(HealthDay News) -- Emphysema occurs when the walls between the lungs' air sacs lose their ability to stretch and contract, causing the weakened sacs to break. Air becomes trapped in the sacs and the lungs' oxygen/carbon dioxide exchange is impaired. Since the sacs are no longer properly supported, airflow may be obstructed, says the American Lung Association.
Common symptoms of emphysema include shortness of breath, frequent cough and difficulty catching one's breath during exercise.
Smoking, the primary cause of emphysema, is strongly discouraged, the association says. The condition may also be caused by genetic abnormalities.
Treatments to help curb symptoms of emphysema include antibiotics to combat bacterial infections, steroids, exercises to strengthen breathing muscles, and bronchodilator drugs to help relax obstructed airways.
