Thick mucus clogs the passageways that carry air around the lungs, causing:
- A persistent cough with thick mucus
- Wheezing
- Exercise intolerance
- Repeated lung infections
- Stuffy nose
- Recurring sinusitis


Respiratory Symptoms of Cystic Fibrosis

Thick mucus clogs the tubes connecting the pancreas to the small intestine, preventing the movement of digestive enzymes. The intestine is not able to absorb the nutrients from food completely, causing:
- Greasy stool with strong odor
- Poor growth and weight gain
- Intestinal blockages
- Chronic or severe constipation


Digestive Symptoms of Cystic Fibrosis

- Infertility in men caused by an obstruction between the testes and prostate gland
- Reduced fertility in women

Reproductive Complications of Cystic Fibrosis

- Bone and muscle issues (such as osteoporosis, arthritis, and pain of the joints and muscles)
- Electrolyte imbalance and dehydration from increased salt levels in sweat
- Fear, depression, or anxiety from hopelessness of chronic, uncurable illness

Other Complications of Cystic Fibrosis

Symptoms vary between affected individuals, and can change over a person's lifetime. Those with milder symptoms are sometimes not diagnosed until teenage or adulthood, and commonly experience atypical symptoms.

University of Michigan - Ann Arbor

Cystic fibrosis is an inherited disorder that affects cells that produce mucus, sweat and digestive juices. In affected individuals, these secretions are much thicker than they should be, causing blockages in passageways of the body.

Cystic Fibrosis

Mayo Clinic. (n.d.) Cystic fibrosis. https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/cystic-fibrosis/symptoms-causes/syc-20353700

Cystic Fibrosis Mayo Clinic

Cystic Fibrosis Symptoms

Cystic fibrosis is caused by a mutation in the cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR) gene. The resulting protein is not able to regulate the movement of salt in and out of cells as well, causing thick mucus in the respiratory, digestive, and reproductive symptoms, and increased salt levels in sweat. The different ways a mutation can develop will affect the severity of the symptoms that present. Children need to inherit the mutation from both parents in order to have cystic fibrosis; if they only inherit from one parent, they will be asymptomatic carriers.

Cystic Fibrosis Causes

Cystic fibrosis has no cure, but can be treated to manage the effects of presenting symptoms. Medications can be used to thin mucus and control respiratory and digestive symptoms. Newer medications can target the mutated genes, allowing for better performance of inhibited proteins, lessening the severity of symptoms. Other treatments include airway clearance techniques, pulmonary rehabilitation, and certain surgeries.

Cystic Fibrosis Treatment

Vaeth, S. V., & Martins, L. M. (n.d.). Teens, cystic fibrosis and emotional health. The Cystic Fibrosis Center at Stanford. https://med.stanford.edu/cfcenter/teens/CysticFibrosisandEmotionalHealth_000.html

reference for cystic fibrosis and teen mental health

Quittner, A. L., Saez-Flores, E., & Barton, J. D. (2016). The psychological burden of cystic fibrosis. Current Opinion in Pulmonary Medicine, 22(2), 187–191. https://doi.org/10.1097/mcp.0000000000000244

reference for the psychological burden of cystic fibrosis

Often times, treatments for adults may not be as efficient as treatments for adolescents and vice versa. As such, the lived experiences of patients of different age demographics with the same chronic condition can vary widely. So, the need to examine the realities and burdens faced by both groups separately is important in understanding the overall psychological burden of cystic fibrosis.

Learn Before

Related

Learn After