Cystic fibrosis
Cystic fibrosis is a genetic condition that causes the body to produce thick, sticky mucus, which clogs the lungs and blocks the digestive system.
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Cystic fibrosis, often abbreviated as CF, is a condition you are born with that changes how your body makes fluids. Normally, your body makes thin, slippery mucus to keep things like your lungs and gut clean, but in CF, this mucus becomes very thick and glue-like.
This sticky mucus builds up in the lungs, making it hard to breathe and trapping germs that cause infections. It also blocks the pancreas, an organ behind your stomach that helps you digest food, which means the body has trouble absorbing the vitamins and nutrients it needs to grow.
Common Symptoms
- A persistent cough that often produces thick mucus or phlegm.
- Wheezing or shortness of breath.
- Frequent lung infections, such as pneumonia or bronchitis.
- Very salty-tasting skin.
- Stools that are greasy, bulky, or cause severe stomach pain.
- Poor weight gain or trouble growing despite having a good appetite.