SIGN IN YOUR ACCOUNT TO HAVE ACCESS TO DIFFERENT FEATURES

FORGOT YOUR PASSWORD?

FORGOT YOUR DETAILS?

AAH, WAIT, I REMEMBER NOW!
24/7 HELPLINE (903) 212-7500
  • PATIENT PORTAL LOGIN

PhyNet Health PhyNet Health

  • Home
  • Find a Clinic
    • Hughes Springs, TX
    • Longview, TX
    • Jefferson, TX
    • Kilgore, TX
    • Lindale, TX
    • Linden, TX
    • Gladewater, TX
    • Lone Star, TX
    • Tatum, TX
    • Marshall, TX
  • Health Services
    • Primary Care Services
    • Physical Therapy / Rehab
    • Allergy Testing & Treatment
    • Chronic Care Management
    • Remote Monitoring Program
    • Virtual Visit
  • Resources
    • MedlinePlus Wiki
      • Health Topics
    • Home Health Coordination
    • Transitions of Care
    • Insurance Help
  • About Phynet
    • About Phynet
    • PhyNet News
    • Better Together Stories
    • Careers
  • Billing

Health Topics

Skip navigation

An official website of the United States government

Here’s how you know

Official websites use .gov
A .gov website belongs to an official government organization in the United States.

Secure .gov websites use HTTPS
A lock ( Lock Locked padlock icon ) or https:// means you’ve safely connected to the .gov website. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites.

National Institutes of Health National Library of Medicine
MedlinePlus Trusted Health Information for You
  • Health Topics
  • Drugs & Supplements
  • Genetics
  • Medical Tests
  • Medical Encyclopedia
  • About MedlinePlus
  • About MedlinePlus
  • What's New
  • Site Map
  • Customer Support
  • Health Topics
  • Drugs & Supplements
  • Genetics
  • Medical Tests
  • Medical Encyclopedia
Español
You Are Here:
Home →
Health Topics →
Pulmonary Fibrosis
URL of this page: https://medlineplus.gov/pulmonaryfibrosis.html

Pulmonary Fibrosis

Also called: Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis, IPF
On this page

Basics

  • Summary
  • Start Here
  • Diagnosis and Tests

Learn More

  • Living With
  • Specifics
  • Genetics

See, Play and Learn

  • No links available

Research

  • Clinical Trials
  • Journal Articles

Resources

  • Reference Desk
  • Find an Expert

For You

  • Patient Handouts

Summary

Pulmonary fibrosis is a condition in which the tissue deep in your lungs becomes scarred over time. This tissue gets thick and stiff. That makes it hard for you to catch your breath, and your blood may not get enough oxygen.

Causes of pulmonary fibrosis include environmental pollutants, some medicines, some connective tissue diseases, and interstitial lung disease. Interstitial lung disease is the name for a large group of diseases that inflame or scar the lungs. In most cases, the cause cannot be found. This is called idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis.

Symptoms include:

  • Shortness of breath
  • A dry, hacking cough that doesn't get better
  • Fatigue
  • Weight loss for no known reason
  • Aching muscles and joints
  • Clubbing, which is the widening and rounding of the tips of the fingers or toes

Your doctor may use your medical history, imaging tests, a biopsy, and lung function tests to diagnose pulmonary fibrosis. There is no cure. Treatments can help with symptoms and improve your quality of life. They include medicines, oxygen therapy, pulmonary rehabilitation, or a lung transplant.

NIH: National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute

Start Here

  • Introduction to Pulmonary Fibrosis (American Lung Association)
  • What Is Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis? From the National Institutes of Health (National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute)
  • What Is Pulmonary Fibrosis? (Pulmonary Fibrosis Foundation)

Diagnosis and Tests

  • Arterial Blood Gas (ABG) Test From the National Institutes of Health (National Library of Medicine) Also in Spanish
  • Bronchoscopy and Bronchoalveolar Lavage (BAL) From the National Institutes of Health (National Library of Medicine) Also in Spanish
  • Lung Function Tests From the National Institutes of Health (National Library of Medicine) Also in Spanish
  • Spirometry Video (American Lung Association)
  • Spirometry (Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research) Also in Spanish
  • Tests for Lung Disease From the National Institutes of Health (National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute) Also in Spanish

Living With

  • Maintain Your Health (Pulmonary Fibrosis Foundation)
  • Pulmonary Rehabilitation: MedlinePlus Health Topic From the National Institutes of Health (National Library of Medicine) Also in Spanish

Specifics

  • Familial Pulmonary Fibrosis (National Jewish Health)

Genetics

  • Hermansky-Pudlak syndrome: MedlinePlus Genetics From the National Institutes of Health (National Library of Medicine)
  • Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis: MedlinePlus Genetics From the National Institutes of Health (National Library of Medicine)

Clinical Trials

  • ClinicalTrials.gov: Pulmonary Fibrosis From the National Institutes of Health (National Institutes of Health)

Journal Articles References and abstracts from MEDLINE/PubMed (National Library of Medicine)

  • Article: Engineerable mesenchymal stem cell-derived extracellular vesicles as promising therapeutic strategies for...
  • Article: Therapeutic Prospects of αv Integrins Inhibition in Fibrotic Lung Diseases and...
  • Article: Endothelial sensitivity to pro-fibrotic signals links systemic exposure to pulmonary fibrosis.
  • Pulmonary Fibrosis -- see more articles

Reference Desk

  • How the Lungs Work From the National Institutes of Health Video (National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute) Also in Spanish

Find an Expert

  • American Lung Association
  • National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute From the National Institutes of Health
  • Pulmonary Fibrosis Foundation

Patient Handouts

  • Blood gases (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish
  • Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish
  • Lung diffusion testing (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish
  • Pulmonary function tests (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish

Topic Image

Pulmonary Fibrosis

MEDICAL ENCYCLOPEDIA

  • ACE blood test
  • Blood gases
  • Bronchoscopy
  • Chest x-ray
  • Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis
  • Lung diffusion testing
  • Pulmonary function tests

Related Health Topics

  • Interstitial Lung Diseases
  • Pulmonary Rehabilitation

National Institutes of Health

The primary NIH organization for research on Pulmonary Fibrosis is the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute

Disclaimers

MedlinePlus links to health information from the National Institutes of Health and other federal government agencies. MedlinePlus also links to health information from non-government Web sites. See our disclaimer about external links and our quality guidelines.

The information on this site should not be used as a substitute for professional medical care or advice. Contact a health care provider if you have questions about your health.

  • About MedlinePlus
  • What's New
  • Site Map
  • Customer Support
  • Subscribe to RSSRSS
  • Connect with NLM
  • NLM Web Policies
  • Copyright
  • Accessibility
  • Guidelines for Links
  • Viewers & Players
  • HHS Vulnerability Disclosure
  • MedlinePlus Connect for EHRs
  • For Developers
National Library of Medicine 8600 Rockville Pike, Bethesda, MD 20894 U.S. Department of Health and Human Services National Institutes of Health
Last updated October 14, 2016
Return to top

Patients

  • Find a Clinic
  • Health Services
  • Complex Case Management
  • MA / Medicare Assistance

Quick Links

  • Billing Information
  • Careers
  • About Phynet
  • PhyNet News

Network Links

  • PrimeCareHomeHealth.com
  • PrimeCareNet.com
  • PrimeCareManagers.com
  • Core-Rehab.com

Home Office

4002 Technology Center Longview TX 75605
Phone: (903) 247-0484
Fax: (903) 247-0485
[email protected]
  • PrimeCareHomeHealth.com
  • PrimeCareNet.com
  • PrimeCareManagers.com
  • Core-Rehab.com
  • GET SOCIAL

© 2021 PhyNet Health • All rights reserved
YOUR LIFE. YOUR CHOICE.

TOP