What is cystic fibrosis?

Cystic fibrosis causes your mucus to be thick and sticky. The condition affects mostly your lungs, pancreas, liver, intestines, sinuses and sex organs.

What causes cystic fibrosis?

Cystic fibrosis is an inherited disease of the mucus and sweat glands.

What are the symptoms of cystic fibrosis?

Cystic fibrosis can lead to breathing problems, repeated lung infections and lung damage. Symptoms vary widely. Some people have serious problems from birth, while others have a milder version of the disease that first appears as teens or young adults.

How does Ohio State diagnose cystic fibrosis?

Doctors use genetic, blood and sweat tests to diagnose cystic fibrosis. If you have the condition, you also may require sinus and chest X-rays, a lung-function test and a sputum culture (checking for bacteria in your spit). If you’re pregnant, prenatal genetic tests also can show whether your fetus has cystic fibrosis.

How does Ohio State treat cystic fibrosis?

Although there’s no cure, treatments have improved greatly in recent years. Most deaths from cystic fibrosis occurred in children and teenagers until the 1980s. Today, improved treatments allow some people with cystic fibrosis to live into their 40s, 50s or older. 

If you need at-home therapy equipment

If you need home medical equipment such as airway-clearing devices, they’re easy to obtain quickly through Ohio State Home Medical Equipment (OSHME).

A joint venture between Ohio State Health Inc. and DASCO Home Medical Equipment, OSHME has staff and supplies on hand for Ohio State patients. To lean more about available equipment, place an order or talk to a specialist, visit godasco.com.