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Treatments for CF
Cystic Fibrosis has no cure, but there are some treatments that help improve breathing and digestive problems. The goal of treatment is to avoid lung damage and damage to other body systems. This slows down the progress of the disease, and elongates the person's life. Treatment for CF is very complicated because every person is different and needs different things to stay healthy. Doctors design a treatment plan for each individual patient. They consider age, symptoms, and general health. They also look at the severity of the disease and the body systems affected.
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Medicine
A treatment for CF is medication used routinely by people with CF. Some of them are Antibiotics to fight off infections, Decongestants to shrink the blood vessels in the nose, Bronchodilators to widen the breathing tubes and make breathing easier, and Mucolytics to thin mucus. |
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Lung Treatment and Transplants
CF treatment mostly focuses on clearing the lungs of thick mucus that clogs the airways. Without lung treatment, people with CF have a hard time breathing and get chronic lung infections. To fight these problems, lung treatment loosens and thins the thick mucus in the airways. It works to keep the lungs working well. Various treatment methods include medication and physical therapy.
A lung transplant is the last resort for some people with CF. In this operation, people get new lungs if their own are too diseased. A transplant is only considered when a person's disease is advanced or the standard treatments aren't working well. Lung transplants are a major breakthrough in treating CF.
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Chest Physical Therapy
CPT is sometimes needed in CF students one to three times a day. During CPT, the CF person sits or lies so that mucus can drain toward the throat. Another person gently thumps the person's chest or back with cupped hands rapidly. It helps move the the mucus from the airways. The mucus moves up to the throat and is coughed into a cup. CPT is done on about areas of the back and chest and takes about thirty minutes. Some people use specail machines for CPT.
Digestive Treatment
Many people with CF cannot digest food properly. There are three types of treatment to help these problems: diet, enzyme supplements, and vitamins. Some people with CF have to eat extra calories, protein, and fat because some of the nutrients aren't absorbed properly. The extra food keeps the body healthy and helps it grow. A healthy body can fight off infections easier. Most people with CF take supplements of pancreatic enzymes. The enzymes go from the stomach to the small intestine. They help break down food into nutrients. Most people with CF have to take two multivitamins every day. They also have to add extra salt to their body because so much is lost when they sweat.
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Exercise
Exercise is a very important part of treatment. It can improve the breathing muscles and strengthen the heart. It can also help loosen mucus in the lungs. Exercise can help the person cough to clear the mucus. Exercise should be well planned and supervised. Popular exercises include swimming, biking, running, weight training, bouncing on a trampoline, playing sports like soccer, basketball, softball, tennis, skiing, and skating, or less vigorous exercise like walking or gardening. People with CF need extra water and salt while they exercise. |
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