At UVA Health, we work with you to create a custom treatment plan for your bronchiectasis. As a designated Bronchiectasis and NTM Care Center, we follow a model designed to give you the best outcomes possible. This requires a holistic approach and compassionate attention to your daily experience.
At UVA Health, you can trust our team for:
- A speedy, dependable diagnosis
- High-quality care
- Ongoing education
- Resources for support
You don't have to be limited by lung disease. Our program can help you manage symptoms and improve your quality of life.
Bronchiectasis Treatment & Symptom Management
While there is no cure for bronchiectasis, treatment helps manage your symptoms and lowers your risk of future infections. Treatment options include:
- Removing mucus from your airway
- Antibiotics to treat bacterial lung infections
- Diet and exercise
- Medications to clear mucus
- Pulmonary rehab
We offer the kind of experience and expertise you won't find with every doctor.
What Is Bronchiectasis?
Bronchiectasis affects your lungs. Damage and widening of your airway leads to thickening of the lung walls. Because of this damage, it’s harder for you to clear mucus, causing an ongoing cough. It can also lead to a higher risk of infection and inflammation that causes more damage over time.
Bronchiectasis is a life-long, or chronic, condition. However, you can control your risk of flare-ups by managing symptoms.
Bronchiectasis Symptoms
Buildup of mucus in the lungs can lead to symptoms like:
- Daily cough (lasting at least 8 weeks)
- Chest pain
- Clubbing (thickening of the skin under the nails)
- Constant sputum production
- Coughing up blood
- Fatigue
- Fever
- Foul-smelling mucus
- Repeated lung infections
- Shortness of breath or wheezing
Understanding Your Risk & Other Related Conditions
Bronchiectasis doesn’t have a single root cause. But different conditions can cause it or make it worse:
- Cystic fibrosis
- Primary ciliary dyskinesia, a genetic disorder that occurs with bronchiectasis
- Alpha-1 antitrypsin deficiency
- Autoimmune disease
- Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)
- Diabetes
- HIV
- Tumors and foreign bodies in the airway
Lung infections or inflammation can also make bronchiectasis get worse over time. That's why having a care team with the resources and experience to handle this illness can make a real difference in your life.