Symptoms of Cystic Fibrosis
Symptoms of Cystic Fibrosis
Cystic fibrosis can wreak havoc on the entire human body, especially the lungs. The disease is actually a genetic mutation that affects the glands in the body negatively. Cystic fibrosis can cause chronic sinus infections, coughing up blood, pneumonia, infection, and eventually respiratory failure, pulmonary hypertension (high blood pressure in the lungs), and heart failure. Since this is a genetic disease, there is no cure as of yet, but there are techniques used to manage cystic fibrosis to minimize pain and discomfort in patients. Knowing the symptoms of cystic fibrosis can help early detection and allow doctors to take some measures to keep the disease from advancing rapidly. Here are some of the symptoms of cystic fibrosis that people should be aware of. If you or somebody you know has these symptoms, be sure to visit a physician as soon as possible for a diagnosis.
1. Skin – CF affects glands within the body, including sweat glands, causing them to act erratically. Somebody with cystic fibrosis will notice that their skin tastes salty. Now, most people’s sweat has a little bit of a salty taste, but if there is a noticeably strong salt taste on dry skin, it may be cause for worry. Also, salty skin is a possible symptom of CF, if you taste your skin and it has that taste, that does not mean that you are suffering from the disease. It is, however, important that you visit a physician to find out the cause.
2. Height and weight – The height factor is more noticeable in children, but height and weight can be a highly visible symptom of cystic fibrosis. When it comes to weight, appetite will not be affected but the sufferer may actually lose weight for no apparent reason. For height, if somebody is not growing at a normal rate, it is possible that CF is the cause. If both height and weight are in question, it is imperative that profession help is sought out.
3. Chest infections – This is very common along with sinus infections. The amount of mucus building in the lungs may cause inflammations, which will then lead to infection. People with cystic fibrosis will seemingly be coughing nonstop. If you notice that you or your child are frequently coughing no matter the day, weather, or time of year, this should be something you look into.
4. Infertility – This only occurs in men with CF. While still in the womb, the vas deferens do not form properly. The vas deferens transport semen from the testicles to the penis. CF patients will be infertile because of the lack of that transportation.
Having some familiarity with these signs and symptoms can save you or your child a lot of suffering in the future. As previously stated, there is no cure for cystic fibrosis, but being able to alleviate just a bit of pain or suppressing symptoms for a little while is reason enough to catch this disease early.