Emphysema

Emphysema is a long term progressive disease of the lungs that primarily causes shortness of breath due to over inflation of the alveoli (air sacs in the lungs) . In people with emphysema, the lung tissue involved in exchange of gases (oxygen and carbon dioxide)  is impaired or destroyed. Emphysema is included in a group of diseases called chronic obstructive pulmonary disease or COPD ( pulmonary refers to lungs),. Emphysema is called an obstructive lung disease because over inflated alveoli do not exchange gases out of the alveoli.
Emphysema changes the anatomy of the lung in several important ways. This is due to in part of lung tissue around smaller airways, called bronchioles, open, allowing air to leave the lungs on exhalation. When this tissue is damaged, these Airways collapse, making it difficult for the lungs to empty and the air (gases) becomes trapped in the alveoli.
Normal lung tissues looks like a new sponge. Emphysematous lung looks like an old used sponge, with large holes and a dramatic loss of springyness or elasticity. When the lung is stretched during inflation (inhalation) , the nature of the stretched tissue wants to relax to its resting state. In emphysema, this elastic function is impaired, resulting in air trapping in the lungs. Emphysema destroys this spongy tissue of the lung and also severely affects the small blood vessels (capillaries of the lung) . Thus, not only air flow affected but so is blood flow. This has dramatic impact on the ability for the lung not only to empty its air sacs called alveoli (pleural for alveolus) but also for blood to flow through the lungs to receive oxygen
Symptoms
Symptoms of COPD and emphysema often don't appear until significant lung damage has occurred. The symptoms will also begin mildly and will also worsen if the person continue to smoke.
Shortness of breath also called dyspnea while doing physical activity or every day activities.
Frequent long lasting coughing
Chest tightness
Tiredness and fatigue or chronic fatigue syndrome.
Loss of appetite
Lung infection depression morning headache and anxiety
Weight loss lots of production of a mucus,
Blueness of lips or fingernail beds.
Causes
Long term cigarettes smoking
Long terms exposure to vapors dusts and chemical fumes in the work place
Lack of Alpha - 1 antitrypsin deficiency. The Alpha 1  antitrypsin protein is necessary for protecting lungs against neutrophil elastase destruction of alveolar tissue.
Homoeopathic medicines
Ammonium car
Should be used in those that are frequently weak on a physical level. They may also cough often,  and suffer from blockage in the nose, palpitations,  shortness of breath and burning sensation in the chest. Drowsiness, yawning and nosebleeds are common. Lying on stomach improves symptoms, while symptoms worsen at night from dampness and cold temperature
Ant tart
Patients with suffocating sensation along with a weak pulse,  and coughing episodes that suddenly end with vomiting. The person also feels exhaustion easily and they are unable to perform any type of physical activity, nausea, drowsiness, sweating and irritability symptoms may improve by lying on right side or after expecting. Movement eating, drinking and being in a warm room may worsen symptoms.
Carbo veg. Frequent wheezing dusky or bluish complexion and a burning sensation in the chest. Coarse cough cold breath and offensive gas. Belching and cool air improve symptoms, while rich food, warmth and open air will make things worse.
Ars alb
Persistent shortness of breath is common in those that require Ars. Blue complexion, while being covered in cold sweat. Worse when lying down.

Grindelia
The person that improves with Grindelia will suffocate upon going to sleep or waking. They will experience difficulty breathing,  shortness of breath, panting, wheezing. Expectoration yellow greenish or whitish mucus, itching skin rashes pain in eyeballs and weak dilated heart are also symptoms.
Acid Sulph
Hacking cough wheezing, rattling breath and suffocation sneezing burning in the nose person is often anxious and angry.
Stannum iod
In chronic chest diseases characterized by plastic tissue changes. Persistent inclination to cough, excited by ticking dry spot in the throat, apparently at root of tongue. Dryness of throat. Trachial and bronchial irritation of smokers. Pulmonary symptoms, cough, loud, hollow, ending with expectoration. State of purulent infiltration. Advanced phthisis sometimes when stann iod has taken effect, an add dose of iodine in milk caused the drug to have its usual beneficial. Chronic bronchitis, cough of phthisis, emphysema with gastric catarrhal complicated and thick yellow difficult sputum. Old person with weakened power of expectoration
Balasmum per
Bronchitis and phthisis with muco purulent, thick creamy expectoration loud rales in chest. Very loose cough. Hectic fever and night sweat with irritating, short cough and scanty expectoration.
Lobelia inf
Dyspnoea from constriction of chest,  worse any exertion. Sensation of pressure or weight in chest better by rapid walking. Feels if heart would stop. Asthma attacks, with weakness, felt in a pit of stomach and preceded by prickling all over. Cramp ringing cough, short breath, catching at throat. Senile emphysema.
Senega
Hoarseness. Hurts to talk. Bursting pain in back on coughing. Catarrh of larynx, loss of voice, hacking cough throat feels narrow, cough often ends in sneeze. Rattling in chest. Chest oppressed on ascending. Bronchial Catarrh with sore chest walls. Difficult raising of tough, profuse mucus, in the aged. Asthenic bronchitis of old people with chronic interstitial nephritis or chronic emphysema. Pressure on chest as though lungs were forced back to spine. Voice unsteady vocal cords partially paralyzed.
Cassia sophera  common name Senna sophera
Cough, respiratory system acts an expectorant and bronchodialator. Bronchial asthma in children and powerful expectorant. Great anti syphilitic medicine. Baby have got syphilitic asthma bloody sputum with a history of head injury during birth pale, cyanotic face with graps of fresh air.
Aggravation cold room, wet basement, rainy weather, forward bending.
Amyl
Open air, rubbing, carring rapidly.