Life With Non-Cystic Fibrosis Bronchiectasis

(StatePoint) For Barb, who has been living with bronchiectasis for nearly 20 years, shortness of breath and an uncontrollable cough were a part of her daily life. She knew something was wrong because her coughing and the excessive mucus she continued to cough up didn’t feel normal.

Bronchiectasis is a chronic, inflammatory lung disease that can worsen over time. People living with the condition often experience symptoms such as chronic cough, excess mucus, and recurrent lung infections, which may overlap with other respiratory conditions like asthma or COPD. An estimated 500,000 adults in the United States are diagnosed with bronchiectasis, and it’s believed that even more may be living with the disease. Though bronchiectasis is chronic and irreversible, there are treatments and disease management plans for patients.