Respiratory Disorders

Gastric bypass surgery is performed to help very overweight people lose weight. It makes your stomach smaller so that you feel full and eat less. It also can cause malabsorption of food, because...

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...

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...

Inflamed nose membranes may be caused by dry air, allergies, infection and overuse of nose sprays. Spicy food, strong emotions, oral medications and consumption of alcohol may also trigger...

Asthma and pneumonia both affect the respiratory system. According to the National Institutes of Health, asthma causes the bronchial tubes to become inflamed and narrowed and pneumonia is an...

Shortness of breath and difficulty breathing---medically known as dyspnea---can be a frightening experience. It can be caused by various conditions, including anemia, a lung or other infection,...

COPD (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease) is a group of lung diseases that includes emphysema. These conditions obstruct proper airflow and cause breathing difficulties. The vast majority of...

Aminophylline, according to drugs.com, is a bronchodilator. It works by relaxing muscles in your lungs and chest to allow in more air, decreasing the sensitivity of your lungs to allergens and...

A diagnosis of tuberculosis (TB), while quite serious, is no longer a death sentence. Most healthy individuals can survive and beat TB with the proper medical care. Living with the disease during...

COPD (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease) is a chronic disease of the airways in the lungs that gets worse over time. Unfortunately, if you have COPD, there is no cure. But there are medicines...

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, or COPD, is a term used to describe two distinct ailments: chronic bronchitis and emphysema. It is characterized by a sometimes fatal inability to process...

If your a Man over 40 and have discovered you are having a difficulty breathing as well as you used to...this may be for you.

Mucus is a slimy, slippery body secretion produced by mucous membranes and can form in your lungs, ears, nose and intestinal tract. When you're sick, your body will start producing mucus to clear...

COPD stands for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. It is a progressive, non-contagious disease that is often caused by smoking cigarettes or the exposure over time to other irritating airborne...

Oxygen therapy provides supplemental oxygen to sufferers of a variety of ailments. It usually includes the use of small, portable oxygen tanks or those with chambers large enough to hold two or...

Dry throat, also known as xerostomia, is a common ailment that can make it uncomfortable for one to talk, swallow, and eat. Dry throat symptoms can occur in individuals who do not exhibit other...

Shortness of breath may be a symptom of a number of health conditions, including heart disease, multiple sclerosis, asthma, bronchitis, emphysema, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and the...

Tuberculosis, once believed to be a disease of the 19th century, is making a comeback. Many employers require a TB test prior to hiring, or you may just want to know whether you have been exposed...

Chronic coughing is frustrating and embarrassing, and it could be a sign of a more serious medical condition. Chronic cough is defined medically as a cough lasting eight weeks or longer, but in...

Bronchitis is the inflammation of air passages inside the lungs. Although bronchitis is generally cured with a round of prescription antibiotics, antibiotics are not recommended as a treatment...

Wheezing colds are characterized by coughing that causes shortness of breath, heavy contraction of the chest and a wheezing sound. They are common in people who suffer from asthma but they can...

A D.O. is a Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine, and they stress prevention and wellness for the entire body. Discover how osteopathic medical physicians use their hands to diagnose and treat diseases...

In order to find a doctor, get recommendations from friends and family, from insurance companies, and by visiting doctor's offices. Call a medical board to see if a doctor has ever had any...

Treatment for emphysema comes in many forms depending on the severity of the disease, including steroid medications, antibiotics and oxygen. Oxygen therapy is increasingly being used outside of...

Pneumonia occurs when a person's lungs become inflamed, usually due to a bacterial or viral infection. Some less common causes are fungal infections and parasite invasions. Pneumonia can be found...

Chronic bronchitis is a persistent cough that produces phlegm and mucus and lasts at least three months in a two year period. It is generally, but not necessarily, part of COPD syndrome. There are...

Asbestosis is caused by heavy, long-term exposure to asbestos. This can come from living in a home that never had asbestos removed, or from an occupation such as mining. Asbestosis is not a...

Bronchitis should never be ignored. Here's how this family treats bronchitis.

Bronchitis is an upper respiratory illness that involves the lung's airways becoming inflamed and the bronchial tubes being obstructed. Causes include bacteria or viral infections, smoking,...

Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome (ARDS) is a serious condition in a child. Any sign of breathing trouble could be the sign of ARDS, which occurs when fluid enters the lungs, making it hard to...

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a lung disease in which the lungs are damaged, making it hard to breathe. In COPD, the airways—the tubes that carry air in and out of your...

Bronchiolitis is the inflammation of the bronchioles in lungs which labors breathing. Fatal if left untreated, bronchiolitis, affects infants and small children. Learn how to treat bronchiolitis...

A condition caused by excessive buildup of mucus within the respiratory tract, bronchiectasis causes blockages in the respiratory airways. This blockage makes the airways enlarge and stretch. As...

Prednisone is one of the most popular types of corticosteroid used to treat emphysema. Prednisone has been used for at least 50 years because it provides effective relief with side effects that...

Bronchodilators are the single most common treatment prescribed for emphysema. They are used to increase airflow in the lungs by dilating the airway passages (bronchi). The bronchodilators used to...

Corticosteroid drugs are among the most common treatments used for emphysema. They are stronger than any other medicine available, but they carry a series of secondary effects that makes them...

The sweat test for cystic fibrosis is the least invasive of all CF tests. Doctors take a sample of your sweat to look for tell tale signs of cystic fibrosis. If there is a history of cystic...

Knowing your family history as it pertains to genetic disorders is extremely important. Inherited conditions, like cystic fibrosis, can be life threatening and it is critical that you know your...

Newborn children should be tested for cystic fibrosis during their first week of life. Cystic fibrosis is a genetic disorder, and it is incurable. Thick, sticky mucus coats the interior of the...

If you've developed a wheezing, persistent phlegmatic cough that is accompanied by frequent respiratory infections and weight loss, you may need to talk to a doctor about cystic fibrosis. This...

Cystic fibrosis is a genetic disease that causes chronic breathing problems. Although cystic fibrosis is not currently curable, you can cope with cystic fibrosis through education, diet, exercise...

Oxygen may be prescribed for use at home for certain medical conditions. Your doctor will order home oxygen if he or she feels you are not getting enough oxygen into your blood. It is essential to...

Certain medical conditions may make it more difficult to get oxygen into your lungs and to your vital organs. Your physician may feel you would benefit from using oxygen at home. Depending on your...

A pulmonologist is an internal medicine doctor that specializes in the diagnosis and treatment of diseases and conditions of the lungs and the respiratory system. Pulmonologists treat diseases...

Caring for a baby who has RSV (respiratory syncytial virus) can be particularly challenging. Most children are susceptible to RSV during the winter months, which means that you'll likely be...

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a respiratory condition that is diagnosed when normal air flow to and from the lungs is obstructed. The most common components of COPD are chronic...

Pneumonia is a disease that causes inflammation of the lungs, usually caused by a bacterial infection, virus, fungus or another organism. Symptoms typically develop suddenly and can include chest...

In order to determine if you have chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and which treatment would be most appropriate for your condition, your doctor or health care provider may need to...

Early diagnosis and treatment of pneumonia are very important in order to prevent long-term effects. Pneumonia is a leading cause of death in children throughout the world and in older adults and...

Tuberculosis is a highly contagious disease that is spread through germs in the air. Infants, the elderly and people with compromised immune systems are most at risk. If not treated properly,...