Fibrothorax
Natural Remedies

  1. Home
  2. Ailments

Natural Remedies for Fibrothorax (Trapped Lung)

on Jul 28, 2023| Modified on Jul 28, 2023
Add New Post Comments

Fibrothorax, also referred to as trapped lung, is a serious respiratory condition characterized by the formation of a fibrous membrane or scar tissue around one or two lobes of the lung, inhibiting their expansion. This condition can lead to respiratory discomfort and breathlessness. While it is paramount that you seek immediate medical attention for fibrothorax, there are several natural remedies you can adopt alongside your prescribed treatment to enhance your lung health and improve your overall wellbeing.

Understanding Fibrothorax

Fibrothorax is often a complication of other lung diseases, such as pleural effusion and pneumothorax, but can also result from infection, trauma, or surgery. The fibrous membrane that forms in the pleural space, the thin layer of tissue between the lungs and the chest wall, restricts lung movement, leading to impaired respiratory function.

Natural Remedies and Supplements for Boosting Lung Health

Serrapeptase

Serrapeptase is a proteolytic enzyme, which means it breaks down protein. It's derived from the bacteria Serratia E-15, found in the digestive tract of silkworms. Some research suggests that serrapeptase might have anti-inflammatory and analgesic effects, potentially helping with pain and inflammation associated with lung conditions.

Nattokinase

Nattokinase is an enzyme derived from natto, traditional Japanese food from fermented soybeans. It's primarily known for its fibrinolytic properties, meaning it can help break down fibrin, a protein involved in blood clotting. While this makes it potentially helpful in cardiovascular health, its effectiveness in treating lung conditions like fibrothorax has not been established in scientific research.

Breathing Exercises

Breathing exercises serve as an integral part of pulmonary rehabilitation. Techniques like pursed-lip and diaphragmatic breathing can help fortify respiratory muscles, improve lung capacity, and alleviate breathlessness.

Hydration

Staying well-hydrated is vital for maintaining optimal lung health. Water helps thin the mucus in the airways and lungs, promoting better lung function and preventing infections.

Antioxidant-Rich Foods

Including antioxidant-rich foods in your diet can help combat oxidative stress, a significant contributor to lung damage. Foods high in antioxidants such as berries, nuts, dark chocolate, spinach, and beetroot can enhance your overall lung health.

Omega-3 Fatty Acids

Omega-3 fatty acids, abundant in fatty fish, flaxseeds, and walnuts, boast powerful anti-inflammatory properties. These can help reduce inflammation in the lungs, thereby improving lung function.

Vitamin D

Evidence suggests a correlation between Vitamin D deficiency and several respiratory issues. Incorporating Vitamin D rich foods like fatty fish, fortified dairy products, or supplements in your diet can boost lung health.

Quit Smoking

If you're a smoker, quitting is the most significant step you can take to improve your lung health. Smoke damages the lung tissue and can lead to various lung conditions, including fibrothorax.

Regular Exercise

Regular physical activity can increase lung capacity and endurance. It also helps to improve overall cardiovascular health and strengthens the immune system.

Conclusion

While these natural remedies can help support the recovery process and enhance overall lung health, they should not replace professional medical treatment. Fibrothorax is a serious condition that requires immediate medical attention. It's always advisable to consult with your healthcare provider before starting any new supplements or natural remedies. A comprehensive care approach that harmonizes medical treatment with natural therapeutic strategies can guide your journey to better lung health.

The comments below reflect the personal experiences and opinions of readers and do not represent medical advice or the views of this website. The information shared has not been evaluated by the FDA and is not intended to diagnose, treat, or prevent any disease or health condition. Always consult a qualified healthcare professional for medical concerns.
Sort by Default New Loved

Trapped Lung Remedies

Posted by Pinkbirds (Puerto Nuevo, Mexico) on 07/28/2023

I have a 'trapped lung' - this is when a fibrous membrane grows around a lobe (or 2) or the lung and prevents it from expanding. Allopathic medicine tells me the only solution is a complex operation to scrape it off the lung.

I am wondering if anyone knows of any natural way to dissolve this membrane. I have seen TCM practitioners and none can help; same w/ Ayurvedic practitioners. In the thousands of years that the Chinese and Indians have existed I find it hard to believe that this has not been seen before but evidently, it's not very common.

Any and all help would be appreciated. Thank you.

Replied by Art
(California)
07/28/2023
2348 posts

Pinkbirds,

Fairly rare condition so useful studies are limited at best. Looking at Fibrothorax as the severe form of fibrosis that it is, these two studies may be of interest to you as they discuss two supplements that tend to be protective of the lungs and potentially fight fibrosis :

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9143957/

Here is a relevant quote :

' Zinc plays a crucial role in human enzyme activity, making it an essential trace element. As a cofactor in metalloenzymes and metalloproteins, zinc involves a wide range of biological processes, such as gene transcription, translation, phagocytosis, and immunoglobulin and cytokine production in both health and disease. Zinc has gained considerable interest in these lung diseases because of its anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, immune, and metabolic modulatory properties. Here we highlight the role and mechanisms of zinc in the pathogenesis of asthma, COPD, CF, acute respiratory distress syndrome, idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis, and pulmonary hypertension. '

And this article to add corroboration to the above study :

https://www.cedars-sinai.org/newsroom/zinc-found-to-play-an-important-role-in-lung-fibrosis/

A relevant article quote :

' Investigators from the Women's Guild Lung Institute at Cedars-Sinai have discovered that zinc, a common mineral, may reverse lung damage and improve survival for patients with a deadly age-related condition known as idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF). '

Granted this is not Fibrothorax, but fibrothorax is a a severe form of fibrosis.

This next study suggests that Selenium L Methionine (SLM) may also be useful as a type of lung protectant :

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7040518/

A relevant graph from the study regarding fibrosis :

Look specifically at the fibrosis caused by radiation exposure and then look at the column that shows how much fibrosis remained after the addition of SLM to the radiation treatment. Notice that they specifically used the type of selenium called Selenium L-Methionine in this study.

An external file that holds a picture, illustration, etc. Object name is CCP-14-157_F1.jpg

This last review of melatonin highlights its protective effects related to various lung diseases including COPD and Pulmonary Fibrosis :

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8892605/

Here are two relevant quotes from the review :

' Melatonin may have a beneficial effect on pulmonary fibrosis due to its immunoregulatory effects and inhibits the production of pro-inflammatory cytokines, such as IL-17A, stimulating type 1 collagen expression. The inhibitory effect of melatonin on Wnt/β-catenin signaling suggests that melatonin inhibits Wnt/β-catenin/TGF-β-induced expression and deposition of type I collagen, a factor required for matrix stiffening in pulmonary fibrosis (130). '

' Preclinical data suggest that increased TGF-β1, brain-derived neurotrophic factor, NLRP3, oxidant and mucus production, as well as reduced sirtuin-1 and antioxidant levels, suboptimal mitochondrial activity and dysfunction in the endoplasmic reticulum are important in COPD (96). All of them may be substantially improved by melatonin therapy. The protective effect of melatonin on COPD relies on targeting MT1 or MT2 (97, 98) Melatonin improves the necroptosis by altering the LPS-induced disordered pathways of alanine, aspartate and glutamate metabolism (99-101). '

These three supplements may be worth discussing with your doctor to see if they may be worth trying for your Fibrothorax.

Art


Advertisement

Please note that we use cookies necessary for the functioning of our website, cookies that optimize the performance. To learn more about our cookies, how we use them and their benefits, please read our Privacy Policy