Lung disease is one of the top diseases in the United States today. Lung disease is on the rise worldwide. Factors such as air quality play a vital role in the increase in lung disease. Living with lung disease can be tremendously difficult, affecting daily life and the ability to do normal daily activities.

Symptoms of lung disease can vary, depending on the lung disease which has been contracted. Most lung diseases cause difficulty breathing, coughing, airway constriction, and a heavy or tight feeling in the chest. Some lung disease symptoms include fevers, weakness, heart rhythm problems or palpitations, or even blue tinting of the extremities.

Lung diseases such as lung cancers have various causative factors including, cigarette smoking, environmental or occupational exposures, and can be developed after a different type of cancer has been discovered elsewhere in the body. Asthma has hereditary factors, can be caused by second hand smoke or allergies, or other environmental factors. COPD, or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, is usually caused by smoking cigarettes, although the chronic inhalation of marijuana can cause lung cancer and COPD. Lung diseases such as tuberculosis and legionnaires disease are caused by an infection and can be treated with very aggressive antibiotics.

There are various risk factors for lung disease, most of which are environmental, although heredity does play a role in some lung diseases such as asthma. Environmental factors include smoking or exposure to second hand smoke, exposure to toxic substances such as asbestos or chemical treatments for fiberglass, allergies, bacteria, or viruses. For instance, asthma can be triggered by second hand smoke, smoking, or allergies but can also have hereditary risk factors. Asbestos exposure creates a serious risk factor for Mesothelioma, a rare but fatal lung cancer.

Diagnosing lung disease requires a physical examination and may require tests which include chest x-rays, blood tests, and lung function tests. Asthma may be diagnosed after a physical examination, listening to the lungs of the patient to detect any wheezing, and a spirometry test which is nothing more complicated than measuring the rate of air flow expelled from the lungs. Diagnosing lung cancer is typically done with x-rays of the chest and blood tests. Phlegm may be tested for cancerous cells, a bronchoscopy or a needle biopsy may be performed, and most doctors will perform a CT scan to take detailed pictures of the inside of the lung.

Complications from lung disease can be widespread, including heart problems related from a lack of oxygen in the bloodstream. Numbness in cold weather and tingling of the extremities can also happen due to a lack of oxygen in the bloodstream. Lung disease can deteriorate the quality of life for the patient, and may eventually lead to death. While it is very rare, fatal asthma attacks have been known to occur. Lung cancer may lead to death if the cancer either can not be controlled or spreads throughout the body.

Treatment for lung disease varies by the type of disease. Asthma suffers typically use an inhaler which delivers medication straight into the bronchioles and opens the airway. Oral medication is now proving to be effective in dealing with asthma. Infectious lung diseases such as tuberculosis and legionnaires disease require high dose antibiotics. Lung cancer is often treated with either radiation treatments, chemotherapy, surgical procedures, or a combination of all three. Lung disease is a serious health risk that costs billions of dollars per year to treat, and researchers are searching for better and more effective treatments for lung disease regularly.

It is important that individuals with lung disease provide ample self care. Avoiding behaviors which are known to irritate the condition is just practical. People with lung disease should never smoke, avoid second hand smoke, avoid situations that are likely to pass germs from human to human contact or large crowded indoor areas that are likely to carry air born germs, and allergens which may affect the ability to breathe.

Coping with lung disease can be difficult and may affect every factor of daily life. Creating a comfortable sleeping environment, whether that means the use of a fan, dehumidifier, or vaporizer, is vital. Taking the appropriate medications when prescribed is also vital, whether or not the patient is symptomatic at the moment. Listening to the physician’s advice regarding diet and exercise can make a tremendous difference in the life of a lung disease sufferer.