Pulmonary fibrosis is a chronic disease that causes scarring and thickening of lung tissue. Scar tissue replaces healthy lung tissue, which causes your lungs to swell and stiffen. Breathing becomes more difficult as the disease gets worse....
Asbestos is a group of minerals that have long, thin fibers. If asbestos is disturbed, fibers are released into the air and can be inhaled. Most of the fibers are exhaled, but some can become lodged in the lungs. Over time, scarring and...
Lung scarring usually occurs when scar tissue forms within the lungs or near the blood vessels surrounding the lungs. A previous lung infection, such as pneumonia, as well as fungal infections and certain medical conditions, such as cystic...
Asbestosis is a respiratory disease that occurs due to prolonged exposure to asbestos. Asbestos is a fibrous mineral that prior to the 1970s was used in a variety of products, including vehicle brakes and building materials. The fibers in asbestos...
Asbestos is a needle-like mineral which was used widely in construction and many industries for its heat-insulating properties until the 1970s. Since then, its use has largely declined because it is easily aerosolized and inhaled, and has been...
Asbestos is a very thin, fibrous mineral that is present naturally in the environment, according to Princeton University. It is not flammable and is a good insulator. Because of these attributes, asbestos was used in construction of commercial...
In medicine, compliance and elasticity are different ways to describe how stretchy, springy or flexible something is. The more compliant the lungs are, the more they are able to stretch in response to a force, and the lower the compliance, the...
Radon is a gas with high radioactivity. It is tasteless, colorless and odorless. You may breathe in radon without realizing it due to exposure in your own home. Extended exposure to high radon levels can lead to significant health problems later...
Asbestos is a dangerous material that has long-term negative effects when a person is exposed to it. The mineral once was used in building materials to help prevent fires. It was used in insulation and even in tiles that covered homes. People,...
Atelectasis and scarring are two conditions of the lungs that make it difficult to breath. Atelectasis, a complete or partial collapse of a lung, can be reversed; scars in the lung cannot. Atelectasis can lead to lung scarring and, in some...
The lungs, an organ of the respiratory system, function to intake air, exchange gases and exhale waste produced by cells. As the lungs expand, air enters the mouth and nose, travels through the trachea, enters the bronchi that branch into a series...
Asthma is a lung disease with symptoms such as coughing, wheezing, difficulty breathing and a tight feeling in the chest. It affects millions of children. Multiple physiological processes lead to asthmatic symptoms. Collectively, these processes...
In the lungs, the largest tubes, known as bronchi, subdivide into millions of smaller and smaller tubes. The smallest tubes have thin walls and are adjacent to blood vessels, allow oxygen and carbon dioxide to exchange between the lungs and the...
According to the Environmental Protection Agency, the real danger lies in contaminated vermiculite, not the pure mineral. Prior to 1991, the majority of vermiculite insulation also contained asbestos. Deposits of asbestos were found in the same...
Asbestosis is a lung disease caused by inhaling asbestos fibers that can increase the risk of lung cancer, according to the National Heart Lung and Blood Institute. Asbestos fibers cause scarring when they enter the lung, and the scarred tissue...
Black lung, also known as coal workers’ pneumoconiosis, describes a lung disease caused by the inhalation of coal dust or graphite. Initially, coal dust in the lungs causes few problems. Over time; however, the dust accumulates in the lungs,...
Asbestosis is a lung condition caused by barbed asbestos fibers that get stuck in lung tissue. As the fibers accumulate, the lungs form scar tissue around the fibers as a protective measure. Over time, the scarring reduces the elasticity of the...
Asbestos poisoning occurs when asbestos fibers build up in the lungs after exposure. Asbestos exposure traditionally occurred in commercial and industrial settings, especially in the 1970's. Today it is more commonly seen in asbestos removal...
Asbestosis is a chronic inflammatory lung disease caused by the inhalation of asbestos fibers. Asbestos is a mineral fiber that has been used in building materials, insulation and automotive parts. The Environmental Protection Agency banned...
Chlorambucil is a chemotherapy treatment used to treat cancers of the ovaries, lymph (fluid that carries white blood cells) and blood (leukemia). It can also treat nephrotic syndrome (kidney disorder) and uterine fibroids. According to Drugs.com,...
Your lung's major airways--bronchi--divide into smaller airways called bronchioles that end in clusters of air sacs called alveoli. If the walls of the alveoli become inflamed, the tissue that lines and supports the alveoli, called the...
Shortness of breath and dizziness are known as non-specific symptoms. This means a diagnosis cannot be established from their presence alone: A further medical history, physical exam and tests should be performed. However, dizziness and shortness...
Interstitial lung disease (ILD) occurs when the alveoli, or small sacs in your lungs, become inflamed and unable to function properly. Oxygen flow to your body is inhibited, which in turn impair the workings of your body. An entire group of lung...
According to MayoClinic.com, lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer death in the United States as of 2010. Even with therapy--surgery, chemotherapy and radiation--the survival rate after five years is less than 15 percent, according to Dr....
Genetic mutations cause permanent changes in a DNA sequence that makes up a gene, according to Medline Plus. Mutations can range in size, varying from a single DNA block to a large segment of a chromosome. Individuals inherit genetic mutations...
Pulmonary fibrosis is a condition in which progressive scarring of lung tissue develops and permanently impairs lung function. It is currently thought that chronic damage to the lung tissue (such as from smoking) results in the formation of the...
Asbestos is a naturally occurring mineral fiber that was used extensively as a building material in the construction industry because of its insulation and fire-retardant properties, high tensile strength, and chemical and thermal stability. In...
While smoking exacerbates existing conditions such as asthma and allergies, it also creates many other serious breathing problems. The act of smoking places stress on the airways and lungs in ways that cause both short-term and chronic health...
Black molds commonly grow in damp areas of houses, such as bathrooms, basements and trash cans. While molds require high humidity, they enjoy a wide temperature range for growth, living in cold refrigerators and around warm clothes dryers. ...
Asbestosis is a chronic inflammatory medical condition affecting the parenchymal tissue of the lungs. It occurs after long-term, heavy exposure to asbestos. Sufferers have severe shortness of breath and are at an increased risk regarding several...
