What is emphysema? What effect does emphysema have on breathing? What are the causes and treatments? Solution Emphysema is progressive disease of lungs that causes due to over inflation of alveoli. The lung tissue involved in exchange of gases are impaired or destroyed. In this disease, the airflow on exhalation is slowed or stopped because of over inflation of alveoli . So when a person tries to breathe, no movements of gases out of the alveoli. The causes of emphysema are cigarette smoking, air pollution, airway reactivity etc. It can be treated using bronchodilating medications, steroid medications, antibiotics, and oxygen in the case of emergency conditions..