Definition:
Fibrosis is a condition wherein there is a thickening of fibrous connective tissues - which is usually caused by an injury. A formation of a scar tissue occurs to replace damaged tissues. There are two main types of fibrosis - one is Pulmonary Fibrosis, while the other is Cystic Fibrosis. In pulmonary fibrosis, there will be an observed hardening or scarring of lung tissue. This is due to an excess in collagen. A variation of this is Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis - with this however, the cause is unknown. In Cystic Fibrosis, it is a chronic disease of the body's mucus glands - where at times it could be fatal.
Diagnosis:
For pulmonary fibrosis, a high resolution CAT scan may be needed. Cystic fibrosis may be checked through sweat testing.
Treatment:
For the fibrosis disease, most medication address the symptoms. No permanent cure is yet found for this.
Symptoms and Signs:
For pulmonary fibrosis, one may experience shortness of breath, chest discomfort, a chronic dry cough, loss of appetite and fatigue. For cystic fibrosis, one will experience breathing difficulties, abnormal heart rhythms and respiratory infections.
Causes:
Fibrosis is brought about by a previous injury or an inflammation that has been there for quite some time. In some cases though, no identifiable causes can be traced.
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