Bronchiectasis is the enlargement or distortion of one or more of the bronchi, or main air passages into the lungs, often as a result of frequent infections in childhood. The disorder takes years to develop. It leads to impaired drainage of the fluid that is normally secreted by bronchial cells, and this fluid may then remain in the lungs where it will then become stagnant. The stagnant fluid can lead to further infection.

What are the Symptoms?

The main symptom of bronchiectasis is a frequent cough that brings up large quantities of green or yellow phlegm, or sputum, which sometimes is spotted with blood. The quantity of phlegm generally increases when you change position. This is especially true when you lie down.

If you have bronchiectasis, you are susceptible to repeated infections of the lung when you catch an ordinary cold. You may also have chronically bad breath.

What are the Risks?

Bronchiectasis is rare because many childhood infections that caused the disorder, such as sinusitis and the chest infections that often followed measles or whooping cough, now can be prevented by immunization or effectively treated with antibiotics. Similarly, tuberculosis, which also damages the lungs, has become extremely rare. Even people who have bronchiectasis can usually lead normal lives. They owe this to the effectiveness of antibiotics, which are usually given at the first sign of further infection.

If bronchiectasis is treated when the symptoms first appear, there is little danger.

What should be done?

If you repeatedly cough up large amounts of green or yellow phlegm, consult your physician, who will probably listen to your chest with a stethoscope and may also want you to have a chest X-ray and a bronchoscopy, a procedure in which an instrument called a bronchoscope is used to examine your bronchi. The results of these tests will help your physician to make a diagnosis.

What is the Treatment?

Self-help: There is nothing you can do until bronchiectasis has been diagnosed. If you find that you have the condition, make a special effort to avoid getting colds and sore throats. Do not smoke, and stay out of smoke-filled rooms. If the lower part of your lung is infected, as it probably is if you have bronchiectasis, your physician probably will tell you about a self-help technique called postural drainage. This is a method of getting rid of bronchial secretions. In this technique, you place yourself so that the bronchus leading to the affected lobe of your lung is upside down. The fluid then drains out, and you can cough it up. Lying on a bed with your head and chest hanging over the edge for five to ten minutes twice a day can help keep your lungs fairly clear.

Professional help: At the first sign of bronchiectasis your physician will probably prescribe an antibiotic and instruct you to take the whole prescription even if the infection seems to clear up. If your condition is very localized, or if a lot of blood is mixed with the phlegm, your physician may advise you to have the affected part of the lung removed. Such surgery is seldom necessary for this condition, however. If it proves to be necessary in your case, your doctor will see that you are admitted to a hospital.

No Comments yet »

Your body needs a constant supply of oxygen to stay alive. It also needs to dispose of carbon dioxide, a waste product of metabolism. In your lungs oxygen from the air you breathe is transferred to your blood and carbon dioxide is released from the blood. The blood transports the oxygen to all parts of your body. The carbon dioxide is exhaled. When the blood has less oxygen and lots of carbon dioxide in it, the heart pumps it back to the lungs through the pulmonary arteries.The bronchus, or main airway that leads into each lung, divides into smaller and smaller airways called bronchioles. Each bronchiole ends in a cluster of tiny air-sacs called alveoli. Each alveolus contains several small capillaries. The walls of those capillaries are thin enough to allow oxygen and carbon dioxide to move between the air and the blood. There are millions of alveoli in each lung.

Your lungs are especially vulnerable to particles floating in the air. Bacteria that cause disorders like pneumonia irritants such as tobacco smoke, which can cause lung cancer and, in some people, airborne allergens, which cause asthma or farmer’s lung can all interfere with lung functions.

No Comments yet »

In emphysema,the lungs become less and less efficient because of damage to some of the millions of alveoli, or air-sacs, at the ends of thIn emphysema, the lungs become less and less bronchioles in the lungs. It is in the alveoli that oxygen and carbon dioxide exchange takes place. Healthy lungs have an elastic, spongy texture, so they contract and expand fully. If the alveoli become stretched or rupture, the elasticity of the lungs is gradually destroyed. This type of damage occurs when the alveoli are constantly subjected to higher pressure than normal. This happens to people who have a long-standing lung disease. Chronic bronchitis or asthma for example, cause narrowing of the lung airways. The labored, forceful breathing that results strains, weakens and may ultimately damage the alveoli.

What are the Symptoms?

The main symptom of emphysema is shortness of breath, which is likely to become gradually worse over a period of years. If you have emphysema, your chest is probably distended into a barrel like shape. The name of the disease comes from the Greek word for inflation. If you also wheeze, cough, and bring up phlegm, these are symptoms of other kinds of lung trouble, not of emphysema.

What are the Risks?

Emphysema usually occurs in people who have bronchitis or asthma. It is much more common in men than in women, and your chances of having it increase if you smoke and/or live in an area where the air is polluted. Some people are particularly susceptible to emphysema because of an inherited defect in the chemical make-up of their lungs. If your job requires exceptionally forceful use of lung power, you may also be highly susceptible. Some examples of such professions are glass-blowing and playing a wind musical instrument. If you have increasing shortness of breath, you risk death from eventual respiratory failure. Emphysema also makes you more susceptible to chest infections such as pneumonia that can be life-threatening.

There is also a risk of a pneumothorax In addition, since blood cannot flow freely through damaged alveoli, the resulting strain on the right side of the heart, which pumps blood to the lungs, can lead to heart failure .

What should be done?

If you are troubled by breathlessness, you should consult your physician. In the initial examination, the physician will probably percuss, or finger tap, your chest, and listen to it with a stethoscope. The doctor may also ask you to have a chest X-ray, and to blow hard into a peak-flow meter, a machine that measures your breathing capacity. Special breathing tests called pulmonary function tests may also be necessary. Because emphysema is usually associated with other lung disorders, it is not an easy disease to diagnose independently

What is the Treatment?

Self-help: If you smoke, stop. A void places with polluted air. Keep away from people who have coughs or colds. Exercise moderately but regularly in fresh, clean air.

Professional help: Physicians can relieve the symptoms and delay the progress of emphysema, but they cannot cure it. If you have bronchitis along with emphysema, you may be told to inhale bronchodilator drugs, which widen the airways and help prevent further damage to the alveoli. Since bronchitis and lung infections of any kind aggravate emphysema, the best way to help control the disease is to prevent respiratory infection. Thus your physician may prescribe antibiotics as a preventive measure.

No Comments yet »

Mesothelioma is a cancer like disease that is caused by the inhalation of the asbestos particles. Asbestos which was earlier used in ship building, later found its use in the construction of the roofs owing to its high resistance to heat and water. However at that time the house constructors were not aware of the problems that were related to the use of asbestos in the house roofs. Lately it was found by the researchers that the prolonged inhalation of the asbestos particle leads to this problem of Mesothelioma.

There are a few law firms and Mesothelioma lawyers who have joined hands to help people get legal help for the problems they are facing due the mistakes committed by the house constructors. The Illinois Mesothelioma lawyers are a group of lawyers operating in Illinois and help people out with the problem of Mesothelioma. You might also be interested to know about mesothelioma attorneys.

This disease leads to the abnormal growth of the cells in the lungs owing to the presence of the foreign particles of asbestos. We can prevent this problem by changing the house roof. People who work in the asbestos grinding industries should try to cover up their body while working so as to avoid the direct contact of the asbestos particles with the skin.

No Comments yet »

Acute Bronchitis - Treatment and Fast Cure for Acute Bronchitis

Inflammation of the mucous membrane that lines the bronchi, or main air passages of the lungs, is called bronchitis. If you have a respiratory infection, you may develop acute bronchitis, since the disorder is caused when the same viruses that cause colds and pharyngitis spread into the bronchi. If you have a healthy heart and healthy lungs, bronchitis usually clears up in a few days. In chronic bronchitis , prolonged, recurrent attacks cause gradual deterioration of the lungs.

What are the symptoms?

The main symptom of bronchitis is a deep cough that brings up grayish or yellowish phlegm, or sputum, from your lungs. Other symptoms are breathlessness, wheezing and a fever. You may also have pain in the upper chest, which gets worse when you cough

What are the risks?

Virtually everyone has an occasional attack of acute bronchitis. If you do not smoke cigarettes and you do not have chronic lung or heart trouble, you may have it once every few years. If you smoke, have a chest disorder such as asthma or bronchiectasis or live in an area where the air is very polluted, you are more likely to get the disease. If your lungs are congested because of heart failure you may also be particularly susceptible to acute bronchitis.

If you are a non-smoker who is generally healthy, there are few risks of complications from acute bronchitis. If you are particularly susceptible to bronchitis for any of the reasons mentioned above, you may have repeated attacks. These can damage the lining of the bronchi, impairing your ability to clear mucus from your air passages and leading to chronic bronchitis.

What should be done?

Do not ignore repeated attacks of acute bronchitis. Consult your physician to find out if there is an explanation. If you have not had bronchitis before, or if this is your first attack in several years, follow the self-help procedures suggested below.

What is the treatment?

Self-help: If you have a fever, take aspirin three or four times a day to bring it down. Take an over-the-counter cough medicine recommended by your physician, and follow the instructions on the label, to help soothe your cough. Stay home, not necessarily in bed but in a warm room. Use a vaporizer, a humidifier, or steam from hot water to moisten the air. This may help to clear your nasal passages and bronchi. This simple treatment is usually all that is needed. Call your physician if you become breathless, cough up blood, have a temperature above 101°F (38.5° C), or do not feel better in 48 hours.

If you have repeated attacks of bronchitis, remember that cold, damp living or working conditions can make you more susceptible to this disease. You may want to consider moving or changing your job.

Professional help: Because acute bronchitis is usually a viral infection, no specific treatment is possible. However, it is possible to relieve the symptoms. If your breathing is wheezy, your physician may prescribe a bronchodilator drug, which is usually taken by inhaling it. If your chest is sore from repeated attacks of coughing or if your cough is dry, your doctor may prescribe a cough suppressant. If your sputum becomes greenish­yellow, which indicates that you probably have a secondary bacterial infection, the physician may prescribe an antibiotic. Some physicians prescribe antibiotics in the early stages of the disease to try to prevent the occurrence of secondary bacterial infection.

No Comments yet »