What Cystic Fibrosis
WHAT IS CYSTIC FIBROSIS
Cystic fibrosis is a life-threatening genetic disease that causes mucus to build up and clog some of the organs in the body, particularly the lungs and pancreas. When mucus clogs the lungs, it can make breathing very difficult. The thick mucus also causes bacteria (or germs) to get stuck in the airways, which causes inflammation (or swelling) and infections that lead to lung damage.
Mucus also can block the digestive tract and pancreas. The mucus stops digestive enzymes from getting to the intestines. The body needs these enzymes to break down food, which provides important nutrients to help people grow and stay healthy. People with cystic fibrosis often need to replace these enzymes with medicine they take with their meals and snacks, which helps them digest food and get proper nutrition.
How do people get cystic fibrosis?
Cystic fibrosis is a genetic disease. This means that people inherit it from their parents through genes (or DNA), which also determine a lot of other characteristics including height, hair color and eye color. Genes, found in the nucleus of all the body’s cells, control cell function by serving as the blueprint for the production of proteins.
To have cystic fibrosis, a person must inherit two copies of the defective CF gene—one copy from each parent. If both parents are carriers of the CF gene (i.e., they each have one copy of the defective gene, but do not have the disease themselves), their child will have a 25% chance of inheriting both defective copies and having cystic fibrosis, a 50% chance of inheriting one defective copy and being a carrier, and a 25% chance of not having CF or carrying the gene.
Who gets cystic fibrosis?
Approximately 30,000 children and adults in the United States have cystic fibrosis. An additional ten million more—or about one in every 31 Americans—are carriers of the defective CF gene, but do not have the disease. CF is most common in Caucasians, but it can affect all races.
The severity of cystic fibrosis symptoms is different from person to person. The most common symptoms are:
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Very salty-tasting skin
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Persistent coughing at times producing phlegm
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Frequent lung infections, like pneumonia or bronchitis
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Wheezing or shortness of breath
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Poor growth/weight gain in spite of a good appetite
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Frequent greasy, bulky stools or difficulty in bowel movements
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Small, fleshy growths in the nose called nasal polyps
Treatments and drugs
By Mayo Clinic staff
There is no cure for cystic fibrosis, but treatments can ease symptoms and reduce complications.
Medications
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Antibiotics.
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These drugs are used to treat and prevent lung infections. They may be swallowed in pill form, inhaled in a mist or delivered intravenously.
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Mucus-thinning drugs.
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Drugs that reduce the stickiness of your mucus make it easier to cough up the mucus, which improves lung function.
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Bronchodilators.
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Medications such as albuterol — delivered by an inhaler or a nebulizer — help keep your airways open by relaxing the muscles around your bronchial tubes.
Therapy
People with cystic fibrosis need a way to physically remove thick mucus from their lungs. This is often done by manually clapping with cupped hands on the front and back of the chest — a procedure that’s best performed with the person’s head over the edge of the bed so that gravity helps clear the secretions.
There also are mechanical devices that help loosen lung mucus. They include:
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Chest clapper.
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This hand-held device can mimic the effect of cupped hands clapping over the ribs.
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Inflatable vest.
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This device vibrates at high frequency to loosen chest mucus.
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Breathing devices.
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Performing specific breathing exercises while exhaling through the device’s tube or a mask may also be helpful.
Naturopathic Options
New studies have shown natural options are adding great health benefits and improving the quality of life. One reason naturopathic options are becoming so popular is because prolonged use to anti-biotics cause increased health risks and over time weaken the immune system considerably.
Naturopathic options such as Pro-biotics and Pre-biotic, Coconut Oil, Enzymes, Alkaline Diet, Supplements and Alkaline water. For more informationClick Here
Treatment for Cystic Fibrosis
Inhaled hypertonic saline is one of many cystic fibrosis treatments that your medical professional may recommend. Australian researchers found that this treatment is beneficial after witnessing surfers suffering from this condition did better than those who did not surf. The ocean water mist led to fewer flare ups according to the scientists’ theory. They followed this observation up with a study which confirmed their theory and hypertonic saline was, and still is, offered as a treatment option for many. What exactly is hypertonic saline and why is it being offered as a treatment for this condition?
A salt water solution made up of salt and water in the same concentration as found in the human body is known as normal saline. What makes hypertonic saline different and suitable for cystic fibrosis treatments if the fact that the salt is in greater concentrations than that found in normal saline of human body fluids. Normal saline solutions contain 0.9% salt while hypertonic saline solutions are 7% salt. In order for the body to make use of this hypertonic saline solution, it is place into a nebulizer. The nebulizer turns the solution into an aerosol which is then inhaled.
For cystic fibrosis treatments, the inhaled saline mist moves into the airways where it settles. Water is then drawn from the cells on the body into the airway. When this occurs, the water mixes with the thick mucus which characterizes cystic fibrosis. As the water and mucus mix, the mucus becomes thinner making it easier for the person to cough it up. For those six years of age and older, this has been shown to be very effective for those who have a mild to moderate case of cystic fibrosis.
When discussing cystic fibrosis treatments with your doctor, you need to be aware of any side effects that may be experienced. When a hypertonic saline solution is used, coughing may increase. Some patients experience chest pain or a sore throat also. This is due to tissue irritation. If you feel these side effects are outweighed by the benefits, consider discussing this treatment option with your doctor. He or she can tell you whether or not this is appropriate for your case or that of your child.
Cystic Fibrosis
Cystic Fibrosis is an inherited disease of the lungs and other places in the body. Mucus is a substance that the body produces to keep internal organs soft and slippery. With Cystic Fibrosis the mucus is in over production and it is much thicker and stickier. This blocks breathing as well as the proper absorption of nutrients and minerals. There are a variety of Cystic Fibrosis treatments that can be applied depending on how severe a case is being treated.
From a intake point of view we know that alkaline water as well as alkaline food/diet and probiotics along with digestive enzymes and even saline therapy can help to improve the lung function and thus the overall quality of life. There are also some physical treatments that can be applied to help rid the body of mucus to aid in the ability of the individual to breathe.
There was a study in Australia in co-operation with the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation to find out if inhaling a hypertonic saline would help people with cystic fibrosis. It was found that airways in CF patients lacked enough salt and water and researchers wanted to determine if inhaling a hypertonic saline mist would help to clear the lungs of mucus. The study took patients over a two year period and divided them into two groups. One group inhaled the hypertonic saline (7% salt water solution) while the other group inhaled a isotonic saline solution (0.9% salt water solution). The hope was that a hypertonic saline mist would help to clear thick mucus out of the lungs and airways.
The study was conducted as a double-blind which means that neither the patients or the doctors knew which patient was in which group. The final results showed that both groups showed reduced mucus and improved breathing. The group that inhaled the hypertonic showed a much better improvement over all. The results of the study in Australia was first published at the 2004 North American Cystic Fibrosis Conference and has now been published as one of the Cystic Fibrosis treatments in the New England Journal of Medicine along with an article from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. This is now one of the accepted Cystic Fibrosis treatments that are available to patients that suffer from Cystic Fibrosis.
About Cysitic Fibrosis
Cystic fibrosis is a genetic disorder caused by a mutated gene. The disease causes a thick sticky mucus to build up in the body, preventing the organs to function normally. The lungs and pancreas are the most affected, resulting in breathing problems and digestion. While cystic fibrosis is a life threatening disease, through treatments and medical advances the life expectancy is 37 years old.
Following a treatment plan is necessary when diagnosed with cystic fibrosis. Some common cystic fibrosis treatments include regular antibiotics to treat and/or prevent lung and sinus infections, and respiratory therapy to help slow down lung damage and ease breathing. In addition to medication to help thin the mucus and thin the airways, other treatments include good eating and proper nutrition for the disease.
In addition to conventional therapies, many of those afflicted with cystic fibrosis seek out alternative therapies. One of the cystic fibrosis treatments that has been shown effective is the use of serrapeptase. Serrapeptase is a natural anti inflammatory found in silk worms. In fact, this “miracle” enzyme is reported to do much more than open airways. cystic fibrosis treatments that include serrapeptase have been shown to not only reduce swelling, but to heal scar tissue as well as clear out mucus. It’s ability to digest non living tissue is the key.
In treating cystic fibrosis, serrapeptase has been shown to also aide in the affect of antibiotics, as well as reduce infections. There is a book that will talk about serrapeptase in greater length, written by Robert Redfern. In the book there are testimonials as well as resources where medical information has been sited. Additionally, since serrapeptase has been introduced on the Internet and there are recommended brands of where to buy serrapeptase available online.
With any new, or non traditional therapies, it is always good to discuss options with your physician. As with any medication, natural or manufactured, there are warnings and exceptions to be made aware of. What is exciting is that 60 years later, people are still looking for cures. If cures aren’t found, than at the very least ways to improve the quality of life, and possibly prolong it.
Enzymes, Probiotics
