Interstitial Lung Disease
Learn about the pulmonary condition of Interstitial Lung Disease including its common causes, symptoms, and treatments.
What is Interstitial Lung Disease?
Interstitial Lung Disease (ILD) refers to a large group of diseases that cause scarring of the lungs.
The scarring caused by Interstatial Lung Disease makes breathing difficult and gets worse over time. Lung damage from ILD is not reversible.
Symptoms of Interstitial Lung Disease
Symptoms of Interstitial Lung Disease may include:
- Shortness of breath
- Dry cough
- Chest discomfort
- Fatigue
- Weight loss
Possible Causes of Interstitial Lung Disease
Interstitial Lung Disease occurs when an injury to your lungs triggers an abnormal healing response. Some of the causes of Interstitial Lung Disease may be:
- Smoking
- Exposure to hazardous materials, such as:
- Silica dust
- Asbestos fibers
- Grain dust
- Bird and animal droppings
- Radiation treatments
- Indoor hot tubs
- Autoimmune diseases such as:
- Rheumatoid arthritis
- Scleroderma
- Dermatomyositis and polymyositis
- Mixed connective tissue disease
- Sjogren’s syndrome
- Sarcoidosis
- Radiation to the chest for lung or breast cancer
- Taking medications like chemotherapy drugs, heart medications, some antibiotics, or anti-inflammatory drugs
Risk Factors of Interstitial Lung Disease
Some risk factors of Interstitial Lung Disease may be:
- Genetics
- Workplace exposure to hazardous substances (mining, farming, construction)
- People who take certain medications or medical treatments, such as radiation or chemotherapy
- People with autoimmune diseases such as sarcoidosis or rheumatoid arthritis
- Smokers are at higher risk of developing ILD
- Age – ILD is more likely to affect adults, although some children may develop the disease
- People with Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD)
Complications from Interstitial Lung Disease
Complications from Interstitial Lung Disease may include:
- High blood pressure
- Heart failure
- Respiratory failure
How to Prevent Interstitial Lung Disease
While there is no way to completely prevent ILD, some lifestyle changes you can make are:
- Stop smoking, never start smoking, and avoid secondhand smoke
- Get vaccinated to help protect your lungs from infection
- Wear protective equipment around hazardous materials
Learn about the Smoking Cessation program at Oneida Health.