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The first information anyone wants to know when he or she are diagnosed with a serious disease is; what can we do to treat it? There is no known cure for cystic fibrosis at this time. Treatment options are for prolonging life and improving the quality of life for patients. Advances are being made every year and the life expectancy of cystic fibrosis patients has risen from the age of 16 to the late 30’s. That is a huge improvement since the disease was first diagnosed in the 1940’s. Symptoms and severity of the disease will vary from patient to patient. Each patient may have different parts of his or her body affected by the disease. Cystic fibrosis affects the pulmonary organs, digestive tract, and reproductive system. Other little known signs of cystic fibrosis are blood disorders, bone and joint problems, and osteoporosis.

Treatments will vary from patient to patient depending on which part of their body is being affected by the disease. Treatments will be tailored to fit each patient. Some patients will have more severe symptoms than others, so each treatment will need to be individualized. There are a wide variety of treatments and medications that can be used depending on the severity, the stage of the disease, and how fast it is progressing. The general goals of any treatment are to ensure the patient is receiving the right amounts of calories and nutrients and to increase the airflow to the lungs. Treatment is needed for prevention and treatment of lung infections and to decrease the amount and thickness of the mucus in the lungs.

Patients with cystic fibrosis may want to look for a CF treatment center near your city. There are over 115 CF centers scattered throughout the United States. These centers specialize in treating and diagnosing cystic fibrosis. Treatment at these centers will include instructions on diet and nutrition, physical therapy, and medications that will ease the symptoms of cystic fibrosis.

Often patients with CF are undernourished and fail to thrive because the disease is blocking the essential nutrients from getting into the digestive tract. Growth is slow and children are smaller and fail to gain the weight that others of that age do. Children and adults should increase their caloric intake by at least 120%. They should also increase the protein in their diet. If you are a CF patient and worried you are not getting the proper nutrients, there are several nutrient supplements on the market in pleasant tasting shake forms.

Each cystic fibrosis patient should do exercise as their body can tolerate it. Physical exercise will help keep the thickened mucus from building up in the body. It also allows the mucus to be removed much easier. Physical exercise can also expand the lung capacity and give the body more air to work with. Not every cystic fibrosis patient may be able to do physical exercise. You should always check with your doctor before starting on any new diet or exercise routine.

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Often if a parents know they are both carriers of the recessive CF gene they will have undergone DNA testing and realize there is a chance their child will have cystic fibrosis. Testing can be done before the baby is born to see if they have the mutant gene. The disease cannot be treated until after birth, but it does give parents time to educate themselves about the disease and emotionally prepare for the birth of the child. Many times, a baby is diagnosed when they are two to three months old. The parent is usually the first to notice a slightly “salty” taste when they kiss their baby. This is the major indicator of cystic fibrosis. The infant should be taken to the doctor where tests can be performed to confirm the diagnosis.

Symptoms are common for individuals with cystic fibrosis, but may vary in the severity of the symptoms and how many vital organs it affects. Another common indicator an infant may have CF is they may have a bowel blockage soon after birth. The normal substances that are eliminated through the first bowel movements may not be expelled and it can cause the blockage.

Symptoms for CF found in the gastrointestinal system are similar to symptoms of other gastrointestinal problems so they may not be attributed to cystic fibrosis at first. Early bowel blockage in a newborn, or in a small infant can be a sign. The stools smell horrible and the child may have diarrhea too. If the baby has a lot of stomach pain, cramping, or vomiting that also can be a sign of he disease. As you can see, these symptoms are common to other milder childhood disorders.

If the disease is attacking the respiratory system, the child may be wheezing, coughing, and have repeated episodes of respiratory infections. Pneumonia, bronchitis, and other respiratory infections should be looked at, especially if the growth of your baby seems to be slower than normal. An infant or older teen may discover polyps in their nasal cavities and have recurring sinus infections. The cough they may have might bring up thick mucus and sputum and sometimes can be streaked by blood. When cystic fibrosis affects the respiratory system it can cause severe breathing difficulties.

The respiratory tract and the gastrointestinal system are the two most common areas affected by cystic fibrosis. It can affect other parts of the body. It can produce bleeding disorders such as the inability of the blood to clot, and can cause a decrease in the red cells that results in anemia. The bones and joints may also be affected. A person with cystic fibrosis may have joint and bone pain, arthritis, a slower growth rate, and could develop osteoporosis. Fingers and toes may flatten out and swell giving them the look of a club although this doesn’t happen in all patients.

Every individual with cystic fibrosis will have different symptoms and will vary in the severity. No two CF patients are the same and treatment should be tailored to each individual patient.

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