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Signs and symptoms of pulmonary fibrosis

Having symptoms can be worrying, but many different lung conditions have similar symptoms to pulmonary fibrosis (PF). You may not have PF, but it’s important to check.

What is pulmonary fibrosis (lung scarring)?

The term pulmonary fibrosis describes scar tissue in the lungs. It is a condition where the lungs become scarred over time, making it difficult for the lungs to function properly.

What are the signs and symptoms of pulmonary fibrosis?

The signs and symptoms of pulmonary fibrosis vary between individuals. They are also likely to change if the disease progresses.

Symptoms of pulmonary fibrosis

Symptoms: your experience of pulmonary fibrosis

Common symptoms can include:

shortness of breath (more than usual with everyday activities, like walking upstairs).
dry cough (a persistent cough every day lasting for more than 8 weeks)
tiredness (fatigue)
unexplained weight loss.

Signs of pulmonary fibrosis

Signs: abnormalities found on physical examination.

A common sign is hearing crackles when listening to your chest with a stethoscope. This sounds similar to Velcro being pulled apart.

Another sign can be clubbing of fingers and toes (swollen and rounded finger and toe tips – see diagram opposite).

What should I do if I have symptoms?

If you have symptoms of pulmonary fibrosis, make an appointment with your GP.

Getting ready for your GP appointment

Below are some questions you may want to ask during your appointment. You can save these questions on your phone or print this page and take it with you.

Could I have pulmonary fibrosis?
Can you listen to my breathing for crackles?

Your GP might refer you to a specialist team. This team can do further testing to confirm if your symptoms are due to PF or something else. If you are referred to a specialist team, you may want to ask your GP the following questions.

Which team and hospital am I being referred to?
When should I expect to hear from them?
What further tests will they do?
What can I do to help my symptoms whilst I am waiting for further appointments/testing?

How likely is it to be pulmonary fibrosis?

Many different lung conditions have similar symptoms to pulmonary fibrosis. Some of these conditions may not need treatment and may go away by themselves. However, it's important to check as lung scarring can be mistaken for other conditions.

Some people are more at risk of developing pulmonary fibrosis. This includes people who:

are older than 50
have a family history of lung scarring
smoke or have smoked
have been exposed to substances (such as smoke, dust or asbestos) over a long period of time
have certain diseases (e.g. rheumatoid arthritis)