Interstitial pneumonia is a group of inflammatory and fibrotic diseases of the lungs caused by various factors. The lesions mainly affect the lung interstitium and alveolar spaces, eventually leading to fibrosis of the lung interstitium and loss of alveolar-capillary function.
The symptoms of interstitial pneumonia mainly include the following:
1. Difficulty breathing: Progressive dyspnea is the most typical symptom of interstitial pneumonia. Patients will experience shallow and rapid breathing. The disease progresses slowly in most patients and usually lasts for several months. In the early stages of interstitial pneumonia, dyspnea may occur during exercise. As the disease progresses, dyspnea may also occur at rest, and it cannot be relieved by sitting or lying down.
2. Irritating dry cough: Interstitial pneumonia can also cause an irritating dry cough, which usually occurs after exertion or forceful breathing. If secondary infection occurs, purulent sputum may develop.
3. Chest pain: Chest pain is not a very common symptom, but it can occur if you have rheumatoid arthritis, systemic lupus erythematosus, or if you have interstitial pneumonia caused by certain medications.
4. Accompanying symptoms: Interstitial pneumonia may also present with some accompanying symptoms, such as weight loss, neurasthenia, fatigue, fever, musculoskeletal pain, joint pain, dry mouth, etc.
5. During a physical examination, the presence of end-inspiratory crackles at the base of the lungs, jugular venous distension, hepatosplenomegaly, and neuropsychiatric symptoms are also possible symptoms of interstitial pneumonia.
In severe cases, symptoms may include shortness of breath, general weakness, weight loss, palpitations, cold sweats, clubbing of the fingers, and cyanosis of the lips and nails. Blood tests reveal elevated neutrophils and significantly increased white blood cell counts in cases of bacterial infection, while normal or decreased white blood cell counts are more common in viral infections. X-ray examination shows increased lung markings and scattered small patchy or punctate infiltrates along the bronchi.