Respiratory Disorders

The tuberculosis skin test is a method used to check if a person is infected with Mycobacterium tuberculosis, which is the bacteria that causes tuberculosis, or TB. The test involves injecting a...

Most new parents concern themselves with whether their baby will be a boy or girl, how to decorate the nursery, and who will babysit. When push comes to shove, however, all these concerns can go...

Tuberculosis (TB) is one of the deadliest diseases in the world. The World Health Organization estimates that 9.2 million new cases of TB occurred worldwide in 2008. Of those 9.2 million, 1.7...

Sinus congestion is swollen nasal passageways due to allergies, the cold or flu, nasal polyps or infection. The congestion can be a symptom of sinusitis, the side effects of medication or any...

Perforomist (formoterol inhalation solution) is a long-acting bronchodilator used to treat respiratory diseases like asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. Perforomist is delivered as a...

Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease or COPD is responsible for over 100,000 deaths in the United States each year, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Rather than...

Asthma strikes more children in the United States than any other chronic illness. Asthma can be frightening and confusing for children, so it is important to make sure they understand the disease...

Approximately 1 out of every 500 chest X-rays reveals the growth of a lung nodule, according to the University of Rochester Medical Center. Also called a pulmonary nodule, a lung nodule is a...

A sinus infection, also called sinusitis, occurs when the sinuses become inflamed because of a viral, bacterial or fungal infection. Acute sinus infections usually resolve within a few weeks, but...

When someone stops breathing it is called apnea. Apnea may be temporary or prolonged. Respiratory arrest is prolonged apnea. In children, cardiac arrest is often the caused by respiratory arrest,...

Lung nodules, also known as pulmonary nodules, are round or oval lesions located in the lungs. The lesions can be benign, non-cancerous, or malignant, cancerous. According to Allen J. Blaivas,...

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease is a medical condition that affects the lungs. Chronic bronchitis, asthma and emphysema are types of chronic obstructive pulmonary diseases, according to an...

Tuberculosis, or TB, is a contagious disease spread from person to person through the air. Due to the contagiousness, TB screening is important, to prevent the spread of it and protect people at...

A nasal cannula is a plastic device that is made of two nasal prongs that are inserted into the nostrils, plastic tubing that is slid over the ears and a slider used to adjust tightness of the...

Sometimes called chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, chronic destructive pulmonary disease is not one specific disease, but a group of medical conditions that affect the lungs. Emphysema and...

Several conditions could contribute to shortness of breath in the elderly, some of which are serious or potentially serious. Be sure to see your doctor if you experience shortness of breath.

A pulse oximeter is a medical device that measures the percentage of hemoglobin that is saturated with oxygen. A normal pulse oximeter reading is 96 percent to 100 oxygen saturation. Many elements...

Sinusitis is characterized by inflamed sinuses, the air-filled cavities around your eyes, nose and cheeks. The inflammation interferes with normal mucous drainage. Fungal infections are one cause...

Chronic obstruction pulmonary disease, or COPD, causes more than 100,000 deaths per year in the United States and more than 700,000 hospitalizations, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease...

Lung disease is the third highest leading cause of death in America, according to the American Lung Association. More than 35 million people in the United States live with lung diseases.

Viral lung infections---pneumonia, upper respiratory tract infection or influenza---can knock you off your feet, but typically are not serious unless you are elderly or your immune system is...

Shortness of breath and upper back pain should be treated seriously as they could signal an impending heart attack. Other serious conditions also share these symptoms, so seek medical attention...

Fungal balls in the sinuses are caused by an overgrowth of fungi, often from the family Aspergillus, a common bread mold. People with sinus fungal balls may think they have chronic bacterial sinus...

Sleep apnea symptoms are easy to recognize if you know what you're looking for. This sleep disorder can lead to serious health problems and the need for expensive tests and equipment if not caught...

Human mycoplasma infection is the scientific name for an illness sometimes called walking pneumonia. The symptoms of the infection are usually very mild, according to the Mayo Clinic.

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a term for describing conditions involving obstruction of airflow to the lungs due to lung damage that results in difficulty breathing. Emphysema...

Stachybotrys chartarum, better known as black mold or toxic mold, can cause several health problems. But black mold isn't the only kind of mold that can affect people. Mold exposure poses a...

You probably already perform pursed lip breathing but are unaware of it. Yet this simple technique is taught as an efficient method for decreasing stress and improving the comfort of people with...

Nasal cannulas are small tubes worn in the nostrils that connect to oxygen distribution devices. They are used most often by individuals who have respiratory illnesses that impede the adequate...

Entex PSE is a brand name for an over-the-counter-medication used to treat symptoms of the common cold, sinus congestion and allergies. Entex PSE contains a combination of the drugs guaifenesin...

According to NIH, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a disease that makes it difficult to breathe and worsens over time. There is no cure for COPD. It affects more than 12 million...

Oxygen can be delivered via a number of systems. One such system is the nasal cannula, a plastic device made of two protruding prongs that are inserted into the nostrils, tubing for attachment and...

Aspergillus is a type of mold that is abundant in the air you breathe. For most people this mold is harmless, but in others, aspergillus poses a threat for a fungal infection of the lungs known as...

Nose bleeds are pretty common and chances are, you have probably had one before. Occasional nose bleeds don't usually indicate a problem. The tiny blood vessels that line the inside of your nose...

Asbestos is a mineral that is resistant to heat and was previously used extensively in insulation and fire-retardant materials. Asbestosis occurs when asbestos fibers are inhaled and accumulate in...

Your doctor believes you may have a calcium deposit (or calcification) on or in your lung. He may also use the term: 'pulmonary calcification'. While calcium deposits in the lung are usually...

Blood oxygen levels tell your doctor how much oxygen is traveling through your blood to the cells in your body. Without enough oxygen, your cells will begin to die, which can cause...

Obstructive pulmonary disease, also known as COPD, or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, refers to lung diseases that cause shortness of breath. Emphysema and chronic bronchitis are two lung...

Pulmonary disease is a medical condition that combines chronic bronchitis with emphysema. As a result, patients are unable to breathe efficiently, which affects their ability to live a healthy...

I used to smoke. Started in high school, and just like most all the other students, ran outside to a small coffee shop to puff, and puff, and puff. It carried on through the Navy and on until I...

Many types of blood tests analyze blood taken from a vein. However, during an arterial blood gas (ABG) test, the blood is taken from an artery. The test measures the amount of carbon dioxide and...

According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), drug-resistant tuberculosis is a disease caused by normal tuberculosis organisms that have developed a resistance to at least one drug commonly...

Commonly referred to as bronchitis, bronchial infections cause swelling and mucus formation in your bronchial tubes which can make it difficult for you to breathe. Since your bronchial tubes have...

Diacetyl-induced bronchiolitis obliterans is a serious and rare lung disease, associated with inhaling a butter flavoring once common in microwave popcorn. Workers in the popcorn industry began...

Beryllium Disease is a lung disease that causes scarring of the lung tissue. Symptoms of the disease include shortness of breath during physical activity, a constant dry cough, fatigue, and chest...

Spiriva (Tiotropium) is used for COPD Treatment. COPD stands for Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease. COPD manifests itself as either emphysema or chronic bronchitis. Tiotropium prevents COPD...

Lung infections, like pneumonia, can be caused by parasites, viruses, bacteria and fungi. If you have a lung infection, then it probably began after an upper-respiratory infection. Pneumonia can...

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, or COPD, refers to chronic bronchitis and emphysema. It is a disease that makes it difficult to breathe and gets worse over time. It causes shortness of...

Arterial blood gases, also known as ABGs, are used to determine and diagnose respiratory-system disorders. They are typically drawn from the radial artery of the wrist, as this artery is the...

There are many causes of dizziness and shortness of breath (dyspnea). Dizziness and shortness of breath are common side effects of many medications. The two are also symptoms of various health...