary fibrosis stages, let’s now explore the early signs and symptoms of the disease.
5 Early Signs and Symptoms of Pulmonary Fibrosis
Due to the non-specific nature of pulmonary fibrosis symptoms, it often gets misdiagnosed; therefore, most individuals develop the condition after 50 years of age. Early detection of the disease is critical to manage disease progression to enhance the overall quality of life.
Here are some of the signs and symptoms to detect pulmonary fibrosis at early stages:
Dry Cough
Presence of a non-productive and constant cough that can continue for weeks and shows resistance to traditional medications for cough. It is considered the most common early symptom, which deteriorates over time without appropriate treatment.
Dyspnoea
You may experience shortness of breath during physical exertion. It is mainly due to the impairments in the lungs, which affect oxygen supply.
Fatigue
A typical condition for the disease and there a reduced oxygen levels within the body due to weakness in the muscles. Such symptoms are detrimental to an individual and hamper daily activities.
Loss of Weight
Chest discomfort and tightness, which are elevated responses, are often linked to hyperinflammation. The loss of controlled function leads to unintentional weight loss even without physical exercise.
Clubbing in Toes and Fingers
The symptom is characterised by widening of the fingertips due to the lack of oxygen levels within the lungs. Moreover, such a symptom is also associated with chronic hypoxia, which is the body’s response to reduced oxygen levels.
Understanding the primary causes of pulmonary fibrosis is critical, and expert care from the best hospitals in Kolkata can help you with it.
Primary Causes for Pulmonary Fibrosis
Pulmonary fibrosis is often referred to as a condition where there is thickening and scarring of the tissues around alveoli. There are several reasons for the disease, which include environmental exposure, occupational hazards, and more. A study suggests that combined pneumonia, with high HRCT (high-resolution computed tomography) scores are critical predictor for pulmonary fibrosis 3.
Here are some of the causes for the disease:
- Workplace Environment: Occupational hazard is a critical factor, and with repeated contact with pollutants such as silica dust, asbestos fibres, wood, and more, the condition of the lungs is affected. The condition is even worse without the lack of protective gear.
- Radiation Therapy: It is one of the side effects for people who receive radiation therapy to treat lung or breast cancers. The overall severity of the lung damage depends on the total exposure, amount of radiation, use of chemotherapy, and existing lung disease.
- Medications: Medications used for chemotherapy, such as methotrexate, bleomycin, and cytoxan, can cause severe damage to the lungs. Additional heart medicines, such as amiodarone and medicines to treat irregular heartbeats, may affect heart health
- Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease (GERD): A condition where the stomach acid travels into the throat and increases the risk of developing pulmonary fibrosis. In advanced stages, such individuals may breathe in tiny droplets of acid from the stomach, which can impair and injure tissues within the lungs.
It is vital to contact a chest specialist if there is a constant feeling of pain and discomfort.
Let’s now explore some of the diagnostic strategies to assess pulmonary fibrosis.
Diagnosis of Pulmonary Fibrosis
Diagnosis of pulmonary fibrosis, especially idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis, involves exhaustive clinical evaluation, which includes imaging and histopathological examination for accurate diagnosis of the condition. It is important to conduct early diagnosis of the condition to manage and isolate the disease from interstitial lung conditions.
Here are some of the prominent diagnostic procedures to detect the disease to avoid chronic health implications:
- Clinical Assessment: A comprehensive medical examination, including checking the medical history, is critical to detect the condition. Early symptoms such as cough, weight loss, and dyspnoea are parameters for clinical evaluation.
- HRCT Technique: The process depends on imaging of the lungs, starting from volumetric scanning of the chest. The technique detects all abnormalities and helps analyse lesion characteristics. HRCT also helps physicians detect ground-glass changes that increase within the lungs during physical exertion.
- Pulmonary Function Tests (PFTs): It is a common assessment which helps evaluate lung volumes, gas exchange, and capacities. During chronic conditions, PFTs are helpful to detect patterns which are restrictive and with reduced diffusion patterns. Spirometry, lung volume, and lung diffusion tests are common examples of such assessments.
- Serological Assessments: Blood tests are some of the most easily accessible and heavily used diagnostic procedures to isolate different forms of interstitial lung diseases. One of the most common types of such disease is autoimmune conditions, which require early segregation to diagnose pulmonary fibrosis.
- Tissue Sample Examination: Biopsy is a procedure where doctors take a small tissue sample, and it is conducted using video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (VATS), which is minimally invasive.
Let’s explore some of the prominent treatment strategies to address pulmonary fibrosis.
Treatment Strategies for Pulmonary Fibrosis
The effectiveness of a treatment strategy for pulmonary fibrosis depends on slowing down disease progression and managing symptoms. There is a lack of a specific cure which is present for pulmonary fibrosis; however, personalised treatment strategies help manage and reduce further complications in the disease progression.
Here are some of the pulmonary fibrosis treatments which are available:
- Medications: Some of the common drugs which healthcare professionals may recommend include pirfenidone or nintedanib. Such medicines are broad-spectrum and may cause mild side effects like nausea; however effective in slowing down disease progression. Medications to treat GERD are also commonly used to treat people with deteriorating conditions.
- Oxygen Therapy: Use of supplemental oxygen to reverse lung function is an effective strategy if you suffer from chronic conditions. This pulmonary fibrosis treatment helps improve oxygen levels and reduce strains within the heart, easing respiration. Oxygen therapy can also be useful during sleeping and exercises, and a portable oxygen concentrator can help during travelling.
- Pulmonary Rehabilitation: Rehabilitation strategies are useful to improve the efficacy of daily tasks and enhance breathing techniques. Physical exercises with nutritional and emotional counselling are effective in treating the disease.
Also read: All You Need To Know About Winter Lung Care
Taking Control of Pulmonary Fibrosis
Effective management of pulmonary fibrosis depends on early diagnosis and adherence to prescribed formats to detect symptoms. One of the major problems patients often face is the overall progressive nature of the disease, and some of the symptoms include breathlessness and fatigue. It is important to take medications and adhere to treatment and care plans. Most commonly used medications include antifibrotic medications and oxygen therapies.
With the help and constant follow-up and regular checkups, help manage the disease effectively. Eskag Sanjeevani Hospitals have some of the best pulmonologists in Kolkata who provide personalised treatment plans for different individuals. Moreover, the presence of advanced diagnostic tools and multidisciplinary approaches makes it a hallmark for chest and lung-related issues.
References
Pulmonary fibrosis in chronic conditions has severe health implications. Some of the major health consequences include blood clots within the lungs, along with collapsed lungs and lung infections.
If you want to avoid pulmonary fibrosis, it is critical to avoid smoking and environmental exposures such as irritants and pollutants. Moreover, you need to maintain a healthy lifestyle and engage in physical exercises and maintain a balanced diet to manage respiratory problems.
Yes, endoplasmic reticulum stress is heavily associated with the development and disease progression of pulmonary fibrosis.
You can detect pulmonary fibrosis at early stages with the help of chest X-rays and HRCT scans, which provide medical images helpful in isolating lesions. Moreover, doctors can detect any form of abnormalities, such as scarring and inflammation in the lungs, through such techniques.
Pulmonary fibrosis pathology and features involve chronic inflammation and scarring. Such scarring is defined by excess accumulation of extracellular matrix components, which is highly progressive and eventually leads to organ malfunction and often death in extreme cases.