Cavities in the lungs are formed by inflammation of lung tissue leading to the development of an abscess. When the abscess ruptures, the contents are expectorated, leaving behind an air- and fluid-filled cavity. Chest X-rays and computer...
The lungs, an organ of the respiratory system, expand to inhale air through the mouth and nose. The air travels through the trachea into the bronchi that branch into smaller airways known as bronchioles. The bronchioles lead to alveoli—tiny...
Some degree of breathlessness following exercise is considered normal. However, excessive respiratory difficulties during a workout could be a sign of exercised-induced asthma. Exercise-induced asthma, also called exercised-induced...
Hemoptysis is the medical term for coughing up blood. The blood can be mixed with mucus or be pink and bubbly, or bright red. The Mayo Clinic says coughing up a little bit of sputum tinged with blood is not uncommon and usually doesn't...
Bronchiectasis is a medical condition that causes your airways to widen and scar. It is typically due to an infection or airway wall injury. Over time, bronchiectasis can prevent the airways from moving air out and in naturally. In addition, they...
A cough occurs as a reflex response when an irritant, such as mucus, stomach acid or an inhaled irritant stimulates nerves in the respiratory system. Patients describe shortness of breath, the feeling of not getting enough air, as an intense...
A cough is an involuntary reflex triggered by irritation of the airways or the nerves responsible for the reflex. Many conditions can trigger the cough reflex, giving rise to different types of coughing with distinguishing characteristics. Noting...
It is the job of your lungs to exchange oxygen for carbon dioxide, because all of the cells in your body must have oxygen to provide them with the energy that they need to do their work. Carbon dioxide is a waste product that must be removed. Yet...
The lungs contain a branching system of airways leading to the air sacs, where gas exchange occurs. Each branch division gives rise to narrower airways, akin to branching tree limbs. The bronchi are the larger airways of the lungs. Infections,...
Tiredness and shortness of breath can be caused by a wide variety of diseases. These are two distinct symptoms, and while some conditions can cause both, other conditions may lead to one or the other. Individuals who feel like they have excessive...
Asthma, chronic bronchitis, bronchiectasis and emphysema can cause swelling and inflammation of lung tissue, which causes a buildup of mucus in the airway, obstructing the flow of air. Your doctor will design a treatment plan based on your disease...
Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, often called COPD, refers to a group of diseases that prevent the lungs from working normally. C stands for chronic because the disease is constant and irreversible. O stands for obstructive because the...
Obstructive lung diseases, according to their classification by the National Library of Medicine (NLM), include "any disorder marked by obstruction of conducting airways of the lung." These disorders "may be acute chronic, intermittent, or...
Wheezing is defined by Medline Plus as a high-pitched whistling sound that occurs during breathing when air travels through narrowed airways. Wheezing is most audible during exhalation but may also be heard lightly during inhalation. Wheezing is a...
The trachea, or windpipe, divides into two bronchi. It is the bronchi that have the responsibility of carrying air into and out of the lungs. The immune system fights against infections in the respiratory tract through the cough reflex, the mucus...
Chronic diseases exact a substantial toll on people who live with them and the community at large. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports that nearly 50 percent of the population in the United States has one or more chronic...
