Diseases that affect the lungs result in dysfunction or damage within the lung tissues. Lung diseases cause severe breathing difficulties and may affect the airways that help the lungs deliver oxygen into the bloodstream. Damage to lung tissues can include scarring or inflammation of the lungs, affecting the ability of the lungs to exchange oxygen and carbon dioxide for effective respiration. Damaged lungs can cause tightness around the chest and interfere with breathing. Lung diseases can become fatal if not treated early.
Progressive Disease
Emphysema, a chronic disorder of the lungs, causes breathing impairment and can lead to infection in the lungs because the air sacs become dilated, or enlarged, which reduces their flexibility. Chronic bronchitis results from irritation or infection of the lungs. Symptoms include severe coughing and breathing problems. The mucous membranes of the airways, or bronchial tubes, become inflamed. Emphysema and chronic bronchitis make up the obstructive disorders categorized under chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, or COPD, according to MayoClinic.com. COPD becomes progressively worse until patients feel as if they are breathing through a straw.
Smoking Dangers
In nearly 90 percent of cases, smoking causes COPD, according to Womenshealth.gov. Detection of the disease often occurs in the late stages because symptoms, such as lack of energy, may be attributed to aging. Most lung cancer deaths also result from smoking. Doctors can treat lung cancer when detecting the disease in the early stages. If cancerous cells in the lungs invade nearby tissues, the chances of a cure diminish.
Women Affected
More women have been affected in recent years by COPD than men, Womenshealth.gov points out. More women have died from the disease than men since 2000. The rate of emphysema among women has increased by five percent since 2004 while declining in men by 10 percent. More women suffer from asthma than men in the United States, possibly because of increased contact with indoor and outdoor allergens or air pollution, but researchers are not certain, Womenshealth.gov states.
Asthma Conditions
Asthma causes an overreaction to pollen, allergens, dust, mold, animal hair, smoke and viruses. The chronic disease obstructs the bronchial tubes, limiting the airflow in and out of the lungs. Symptoms include wheezing, coughing, chest tightness and difficulty breathing. People can control asthmatic symptoms through medication and avoiding irritants as much as possible.
Abnormal Scarring
Tissues deep in the lungs may thicken or become scarred, leading to pulmonary fibrosis. This disease often affects persons who are middle-aged or older. In pulmonary fibrosis, scarring of the lungs prevents oxygen from moving into the bloodstream, according to the National Heart Lung and Blood Institute. As a result, the brain and other organs throughout the body cannot get adequate amounts of oxygen for proper functioning. Although doctors can sometimes find an underlying cause, in most cases the cause of fibrosis remains unknown; this form is referred to as idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis. Patients with pulmonary fibrosis often die from respiratory failure between three and five years of being diagnosed.
