Pulmonary fibrosis is a lung disease that presents itself with scarring or thickening of the lungs. In most cases, there is not a known cause as to why this scarring or thickening takes place. When the lungs begin to stiffen it makes breathing difficult; the disease generally gets worse over time and generally affects the adult population between 50-70 years of age.
Long-term and repeated exposure to certain chemicals and irritants on the job can lead to a number of occupational related lung diseases. Certain occupations bring with them unusually higher risks. Some of these occupations include coal miners, individuals who work in car repair, fire fighting, machinery, welding and textiles. Occupational lung diseases are the leading cause of work-related illness. Smoking increases the severity of this condition and exasperates symptoms and the progression of these diseases.
Lung cancer occurs when abnormal cells grow, multiply and mass together within the lung invading nearby healthy tissue. It is the leading cause of cancer deaths in both men and women. There are two major types of lung cancer: non-small cell lung cancer (which is the most common form and usually spreads to different parts of the body) and small cell lung cancer, which is a fast-growing type of lung cancer and generally spreads much more quickly than non-small cell.
Hemoptysis is the act of coughing up blood. This blood can come from the nose, mouth or throat and is released from the respiratory tract. In many cases where an otherwise healthy, non-smoker coughs up blood tinged mucus, it generally is the sign of a mild infection. In patients who are heavy smokers or who have a long history of smoking where the risk for lung disease is high, hemoptysis is usually a serious sign of illness.
COPD—also known as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease—refers to a group of lung diseases and conditions that block the airflow within the lungs making it very difficult to breath. Emphysema and chronic bronchitis are the two primary conditions that make up COPD, however, other medical disorders such as asthma can also lead to the disease.
Chronic cough is not a disorder; rather, it is a symptom of an existing condition, disease or health problem. Chronic cough is a cough that is persistent, on-going, and does not get better or go away with time. Oftentimes, an individual with this condition will cough repeatedly over and over again, sometimes creating a gag reflux bringing an onset of tears and a hacking mechanism.
Asthma is a condition that affects millions of Americans daily. It most commonly presents itself as an allergy disorder within the lungs—creating a chronic inflammation of the airways—that makes breathing very difficult. Most patients who are diagnosed with asthma, also suffer from seasonal or some other form of mild or serious allergies. It is important that for people with asthma, their exact allergies are understood so that a prevention mechanism can be put into place so that asthma does not become the result of a trigger or outbreak.
Acute respiratory distress syndrome, commonly referred to as ARDS, can be a life-threatening condition that occurs when fluid builds within the lungs. When fluid collects in the tiny sacs that reside in the lungs, breathing can become very difficult which can lead to a deprivation of the oxygen that healthy organs need in order to function. This process, most often, will lead to a sudden failure of the respiratory system. Typically, ARDS affects individuals who have experienced a traumatic injury or are critically ill.
