Pulmonary Function Tests

Guidelines for the Diagnosis & Treatment of Asthma

The Mayo Clinic reports that while there is no cure for asthma, the symptoms can be controlled with medication and awareness of the triggers that set off an attack. Asthma is a bronchial condition that restricts the airways to the lungs when the...

Asthma Breath Tests

Asthma is a disease that involves inflammation of the airways. It leads to symptoms like difficulty breathing, coughing and wheezing. Pulmonary function tests are used in the diagnosis and monitoring of asthma. Some of these tests involve breath...

Diseases of the Pulmonary System

The pulmonary system works in coordination with the circulatory system to remove carbon dioxide waste from the body and supply oxygen-rich blood to every cell throughout the body. Diseases of the pulmonary system can occur anywhere from the...

What Are the Causes of Respiratory Alkalosis?

Respiratory alkalosis is a condition in which carbon dioxide is expelled from the body faster than produced due to excessive respiration. This causes an increase in blood pH, making it more alkaline and exciting the nervous system. If extreme,...

Diagnostic Techniques of the Lungs

Diagnosing disease is mostly a process of knowing what is "normal" and recognizing what is not. A doctor recognizes a disease by seeing a pattern formed by symptoms and findings during a physical examination. Laboratory tests can confirm these...

Asbestosis Early Warning Signs

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...

Pediatric Exercise-Induced Asthma

Pediatric asthma can be triggered or aggravated by exercise and physical activity. It can be difficult to detect asthma in children, who may not share their symptoms with you initially. When breathing becomes more difficult or challenging, it...

Asthma Symptoms in the Chest

Asthma, a chronic inflammatory disease that affects the airways, affects about 7 percent of the United States population, according to Merck.com. Pulmonary function tests provide information to physicians for an accurate diagnosis. Many symptoms...

Adult Asthma

Asthma is a common immunological problem that affects the respiratory system and impedes lung function. Asthma usually manifests itself in children, though it can also appear for the first time in adults. Asthma can be caused by a number of...

Lactose & Asthma in Kids

If your child has asthma, you might wonder whether an underlying lactose intolerance is to blame, particularly with the prevalence of milk allergies. However, lactose intolerance and milk allergy are very different from one another. While milk...

Hard Breathing in Activity

Feeling breathless during a vigorous workout is a common experience that generally is not cause for concern, according to Medline, a division of the National Institutes of Health. However, there are circumstances when shortness of breath can point...

What are the Effects of Asthma?

People with asthma lead normal lives thanks to treatments that deal with symptoms. It is imperative for them to be prepared to take medication in case asthma attacks occur and to avoid substances that trigger episodes. Pulmonary function tests are...

Early Emphysema Stage

Often referred to as COPD for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, emphysema is a chronic condition affecting the lungs that the Mayo Clinic claims is a leading cause of death and illness worldwide. Primarily caused by long-term smoking,...

Abnormal Kyphosis

Abnormal kyphosis, or simply kyphosis, is the abnormal curvature of the spine. According to Mayo Clinic, the upper portion of the spine curves forward. A small arc to the back is normal, but a bend greater than 50 degrees is considered atypical....

5 Things to Know About Acute Bronchitis

1. Know the Symptoms of Acute Bronchitis Early on, acute bronchitis is indistinguishable from the common cold and upper respiratory infections. Acute bronchitis is an inflammation of the larger airways, or bronchi, before the lungs. It is...

What Is the Definition of Shortness of Breath?

If you're having trouble breathing or become out of breath during activities, you may seek information on how to manage your condition. Although it's normal to get a bit out of breath when exerting yourself, there are medical conditions that cause...

Asthma & Nutrition

Asthma is a respiratory disorder characterized by inflammation of the lung airways that can make it hard to breather. Asthma affect both children and adults. A balanced diet based on fresh fruits and vegetables, healthy fibers and foods rich in...

What Are the Different Stages of COPD?

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, or COPD, is a progressively worsening disease that causes difficulty breathing. The disease includes chronic bronchitis, a chronic cough with mucus lasting at least three months, and emphysema, abnormal...

What Are the Causes of Respiratory Acidosis & Alkalosis?

Breathing, an anatomical and physiological process, occurs without a thought until something goes wrong. Respiratory acidosis or alkalosis indicate two such occasions. Inadequate ventilation leads to acidosis, and excessive ventilation causes...

What Types of Diseases Decrease Lung Compliance?

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...

Athletes & Pulmonary Hypertension

Pulmonary hypertension is a lifelong chronic disease that anyone, including athletes in top physical condition, can develop, and may lead to serious damage or even failure of the heart and lungs if left untreated. Fortunately, athletes with this...

Abnormal Cardiac Rhythms

Your heart beats in a characteristic normal rhythm defined and identified by cardio-pulmonary function tests such as an electrocardiogram or ECG. Clinically identified abnormal heart rhythms, known as arrhythmias or abnormal electrical activity...

Tests for Exercise-Induced Asthma

If you experience symptoms such as wheezing, coughing, chest tightness or shortness of breath during or shortly after exercising, you may have exercise-induced asthma. The condition, which affects those who have asthma as well as some who do not,...

A Description of Asthma

Asthma is an obstructive pulmonary disease characterized by hyper-reactive and narrowed airways, increased mucous secretion, bronchospasms, reversible airway obstruction, and mucosal edema and inflammation brought on by stimuli. Intrinsic...

Children With Chronic Respiratory Problems

Children diagnosed with chronic or ongoing respiratory problems may find their ability to play and function in everyday environments limited by their condition. A number of respiratory problems afflict children, and while some are mild and don't...

Nigella Sativa & Asthma

If you suffer from asthma, using nigella sativa as a complementary treatment may help to improve your symptoms. Nigella sativa, also known as black cumin or kalanji, is a medicinal spice that has been used in African, Middle Eastern, European,...

About Bronchopulmonary Dysplasia Syndrome

Bronchopulmonary dysplasia is a chronic lung disease that appears in premature infants, who have received high levels of oxygen, shortly after birth. These infants are usually born with a lack of surfactant, which predisposes the lungs to...

Acid Reflux and the Lungs

Gastroesophageal reflux occurs when there is regurgitation of food into the esophagus. The predominant symptom of GER is heartburn. Gastroesophageal reflux disease is diagnosed when heartburn is present two or more times a week. The International...

About Pulmonary Disease

COPD, or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, refers to a group of diseases that obstruct airflow and cause difficulties in breathing. The obstruction can cause severe and irreversible damage to the lungs. According to the National Heart Lung...