The tiny air sacs in the lungs called alveoli, through which oxygen is absorbed into the bloodstream, lose their natural elasticity, meaning spent air is pushed back out into the lungs.
This leaves the lungs feeling continually over full, and it is a struggle for sufferers to force air in and out.
This eventually means that the body is not getting enough oxygen, leading to fatigue and weight loss.
Although it can start simply as mild breathlessness during exercise and a persistent cough, it can leave sufferers housebound and reliant on oxygen supplies, and eventually contribute to death.
Smoking causes it
Emphysema usually affects older people as it is due to culmulative damage over a long period, such as a lifetime of smoking.
Smoking is the principle cause of the disease in the UK, although a career in certain industries, such as mining, also appears to increase the risk of contracting the disease.
In rare cases, it is inherited and results from a deficiency of a protein.
It is quite possible that a patient may have a combination of emphysema and chronic bronchitis, caused by the lungs´ inability to clear mucus, which becomes infected.
This combination is called Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD).
Currently, emphysema cannot be cured, although radical surgical methods have been tried with some success.
Most patients try to control the symptoms with bronchodilators - the same inhalers asthmatics use - as these help relax the airways and help oxygen get to the lungs.
They can also do breathing exercises and try to improve their general fitness.
In heriditary emphysema, the missing protein is given as a therapy.
In chronic COPD, surgeons have taken the radical step of giving lung transplants, and another technique called lung volume reduction surgery is used.
This cuts away the most diseased parts of the lungs, meaning that the remaining lung will work more efficiently.
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