Respiratory Disorders

The cells in the human body need oxygen to survive and it is the lungs' primary function to remove oxygen from the air we inhale and transmit it into the bloodstream. But before they can strip it...

Patients with obstructive sleep apnea may require a CPAP (continuous positive airway pressure) or BiPAP (bi-level positive airway pressure) machine. These machines blow air pressure into the...

Many people are occasionally afflicted by shortness of breath, which is known medically as dyspnea. Barring a diagnosis by a medical professional, shortness of breath cannot be solely attributed...

Black mold exposure is responsible for many health problems. Long-term exposure can cause or contribute to many serious illnesses. Look for black mold as an underlying problem if any of these...

The body produces mucus as a natural defense against irritants and bacteria that are in the air or your body. Mucus naturally forms in the sinuses, nose, throat and lungs. Excess mucus that is...

Sinusitis (also called a sinus infection) is the inflammation of the sinus cavities. Sinus infection symptoms can range from nasal congestion to migraine headache. It may also take the form of a...

Hypoxemia, or hypoxia, is the medical term for a low oxygen level. This condition can be characterized by shortness of breath and reduced exercise capacity, with fatigue occurring quickly after...

When irritants such as smoke and pollen enter the airways, the immune system goes into action, causing inflammation. If the irritants are not removed, then the inflammation continues, leading to...

Obstructive sleep apnea is a condition in which a patient's airway becomes blocked during sleep. The patient will temporarily quit breathing and, generally, awaken during the night. A CPAP...

Obstructive sleep apnea is a condition in which a person's airways become blocked during sleep causing him to temporarily quit breathing and, generally, wake up in the night. As a result, he will...

Oxygen in the blood is transported to all the organs of the body. Without enough oxygen, the organs can't function properly. An oxygen saturation test is done to determine the amount of oxygen in...

Lung damage can be caused by a number of things. It is our job to know what those things are and to avoid them if possible. Many times in our youth we get careless and don't understand the...

Many people suffer from sinus congestion on a regular basis. If you have allergies or get frequent colds, you may find that your sinuses rarely feel really clear. Some of this may be due to...

Respiratory alkalosis is a condition caused by respiratory hyperventilation. When you hyperventilate, you blow out too much carbon dioxide, and this increases your blood pH. You may experience...

Bronchial irritation can result from illnesses like bronchitis or other respiratory infections, certain health conditions and diseases or smoking. You can take several simple actions to ease this...

Ancient Greeks used hyssop to treat coughing and wheezing, and for clearing the lungs. Herbalists have used it for chest ailments and infections. For colds and respiratory infections, hyssop tea...

Aminophylline is a bronchodilator medication, meaning it is used to improve breathing in people with respiratory disorders. The chemical structure of aminophylline is designed to make it dissolve...

Shortness of breath, medically known as dyspnea, can feel like you just can't get enough air. It's also possible for stress to make your breathing more and more shallow without your knowing...

Atypical pneumonia is sometimes referred to as "walking pneumonia." This is because the patient is able to walk around rather than being hospitalized. It is caused by various bacteria entering the...

Tuberculosis, or TB, is an infectious illness that most commonly attacks the lungs, but can have an effect on other organs, including the liver. TB can be transmitted through the air by infected...

The tonsils are fleshy pads, at the back of the throat, that act as part of the immune system. The tonsils act as filters, stopping debris and bacteria from getting further down the throat. Sore...

Bronchitis is an inflammation of the bronchial tube linings in the lungs. Acute bronchitis often follows a respiratory infection such as a cold. Chronic bronchitis is a serious long term...

Tuberculosis (TB) is an infection that attacks the lungs. It is spread from person to person through the air. Each year TB is responsible for the deaths of some two million people worldwide.

Post nasal drip refers to the sensation of a thick mucous discharge dripping down the back of the throat. This phlegm often becomes infected because it is just lying stagnant in the back of the...

A tracheostomy is a relatively simple procedure that involves making an incision into the neck and through the windpipe. It's used when a person is having difficulty breathing due to an...

Your lungs take oxygen from the air and deliver it to your bloodstream. Your cells use this oxygen to work and grow. The average adult takes 15 to 20 breaths a minute, which amounts to more than...

Lung problems can include asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, infections, pneumonia, tuberculosis, and lung cancer (see Reference 1). According to the National Institutes of Health,...

Pneumonia is a group of diseases that cause infection or swelling in the lungs. There are several types of pneumonia. There are several types and causes of pneumonia. The symptoms vary among the...

You have been struggling with the diagnosis and symptoms of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) when your doctor raises the prospect of physical therapy. You see visions of exercise bikes...

Tuberculosis is an infection that attacks the lungs. It is spread from person to person through the air. Each year, tuberculosis is responsible for the deaths of some 2 million people worldwide.

Beta blockers slow down the heart to minimize the effect of stress. However, they have been known to worsen breathing problems by causing constriction of the airway and contraction of the muscles...

Snoring is not a problem that should be brushed aside casually. It can do more harm than simply frustrating your partner or earning you sharp pokes in your back when you are asleep. Unfortunately,...

Sinus infections occur when the tissue in the nasal cavity become inflamed and swollen. When this occurs, the sinuses cannot drain, which causes the mucus to build up making breathing through the...

Respiratory alkalosis, defined by low levels of carbon dioxide in the blood, is most frequently caused by hyperventilation (also one of its primary symptoms) which can be triggered by fear,...

Lung mucus, otherwise known as phlegm, is made up of dead bacteria, tissues, and cells that are needed to wash away outside particles in the lungs--like dust, pollen, and industrial pollutants--so...

The nasal septum is a narrow wall of bone and cartilage which acts as a dividing line between the two nostrils. The septum can deviate away from the center line of the nose. This results in...

Patients with obstructive sleep apnea might require the use of a CPAP (continuous positive airway pressure) machine. The machine blows air pressure through tubing and a mask into the patient's...

Sinusitis happens when the nasal cavities become irritated and blocked. The sinus inflammation may include eye pain, pressure, headache and nasal congestion. There are two types of...

If you have been exposed to someone who has tuberculosis, you will need to be checked by your physician to be certain that you have not been infected. Tuberculosis is transmitted by people who are...

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is the collective name for two diseases, emphysema and chronic bronchitis, in which the patient's lungs are damaged, causing difficulty breathing. COPD...

Apnea refers to the temporary cessation of breathing. Sleep apnea means that you temporarily stop breathing in your sleep. It can be a dangerous condition and has many different causes, such as...

Smoking cigarettes can severely damage the lungs. Quitting is the best way to halt the damage that has already been done. Once you quit, you can do several things to increase the strength of your...

"More than 12 million people in the United States suffer from chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)," according to the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute. COPD is a life-threatening...

Mucus can in the respiratory system can sometimes accumulate and block the airways. The buildup of mucus also allows bacteria to settle and multiply, which can cause infections of the lungs such...

According to the American Academy of Otolaryngology, 25 percent of American adults are problem snorers, and 45 percent have occasional problems with snoring. Snoring can place a heavy burden on a...

A nebulizer (breathing machine) is used to administer inhaled medication. The machine uses pressurized room air to create a mist which delivers medicated air to the lungs for treating lung...

Sinus infections occur when the paranasal sinuses--air cavities in the head--become filled. Many people experience occasional sinus infections but some people have recurrent sinus infections...

Patients who suffer from obstructive sleep apnea require the use of a CPAP machine. The CPAP, or Continuous Positive Airway Pressure machine, blows air pressure through tubing and a mask into the...

Patients who have obstructive sleep apnea require the use of a CPAP, or Continuous Positive Airway Pressure, machine. The CPAP machine blows air pressure through tubing and a mask into the...

In the past, women suffering with fibroids had few non-surgical alternatives for treating the condition. However, new research has changed that, with some women now turning to non-invasive heat...