Cystic fibrosis

It is an inherited disorder that affects cells that produce mucus sweat and other secretions of the body.

It almost affects all the systems of the body including the respiratory system, digestive system, and reproductive system. Normally the secretions produced in our body are thin and slippery in cystic fibrosis the secretions become thick. Instead of acting as a lubricant, these secretions produce adverse effects and block pathways in the lungs and the pancreas.

Symptoms

Its symptoms vary from patient to patient and even sometimes in the same patient the symptoms worsen or improve automatically. As it affects all the secretory cells in our body so its symptoms are visible in different parts of our body
We can maintain our anatomical position or upright position because our spine is straight and it bends downwards when we bend but sometimes there is a curve in the spine either in the left direction or in the right direction which is not normal and can cause several postures and health issues this curve in the spine is called scoliosis. In scoliosis, our spine is S or C shaped
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Respiratory system symptoms

The thickness of lubricant produced in the lung is more than normal and can lead to breathing issues and other issues such as

• cough normally with thick mucus
• Wheezing sound
• Exercise intolerance due to constricted pathway
• Inflamed nasal pathways and a stuffy nose
• Sinusitis

Digestive system symptoms

Our digestive system produce different secretions which contain enzymes and other components for digesting food the secretions produced by the pancreas are thick and block the pancreatic duct and as well as small intestine which can lead to several complications such as

• Diabetes
• Intestinal obstruction
• Pancreatic duct obstruction
• Severe constipation
• Liver disease because of bile
• Foul-smelling and greasy stools
• Poor weight gain

Reproductive system symptoms

• Almost all Male with cystic fibrosis are infertile because of blockage of tubes that connect testes with the prostate gland the tube is either blocked or missing
• The woman with cystic fibrosis are not infertile but they have less fertility as compared to a normal woman they can still conceive a baby but the symptoms of cystic fibrosis may worsen because of this
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Causes

In cystic fibrosis, there is a defect or mutation in a single gene known as the cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR) gene. This gene regulates the movements of salt in and out of the cell. A change in this gene can cause cystic fibrosis

 How can physical therapy help?

In cystic fibrosis, a patient undergoes physical therapy to prevent secondary symptoms. People suffering from cystic fibrosis require regular sessions of chest physical therapy to clear the build-up mucus so that breathing issues can be resolved. In addition to that, a set of regular exercises is also prescribed by a physical therapist which enhances the fitness level, decreases the septum in the body, prevents a decrease in bone density, and enhances the function of the lungs and other organs.

Physical therapy doesn’t cure the ailment as it is an inherited disease but it can help to depress the symptoms of cystic fibrosis and enable patients to lead a healthy life with this disease
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