What Are Your Cystic Fibrosis Treatment Options?

Cystic fibrosis is a life-threatening, genetic condition. The disease is the result of a mutated gene that is passed on from both parents to their child. Cystic fibrosis causes the secretory glands to overproduce digestive fluids, mucus, and sweat, affecting the lungs, liver, pancreas, intestines, kidneys, and more.

While it was nearly impossible to live cystic fibrosis once, there are many options for symptomatic treatment to help living with the condition much easier.

Airway clearance

Regularly performing airway clearance is perhaps the most important aspect of cystic fibrosis treatment. Regular airway clearance prevents an accumulation of dense mucus in the lungs, allowing the lungs to function at their maximum capability.

There are numerous airway clearance techniques, approved by the International Physiotherapy Group for Cystic Fibrosis, which you can find online. Physiotherapists help patients learn and decide on the methods that are most beneficial for them, and these should be performed correctly and regularly to improve lung function.

Cystic Fibrosis Medications

Cystic fibrosis drugs work to lower mucus production in the lungs, replace enzymes in the digestive tract, and maintain the overall health of the lungs.

You should always talk to your doctor about your medication choices, and if you are dealing with an infection, talk to your doctor about antibiotics.

Bronchodilators and Anticholinergics

These drugs prevent the airways in the lungs from being blocked and make breathing and coughing up mucus easier.

Mucus Control

DNase and Mucolytics are used to help with the thickness of mucus in the lungs, but Mucolytics also thin mucus in the intestines. Mucolytics may irritate the lungs. A salt water solution may also help with mucus in the lungs and inflammation in the respiratory system.

Inflammation

Over-the-counter NSAIDs like ibuprofen reduce inflammation as well as corticosteroids like .

Digestive Enzymes

Your pancreas produces the digestive enzymes needed for digestion, but if your pancreas gets clogged, you may need to replace them with a pancreatic enzyme supplement, like Pancreaze or Creon.

As per CFF, scientists discovered a treatment that targets “the cause of cystic fibrosis, a defective protein known as CFT” in 2012. The treatment reverses the transmembrane regular, leading to a healthy secretion of bodily fluids. This treatment is a huge breakthrough and may change cystic fibrosis patients’ lives forever.

Featured Image: depositphotos/lbrfzhjpf.gmail.c

Posted on May 5, 2023