What is the difference between cystic fibrosis and bronchiectasis

It also obstructs the pancreas and stops natural enzymes from helping the body break down and absorb food. In the s, few children with cystic fibrosis lived to attend elementary school. Bronchiectasis , which is a part of cystic fibrosis lung disease, also can occur for other reasons.

Bronchiectasis is permanent dilatation and obstruction of the airway wall. Potential causes include, but are not limited to: immunodeficiency, post infectious, and congenital abnormalities. Treatment of non-CF bronchiectasis is similar to that of cystic fibrosis-related bronchiectasis and often requires antibiotics and airway clearance techniques in addition to a comprehensive evaluation for underlying causes.

Today, advances in research and medical treatments have further enhanced and extended life for children and adults with CF. It is crucial for people with CF and non-CF bronchiectasis to loosen and clear mucus from their lungs to allow clear breathing and minimize recurring lung infections. Airway Clearance Therapy ACT is considered a cornerstone of therapy for people with CF and Non-CF bronchiectasis and is aimed at minimizing the effects of airway obstruction, infection, and inflammation in these lung diseases.

Airway clearance therapy is recommended for individuals whose ability to mobilize and clear airway secretions is compromised.

Airway clearance therapy utilizes physical or mechanical means to mobilize mucus and phlegm by facilitating airway clearing through coughing. Today a variety of strategies may be used to enhance airway clearance, with the goal of reducing the amount of mucus in the lungs, thereby reducing the risk of infection, pulmonary exacerbation and lung function decline.

Breathing techniques, gravity assisted postural drainage, manual chest physical therapy and mechanical oscillation devices can be used to produce a cough or cough-like effect to clear mucus out of the lungs. If you or your loved one have CF or non-CF bronchiectasis, review the different ACT options and talk to your care team about the best one s for you.

One of the most effective airway clearance therapies is a high frequency chest wall oscillation HFCWO therapy vest. HFCWO therapy vests produce vibrations at various frequencies and pulse intensities aimed at thinning mucus and loosening it from the airways to help bring it to the upper airways, where it can be coughed out or removed by suction.

HFCWO vests are easy-to-use airway clearance treatments that are self-administered and do not require the assistance of a skilled professional. AffloVest is the first truly portable, battery-operated HFCWO airway clearance therapy vest specifically engineered to give patients the freedom and mobility to streamline and enhance their airway clearance therapy, help mobilize lung secretions, and promote treatment adherence.

AffloVest is designed to deliver seamless mobility without the restriction of bulky hoses and generators found in other therapies and to help improve the quality of life for patients with Bronchiectasis, Cystic Fibrosis , COPD ,MS, MD muscular dystrophy , ALS, and other neuromuscular and respiratory disorders.

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If you disable this cookie, we will not be able to save your preferences. This means that every time you visit this website you will need to enable or disable cookies again. Is Bronchiectasis Related to Cystic Fibrosis? Differences Between Cystic Fibrosis and Bronchiectasis Though these conditions share many similarities—such as shortness of breath, chronic cough, infection, and obstructed airways [2] —their causes and how they affect the lungs are different.

However, bronchiectasis develops after repeated damage to the airways, which may result from several factors: Respiratory Illnesses e. Keep Reading. Privacy Overview This website uses cookies so that we can provide you with the best user experience possible. Electromed does not sell any information we may collect. The right to request their data be deleted. The right to equal services and price.