Pulmonary Fibrosis and Lung Scarring Explained

5. Symptoms

People with pulmonary fibrosis experience the disease in different ways. The most common symptoms are a dry, hacking cough, shortness of breath — particularly with activity — loss of appetite, unexplained weight loss, achy muscles and joints, extreme tiredness or weakness, and fast, shallow breathing. These are also the symptoms of many other medical problems, including multiple lung conditions, so doctors must rule out other possibilities to reach a correct diagnosis.