There is no cure for emphysema. The goals of treatment are to provide relief of symptoms and prevent progression of the disease. If patients who are diagnosed with emphysema are still smoking, the first and best form of treatment is to stop. Cigarette smoking will cause the disease to worsen in spite of any other efforts that can be used to improve the symptoms of emphysema.
Environmental control is another factor in treating emphysema.
Many people with emphysema will notice that their symptoms worsen when they are exposed to air pollution, dust or secondhand smoke. Avoid exposure to these agents whenever possible. Your physician may prescribe drugs that act by opening up and relaxing the air passages in the lungs. The most commonly prescribed medications for emphysema include a class of drugs known as B2-agonists. The action of these drugs often leads to improved breathing.