We breathe in and out about 22,000 times a day, usually with little effort or thought. We often do not think about our lungs until something takes our breath away. Environmental factors, such as pollutants, aren’t the only things that can affect the respiratory system. Respiratory conditions can also impact your ability to breathe.
Respiratory conditions affect the airways and other structures of the lungs, hindering your ability to breathe. Some respiratory diseases are acute, like an infection that will get better with treatment, while others are chronic and need to be managed. Various forms of treatment can help open the air passages and improve shortness of breath to control symptoms and improve daily life for those living with respiratory conditions.
Respiratory conditions can arise from a number of causes, including inhalation of toxic agents, accidents, and harmful lifestyles, such as smoking. Infections, genetic factors, and anything else that affects lung development, can cause respiratory symptoms.
Interesting fact
The World Health Organization (WHO) estimates around 4 million people die annually from chronic respiratory diseases worldwide, whereas COPD (Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease) is the leading cause of death when it comes to respiratory diseases.
The most common respiratory conditions
- Asthma is a chronic inflammatory airway disease characterized by attacks of chest tightness. When you have asthma, your airway can become swollen and narrow, making it hard to breathe and making you feel as though you cannot get enough air.
Symptoms
- Wheezing
- Dry cough
- Chest tightness
- Breathlessness
Causes
Asthma is thought to be caused by a combination of genetic and environmental factors. Someone with a family history of asthma is more likely to develop the disease. Asthma events often happen after you have been exposed to a “trigger”. Triggers can include smoke, air pollution, colds, dust, chemicals, changes in the weather, grass and tree pollen, pet hair and feathers.
Treatment options
The symptoms of asthma attacks can usually be reversed with the use of inhaled medications called bronchodilators.
- Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is an umbrella term used to describe a number of lung diseases that cause breathlessness or the inability to exhale normally. Two of the most common types of COPD are emphysema and chronic bronchitis.
- Emphysema is a progressive lung disease often due to smoking, causing shortness of breath and coughing.
- Chronic bronchitis is caused by too much mucus produced in the small airways. The mucus and resulting inflammation block the small airways.
Symptoms
- Frequent coughing
- A cough that produces a lot of mucus
- Persistent wheezing
- Shortness of breath, particularly when you’re active
- A whistling or squeaking sound when you breathe
- Tightness in your chest
- Sensitivity to respiratory infections like colds or the flu
- Cyanosis – a blue tinge to the skin caused by insufficient oxygen
Causes
Cigarette smoking is the main cause of COPD, although the condition can sometimes affect people who have never smoked. The likelihood of developing COPD increases the more you smoke and the longer you’ve smoked. Some cases of COPD are caused by long-term exposure to harmful fumes or dust. Others are the result of a rare genetic problem that makes the lungs more vulnerable to damage.
Treatment options
Unlike asthma, COPD is not reversible, but treatment can help keep it under control so it does not severely limit daily activities. Treatment options include smoking cessation, inhalers and medicines to open the airways and make breathing easier, oxygen therapy, and pulmonary rehabilitation, which is a specialized program of exercise and education for people with COPD.
Did you know?
COPD is the fourth leading cause of death worldwide. Around 20 to 25 per cent of smokers will develop COPD. Ex-smokers remain at risk and should be aware of symptoms of breathlessness.
- Lung cancer is one of the most common types of cancer, killing more than 1.4 million people each year. Unfortunately, lung cancer develops gradually with no signs or symptoms in the early stage. You might have a cough and think it’s just a cold. Lung cancer is most easily treated when it’s caught early. This is why screening is so important. Get screened for lung cancer if you smoked at least a pack a day for 20 years or more, still smoke or quit within the last 15 years, are between 50 and 80 years old
Symptoms
- Chest pain
- Chronic coughing
- Difficulty breathing
- Wheezing
- Hoarseness
- Weight loss
- Fatigue or weakness
- Difficulty swallowing
- A cough that produces bloody mucus
- Swelling in the face or neck
Causes
Cigarette smoking is one of the biggest risk factors for lung cancer. Besides smoking, other potential causes include exposure to radon gas, asbestos, second-hand smoke, or other air pollutants. When tobacco smoking is combined with other risk factors such as exposure to radon or asbestos, the risk of lung cancer is heightened. People who have close biological relatives with lung cancer are also at increased risk of developing the disease.
Treatment options
Treatments for lung cancer include surgery, chemotherapy, immunotherapy and radiation therapy. These can be done alone or in combination according to the severity of your cancer.
Did you know?
Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer deaths worldwide, according to the World Health Organization.
- Pneumonia is an infection of the lungs most caused by bacteria or viruses. The inflammation affects primarily the alveoli, which are the tiny air sacs of the lungs. People with chronic respiratory conditions, like COPD, are more vulnerable to developing pneumonia. Most people can recover in one to three weeks, but for certain people – the old and very young – pneumonia can be extremely serious and even life-threatening.
Symptoms
- Fever
- Sweating or chills
- A cough that produces phlegm
- Shortness of breath
- Chest pain when you cough or breathe
- Nausea or vomiting
- Fatigue
- Diarrhea
Treatment options
Pneumonia that is caused by bacteria is treated with antibiotics, viral Pneumonia is treated with supportive measures only, such as infusions, oxygen and sometimes steroids. Respiratory treatment involves giving special medicine directly into the lungs or teaching you to breathe deeply to increase oxygen intake. Oxygen treatment may be given, to keep oxygen levels in your bloodstream (received through a nasal tube, face mask or ventilator, depending on how severe or dangerous the pneumonia). Vaccines are available to prevent certain types of bacterial and viral pneumonia.
- Tuberculosis (TB) is a bacterial infection that affects the lungs and other parts of the body. This infection spreads from person to person through tiny droplets released into the air via coughing and sneezing. TB can live in your body for years before causing symptoms.
Symptoms
- A cough that lasts longer than three weeks
- Weight loss
- Poor appetite
- A cough that brings up blood or mucus
- Weakness
- Fatigue
- Fever
- Night sweats
Treatment options
The main treatment for tuberculosis is to take antibiotics for at least six months.
- Cystic fibrosis is a genetic disease that affects the lungs and digestive system.
Symptoms
- A cough that does not go away
- A cough that produces thick mucus or blood
- Wheezing
- Shortness of breath
- Frequent respiratory or sinus infections
- Nasal polyps
- Slow growth in childhood or poor weight gain
- Constipation
- Greasy or foul-smelling stools
Treatment options
There is no cure for cystic fibrosis. But there are treatments to help manage the condition including:
- antibiotics to prevent and treat chest infections
- medicines to make the mucus in the lungs thinner and easier to cough up
- medicines to widen the airways and reduce inflammation
- special techniques and devices to help clear mucus from the lungs
- a lung transplant may eventually be needed if the lungs are greatly damaged
Did you know?
The two most important risk factors for respiratory diseases are tobacco smoke and indoor and outdoor air quality.
Tips for healthy lungs
While most respiratory conditions can’t be prevented, a combination of medical interventions, lifestyle changes, and preventive measures can significantly improve the quality of life for those affected by these conditions. It’s recommended to protect your lungs as much as possible by following these tips:
- Quit smoking and avoid second-hand smoke – Smoking increases the risk of some respiratory diseases such as lung cancer and COPD which includes chronic bronchitis and emphysema. Cigarette smoke can narrow air passages and make breathing more difficult. Only 24 hours after you quit smoking, your body begins to repair the damage and your risk of disease goes down the longer you resist a cigarette.
- Stay up-to-date with vaccinations – Many respiratory diseases occur due to viruses. Get vaccinations periodically to prevent diseases that can harm your lungs such as COVID-19 and flu. If you’re 65 or older or have other health problems, you also should also get a pneumonia shot.
- Keep the air inside your home clean – Regularly ventilating your living spaces, using air purifiers, and keeping your home free from cigarette smoke, mold, dust, household chemicals and other allergens can significantly improve indoor air quality. Indoor plants, dusting regularly, turning on the extractor fan when you cook and avoiding the use of aerosol products like air fresheners, hair spray and deodorant, are just a few of the many tips to improve your indoor air quality.
- Wash your hands – Hand hygiene helps you avoid the risk of contracting a viral infection. Use soap and water or alcohol hand sanitizer to clean your hands regularly. This can help stop the spread of bacteria and viruses that cause respiratory infections.
- Wear a mask – If you work in places where you are exposed to dust, vapors, harsh chemicals or toxic gases, always wear a mask or respirator to filter damaging substances out of the air.
- Exercise regularly – Regular exercise can help your lungs and heart work more efficiently. When you’re physically active, your heart and lungs work harder to get additional oxygen to your muscles. Do some physical activity for at least 30 minutes a day to lighten the load on your lungs.
- Increase your lung capacity with deep breathing – Get into the habit of doing some deep breathing exercises every day to strengthen the muscles you use to breathe and increase your lung capacity. Breathing exercises are a nonpharmaceutical way to help with lung conditions such as asthma and COPD manage some aspects of their condition.
- See your doctor regularly – Visiting your doctor regularly for a check-up to catch any lung problems early. This is especially true for lung cancer, which sometimes goes undetected until it is advanced. Talk to your doctor if you experience shortness of breath, pain when breathing, dizziness with a change of activity, a persistent cough, wheezing or coughing with exercise or pain in the airway.
