Most doctors consider smoking to be the main cause of emphysema. The disorder can potentially be caused by many other lung irritants, but smoking and emphysema tend to go hand in hand in most cases. A person's lungs are filled with tiny air sacs called alveoli, and these are damaged by the presence of irritants such as tobacco smoke. When irritation causes the alveoli to become enlarged and inefficient, doctors call the condition emphysema.
The condition usually takes a long time to develop, and this is one of the reasons why smoking and emphysema are so closely related. Smokers tend to constantly irritate their lungs for years, so emphysema is often a consequence. There is currently no cure for emphysema: any damage done to the alveoli usually cannot be repaired, and the condition will not heal on its own. In cases where smoking and emphysema are connected, some people can slow down or stop the progression of the disease by quitting. They may never have the full lung function they once had, but sometimes a person's overall breathing capacity may improve significantly, even though the alveoli do not return to their previous state.
The symptoms of emphysema can go unnoticed because they take many years to develop. These symptoms also mimic many other lung conditions, so it's easy to mistake them for something else. Some of the more common symptoms include wheezing, shortness of breath, dry cough, and chronic fatigue. As the condition worsens, people may develop a bluish paleness of the skin, caused by lack of oxygen, and may have episodes where they feel dizzy.
In most cases, the primary treatment for most emphysema patients is to stop smoking. There are also medications that improve lung function, and some people with severe symptoms may require oxygen therapy. For people who can get emphysema early enough, it may not have an effect on their lifespan, and many people with more severe symptoms can also manage the disease to some degree. In cases where people continue to smoke even after their symptoms develop, the disease can be fatal.
The connection between smoking and emphysema is just one example of the potential dangers of tobacco. Most experts say that smoking can also lead to lung cancer and other conditions, such as heart disease. Some doctors consider cigarette smoke to be a poison that slowly damages the body, and many people have a hard time quitting because some of the chemicals in tobacco can be highly addictive.