Your lungs are a complicated mechanism that expands and contracts hundreds of times every day to take in oxygen and expel carbon dioxide. Lung diseases can develop when any portion of the respiratory system is compromised. It’s among the most prevalent medical conditions worldwide and affects millions and millions of individuals in the United States alone. Keep reading for the four types of lung diseases and how to avoid them.
Asthma
When an elderly person has asthma, their airway might swell and constrict, making it difficult to breathe. If you are asthmatic, you should try to limit your interaction with asthma triggers as much as possible.
Understanding what leads you to cough, wheeze, and gasp for air is advisable. Even if it’s just for a brief duration, allergen exposure might raise inflammation in your airways, making an outbreak more likely. Get a flu vaccination every year if feasible to protect yourself from the flu virus, which can aggravate asthma.
Pneumonia
Pneumonia is an illness that causes the air sacs in your lungs to become inflamed and clogged with fluid or mucus, resulting in symptoms including coughing, fever, shivers, and difficulty breathing. The type of bacterium that causes pneumonia, your age, and general wellbeing all influence how your body reacts to the illness.
As the immune system becomes less capable of fighting infection as you get older, those over 65 are at a higher risk. Your first line of protection is to live a healthier life and maintain your immune system by adopting basic good-health standards. This includes getting enough sleep, exercising regularly, and eating well-balanced meals that contain fresh fruits and greens.
Lung Cancer
Lung cancer is the most typical cause of cancer mortality in the world and more common in smokers, although it can also strike non-smokers. Its symptoms usually appear when the illness has progressed and they include chest discomfort, bloody coughing, and shortness of breath.
You can lower your risk by quitting smoking. Even if you’ve smoked for decades, quitting lessens your chance of contracting it. Check with your physician about techniques that might assist you in quitting smoking. Nicotine substitutes and support networks are some options. Have your home’s radon levels examined as well, more notably if you live in a region where radon is an issue.
Chronic Bronchitis
This is a severe lung illness that causes coughing and inflammation for long periods. The illness causes structural abnormalities in the bronchial tubes; symptoms may flare up and continue to worsen, but they will never go away easily. Mucus from chronic bronchitis is generally yellowish-gray or green in appearance.
Since smoking is the leading cause of chronic bronchitis, quitting is key to preventing it. In fact, statistics have it that smoking is linked to 75% of occurrences of chronic bronchitis, so staying away from cigarettes would drastically minimize your risk. Secondhand smoking, carbon emissions, chemical contaminants, and dust are all lung irritants that should be avoided as well.
Given the numerous elements that might affect our lungs, it’s no wonder that many individuals suffer from lung disease. Our lungs are in danger due to genetics, air quality, tobacco, and sleeping problems. Some risk factors are inevitable, but with some basic understanding and preventative strategies, these dangers can be minimized.
