With air flowing in and out of the airways and lungs on a constant basis, a range of different substances and germs in the environment can also enter to irritate, infect and damage the respiratory organs. This can lead to various respiratory diseases that affect the airway and/or lungs. Once such disease is pneumonia. It >> Read More ...
What is a chest infection? A chest infection usually refers to an infection of the lower respiratory tract (trachea, bronchi) and/or lungs. The term chest infection can be misleading. Firstly the lower respiratory tract and lungs are not the only organs in the chest. Secondly the term is sometimes incorrectly used to >> Read More ...
Chest pain is not an uncommon symptom and depending on other symptoms as well as risk factors, it can be a very serious of a potentially life threatening condition. From heartburn to heart attacks and respiratory infections, chest pain on its own can be difficult to diagnose. The nature of the pain may sometimes help. For >> Read More ...
Definition Aspiration pneumonia is a condition where foreign material enters the lower airways thereby causing inflammation of the lung. It can result in chemical damage of the lung tissue or a lung infection. The term aspiration pneumonia is usually reserved for a lung infection, mainly bacterial, where the bacteria >> Read More ...
The lung can become inflamed for many different reasons. Like any part of the body, this may be due to infections, injury, allergies and autoimmune diseases, among a host of other causes. The term pneumonia refers to lung inflammation typically when caused by an infection, but pneumonitis also means lung inflammation >> Read More ...
Bronchitis is a common condition and one of the main reasons why patients with respiratory symptoms seek medical attention. Most of the time acute bronchitis occurs in fall or winter and usually arises with the cold or flu. It may persist for a few days to weeks. Chronic bronchitis on the other hand is permanent and >> Read More ...
What is asbestosis? Asbestosis is an interstitial lung disease caused by the inhalation of asbestos particles. It is a type of pneumoconiosis, which are lung diseases that occur as a result of inhalation of mineral dusts, but it is not the only asbestos-related disease. Other diseases like asbestos-related pleural disease >> Read More ...
Asbestos is a natural mineral that was widely used for insulation in the past. However, asbestos particles have been associated with serious disease when inhaled. Its use is now restricted and there are various safety procedures in place for people who work with asbestos. Apart from the lung disease that can arise with >> Read More ...
What is fungal pneumonia? Fungal pneumonia is a lung infection caused by fungi. Pneumonia is a common infectious disease and the leading cause of death from an infection in the developing world. Most pneumonias are caused by viruses or bacteria. Fungal pneumonias on the other hand are rare. It is usually a problem for >> Read More ...
What is Dyspnea? Dyspnea is the medical term for difficulty breathing, typically presenting as shortness of breath or labored breathing. The term dyspnea encompasses a number of different breathing difficulties, which may be vary in sensation and experience among patients. Despite the differences, the sensation is usually >> Read More ...
