Patient's question:
The patient is 35 years old. My wife has been coughing for a long time without improvement, and now she can't do anything even after work and has to rest at home, especially getting worse when going outside. Yesterday, I took her to a local hospital for a thorough examination, and the result was pulmonary fibrosis. I would like to consult whether pulmonary fibrosis is a terminal illness?Doctor's answer:
Pulmonary fibrosis is a challenging disease worldwide, but it is not a terminal illness. Currently, Western medicine primarily uses hormones and immunosuppressants for treatment, which has poor long-term efficacy, significant side effects, and only temporarily suppresses alveolitis and alleviates symptoms. However, it cannot fundamentally alter the pathological changes in the lungs from a Western medical perspective. It is fundamentally impossible to reverse this condition from a Western medical standpoint. I recommend that you visit a formal hospital and consult the Traditional Chinese Medicine department for a follow-up evaluation and seek treatment from a Traditional Chinese Medicine perspective. In daily life, pay attention to a light diet and strictly avoid spicy, greasy, fried, extremely cold, and overly salty foods. Abstain from smoking and alcohol.