Lung diseases or respiratory diseases are the most common respiratory conditions in the world. It relates to disorders that affect the lungs and other organs that enable us to breathe. Most breathing problems are caused by lung diseases that prevent the body from getting an adequate amount of oxygen.
Lung disease refers to disorders that affect the lungs, the organs that allow us to breathe. Breathing problems caused by lung disease may prevent the body from getting enough oxygen.
A few examples include asthma, emphysema, chronic bronchitis, influenza, pneumonia, pulmonary fibrosis, lung cancer, tuberculosis, sarcoidosis, and many more.
What are the indications of respiratory diseases?
Respiratory signs are common symptoms of lung or heart conditions, emotions, or injury. The medical terms for respiratory symptoms that can be understood are –
- Dyspnea (difficulty in breathing)
- Hypopnea (shallow breathing)
- Hyperpnea (breathing deeply)
- Apnea (absence of breathing).
What are the visual symptoms of Respiratory Diseases?
Heart conditions lead to respiratory symptoms, mostly in severe cases like congestive cardiac failure. Anxiety and panic attacks are common causes of respiratory symptoms, including rapid breathing that may result in hyperventilation and fainting. Airway obstruction causes respiratory symptoms that include rapid shallow breathing. Lung injury from chest trauma also leads to respiratory symptoms.
It is vital to pay attention to even the mildest symptoms that are visualized. People generally think that having difficulty in breathing is something that comes with age. It is necessary to pay attention to these symptoms as they could be the first signs of respiratory disease.
The lungs specialist in Amritsar can update you on the early signs of the disease, to help you prepare for yourself and receive better treatment before the disease becomes critical or life-threatening.
Below are a few signs that you must be aware of, to detect the possibility of a respiratory(lung) disease –
1 – Wheezing
Wheezing, also known as noisy breathing is a sign indicating that something is blocking the airways of your lungs, making them narrow, thus, causing you to wheeze.
2 – Chronic Mucus Production
Sputum, commonly called mucus is produced by the airways as a defense against infections. If the production of your mucus has lasted for over a month, it could be an indication of respiratory disease.
3 – Shortness of Breath
It is not normal to experience shortness of breath that does not go away after a workout session. Difficult or labored breathing can be one of the warning signs of respiratory disease.
4 – Coughing out blood
If you are coughing blood out also called hemoptysis, it may be coming from your upper respiratory tract or lungs or heart. It is an indication of a serious health problem.
Causes of Respiratory Diseases
Anxiety and panic attacks are common causes of respiratory disease including rapid breathing that may result in hyperventilation or fainting. A few of the causes include:
- Smoking
The smoke from cigars, cigarettes is one of the leading causes of lung diseases. Therefore, if you are a smoker, it is important that you quit smoking. It is also advisable to avoid smoke as it is extremely harmful to all babies, children, and even adults.
- Asbestos
A natural mineral fiber, asbestos is one that is used in fireproofing materials like car brakes, insulation, and other products. It can give off small fibers that are sometimes tiny and can be inhaled. It also harms the lung cells and causes lung scarring or lung cancer.
- Radon
This is a colorless and odorless gas that is present in many homes and is a general cause of lung cancer.
Emotional causes of respiratory diseases – Respiratory symptoms can also be caused by emotional disorders including
- Anger
- Anxiety
- Fear
- Panic attack
Serious or life-threatening causes of respiratory diseases
In some cases, respiratory symptoms may indicate a life-threatening condition that should be diagnosed immediately. These include:
- Alcohol or drug overdose
- Life-threatening allergic reaction
- Chest trauma
- Choking of a foreign object in your airway
- Heart attack
- Pneumonia
- Collapsed lung
- Blockage of a pulmonary artery due to the blood clot (Embolism).
What are the potential complications of respiratory symptoms?
Once the underlying cause is diagnosed, you need to follow the treatment plan that you and your lung specialist design specifically for you to reduce the risk of potential complications that include:
- Heart failure
- Organ failure or dysfunction
- Respiratory failure.
- Spread of cancer
- Spread of infection
- Stroke
How to Treat a Respiratory Disease?
If you have been experiencing the above symptoms for a long time now, it is highly advisable to consult a chest specialist in Amritsar immediately. There are numerous respiratory disease treatments, depending on the type of respiratory disease diagnosed.
Below are a few treatment options for respiratory diseases –
1 – Asthma patients most likely require inhalers or bronchodilators that could help relieve the symptoms, opening the airways.
2 – Patients who experience shortness of breath are treated with oxygen therapy, where the required levels of oxygen are delivered through a mask.
3 – Corticosteroids are given to reduce inflammation and swelling of the lung tissues.
4 – In critical cases of respiratory disease, thoracic surgical interventions are used, in which the expansion and contraction of the diaphragm can be improved for better functioning of the lungs.
A lung transplant is the last option for those with the end-stage of respiratory disease. However, it is also essential to adopt lifestyle management and protect the functioning of the lungs to prevent respiratory disease.
Why choose EMC Group of Hospitals?
EMC Group of Hospitals has the latest technology and pieces of equipment to support and sustain the needs of every patient visiting our hospitals.
We have a listicle of medical services and quality treatments under various departments of Cardiology, Gastroenterology, Cardiothoracic, Nephrology, Neurosurgery, Neurology, Psychiatry, Plastic & Reconstructive Surgery, Orthopaedics & Joint Replacement, Emergency & Trauma Care, Urology, ENT, Medical Oncology, and many more.
With the holistic medical services handled by the professional paramedical staff, lung specialists in Amritsar, and renowned surgeons, EMC is setting a benchmark for all other hospitals in India and overseas.
We have a specialized and highly experienced team of doctors including chest specialists in Amritsar and assistant staff that works effortlessly 24×7 keeping the patient’s health a priority.
Promising to support you with positivity, we ensure you lead a healthy and happy life forever!
