Emphysema
What are the signs and symptoms of the disease?
Emphysema causes shortness of breath. People with emphysema are often unable to catch their breath with various levels of exercise. Unless the disease is halted, the breathing problems will get worse. In many cases, people will find themselves breathless even at rest.
People with severe emphysema cannot catch their breath when they lie down to sleep. This is called orthopnea. It forces them to get what little rest they can while sitting propped on a pillow or sleeping in a chair.
Other symptoms of emphysema include the following:
breathing through pursed lips
cough that does not produce sputum
wheezing, which is a high-pitched breathing sound
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