Interstitial Lung Disease
Allergy & Immunology, Rheumatology & Asthma Specialists located in Amarillo, TX
Interstitial lung disease develops when damaged tissue doesn’t heal properly, creating scarring. Constantine K. Saadeh, MD, FAAAAI, FACP, FACR, Nicole Davey-Ranasinghe, MD, FACP, FACR, and the Allergy A.R.T.S. team in Amarillo, Texas, specialize in diagnosing and treating respiratory disorders like interstitial lung disease, so visit them as soon as you develop any symptoms. Call the Allergy A.R.T.S. office today or schedule a consultation online for a prompt diagnosis and the latest interstitial lung disease treatments.
Interstitial lung disease includes disorders that cause ongoing lung tissue scarring. The scarring affects lung function, limiting your oxygen intake.
The primary interstitial lung disease symptoms are a dry cough and shortness of breath when resting that worsens with physical exertion. When these symptoms become severe enough to book a doctor’s visit, you may already have irreversible lung damage.
Interstitial lung disease develops after a lung injury triggers abnormal healing. Your body should produce new tissue to repair the damage properly, but this process goes wrong when you have interstitial lung disease.
The tissue around the alveoli (your lungs’ air sacs) thickens and develops scars that make it hard to extract enough oxygen from the air you inhale.
Triggers for interstitial lung disease include:
Autoimmune disorders like rheumatoid arthritis, scleroderma, Sjögren’s syndrome, and sarcoidosis can also lead to interstitial lung disease.
Some people develop idiopathic interstitial lung disease, meaning there’s no identifiable trigger. The most dangerous of these is idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis.
Diagnosing interstitial lung disease can be challenging because many other disorders cause the same symptoms. After completing a thorough medical history review and physical exam, your Allergy A.R.T.S. provider performs diagnostic tests and procedures such as:
Your provider extracts a lung tissue sample using a bronchoscope — an instrument they pass down your windpipe and into your lungs.
Allergy A.R.T.S. has the most sophisticated diagnostic technology on-site for patient convenience and fast, accurate results.
The lung scarring that interstitial lung disease causes is typically incurable, and the condition progresses even with treatment.
However, Allergy A.R.T.S. offers cutting-edge therapies that help slow interstitial lung disease’s progress, make your symptoms more tolerable, and improve your quality of life.
Treatments you might benefit from include:
If your interstitial lung disease symptoms are severe and these treatments don’t help, you may need lung transplant surgery.
Call Allergy A.R.T.S. today or book an appointment online for a speedy interstitial lung disease diagnosis and effective treatment.