Respiratory Disorders

Bullous Lung Disease is the most common form of emphysema. It's a disease that is characterized by abnormal and enlarged air spaces within the lungs, along with the deterioration of alveolar...

Hyaline membrane disease is a condition that occurs in newborns whose lungs failed to develop fully in the womb. Sometimes called respiratory distress disorder, the condition is most common in...

Hyperexpanded lungs, or long lungs, is a condition in which the lungs have overinflated, causing them to grow beyond their usual size. This condition can cause respiratory problems, especially...

Lung congestion can occur as a result of several different conditions. It can occur along with the common cold, viral or upper respiratory infections and bronchitis. It is usually associated with...

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...

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...

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...

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,...

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...

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...

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...

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...

Diseases of the pulmonary system include conditions such as asthma, emphysema and cystic fibrosis. These diseases are either obstructive or restrictive. This distinction plays an important part...

A patient with healthy lungs can breathe and be more active. For this reason, it's important to stay away from tobacco and products that harm or damage lung tissue. Healthy lungs can be identified...

The lungs are a major organ in the human body. They deliver oxygen to the blood and if they do not work properly, shallow breathing and substandard functioning may result. In order to maintain...

Respiratory therapists provide emergency assistance and care for people who are unable to breath as a result of injury or illness. They also help people with breathing difficulties by teaching...

Bronchitis is a lung condition where the bronchial tubes are inflamed due to infection. This hinders the flow of air into the lungs. Bronchitis can be acute or chronic--acute developing from a...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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...

Phlegm is thick, sticky, stringy mucus that comes from the lungs. There are innumerable diseases that can cause production of phlegm. Individuals diagnosed with chronic obstructive pulmonary...

Pneumonia is an inflammation in the lungs that causes difficulty with breathing and will sometimes require hospitalization. Pneumonia can wreak havoc on a person's health and can cause weight...

According to the American Lung Association, the lungs are the most complex organs in the human body. The toxic chemicals in cigarette smoke impair the lungs' ability to function properly, leading...

Acute lung disease is a serious illness that can have various causes. It usually takes a toll on the sufferer and causes a drastic decline in the person's quality of life. Lung disease can lead...

An autoimmune disorder is condition in which the body starts to attack itself. These disorders can affect anyone at any age and they target different parts of the body. Your lungs are one of the...

Smoke from tobacco damages the airways in the lungs, making it difficult to breathe out carbon dioxide. Damage to the lungs caused by the chemicals in tobacco smoke can make a person feel short of...

When your lungs expand beyond their normal volume, they've essentially increased in size. Often referred to as hyperinflation of the lungs, this increase in dimensions can actually affect the...

Breathing emergencies can strike fast and be deadly. They can be terrifying for those suffering one, and for family members watching a loved one struggle to breathe. However, there are medical...

Pneumonia is an inflammation of the lungs. Bacteria or viruses in most cases cause the inflammation. A fungal infection or parasites can also result in pneumonia. Back pain is a common symptom 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...

Obstructive lung disease is a term used to classify a group of illnesses that affect the lungs. They are characterized by the inability of air to flow due to blockage, thus making it difficult for...

One of the strongest, yet extremely vulnerable parts of the human body is the lung. Similar to the other organs of the body, the lungs are susceptible to disease and infection. In order to protect...

Healthy lung function is vital for the oxygenation of the body, but it can be reduced by fibrotic tissue (tough or sinewy). There are three types of lung fibrosis: idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis,...

The lungs are the only way that oxygen can be absorbed by the body for delivery to all the organs. Humans cannot live without them. Environmental damage and certain infections can make the lungs...

The lungs are part of the respiratory system and are responsible for breathing. These spongy organs contain a network of airways called bronchi that branch into smaller tubes called bronchioles...

Inflammatory lung disease is also called chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and includes a wide range of inflammatory lung ailments. These ailments include asthma, emphysema and chronic...

If you are involved in athletics, are a vocalist or suffer from COPD, asthma or other related respiratory diseases, you need to be able to breathe well and efficiently. This requires a set of...

Spirometer exercises are the medical term for breathing exercises that help prevent respiratory problems or keep them from getting worse. The spirometer is a hand-held device that a person blows...

The lungs act as two of the most important organs in the human body. They bring oxygen into the body when they expand, so it is important that problems with lung expansion be corrected when they...

Restrictive lung disease is an umbrella term that covers many lung diseases. This is a chronic disorder that affects the ability of the body to breathe in. As restrictive lung diseases grow more...

The lungs are one of the vital organs in the human body. Unfortunately, they can be attacked by many diseases, some serious and some deadly. These diseases attack various sections of the lungs, so...

Tuberculosis is a potentially life threatening illness that affects the lungs. According to the Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research, tuberculosis (TB) kills nearly 2 million people...

Every minute, without your conscious thought, your brain tells your body to take in oxygen. Although the air we breathe is mostly made of nitrogen, the oxygen content is what we need most. An...

The lungs lie inside the thoracic cavity and are responsible for bringing oxygen into the body and ridding carbon dioxide from the body. Air is breathed in through the trachea (windpipe) and then...

Tuberculosis is a potentially life threatening illness that affects the lungs. According to the Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research, tuberculosis (TB) kills nearly 2 million people...

The iron lung is a piece of medical equipment used between the mid 1920s until the 1980s as a treatment for polio. The function of the iron lung was as a mechanical respirator mainly in the...