Tracheal pain is usually felt in the chest during cardiovascular exercise when you have a weak heart or an unconditioned body. While occasionally this can be the sign of a serious health problem, if you work yourself up to health levels of...
The anatomy of the lungs can be broken down into the structures that compose the airway. The main units of the airway include the larynx, trachea, bronchi, bronchioles and alveoli. Inside lung tissue, the circulatory system and the respiratory...
The larynx (sometimes called the voice box) is a tube-shaped organ in the neck region between the pharynx (throat) and the trachea (breathing tube). The larynx houses the vocal cords and has a cartilaginous skeleton and intrinsic and extrinsic...
Throat cancer is the uncontrolled growth of abnormal cells in the tissue of the pharynx and larynx. The pharynx is a hollow tube that begins behind the nose and ends at the top of the trachea and esophagus. The larynx is an organ that contains the...
Tracheitis refers to an acute inflammation of the trachea, or respiratory tract. Sufferers of tracheitis often experience partially blocked or potentially fully obstructed airways. This particular affliction occurs most often in very young...
The lungs are the primary organs of respiration, which consists of ventilation and gas exchange in the lungs and oxygen transport to the cells of the body. Cedars-Sinai Hospital notes that on average, a normally active person breathes almost...
Breathing is a mechanical process that humans perform automatically, meaning the muscles involved perform the action without conscious effort. Breathing is performed by the respiratory system, which consists of the lungs, trachea, bronchi and...
The choke hold is one of the best-known self-defense techniques. It has been a part of popular culture since the early days of professional wrestling when it was affectionately referred to as "the sleeper hold." Aside from pro wrestling,...
Several different types of feeding tubes are used to supply nutrition to patients unable to eat. Temporary feeding issues may require a naso-gastric (NG) tube, which is inserted through the mouth or nose down the throat and into the stomach....
The respiratory system, which consists of the nose, mouth, trachea, larynx, lungs and diaphragm, functions to supply oxygen to the entire body. Through the process of breathing, air that contains oxygen enters lungs. The lungs promote the exchange...
Endotracheal intubation is a medical procedure that involves the placement of a tube into the trachea, or windpipe, to help unconscious or medically compromised people breathe. Typically, the breathing tube is placed through the mouth and into the...
Cartilage, a type of connective tissue, is made of cells called chondrocytes and the material these cells secrete. According to Professor Bruce Babiarz, Rutgers University, the relatively stiff structure of cartilage plays a very important role in...
Your respiratory system is the organ network in your body that supplies oxygen to your bloodstream. Once in your blood, oxygen feeds a wide variety of tissues and processes. When you perform aerobic exercises, you increase the load on your...
The main function of the respiratory system is to maintain oxygen levels in the blood so oxygen can be transported to all organs and tissues. Oxygen is obtained through breathing, or respiration, then circulated in the bloodstream. During...
A collapsed lung, or pneumothorax, occurs when air enters the space surrounding the lung. Pressure exerted by the air pocket causes partial or complete lung deflation, depending on the size of the air leak. Penetrating chest and lung injuries and...
Realizing that your young child has swallowed a hard object such as a peppermint or other candy can be a frightening experience. Very small children don't have the ability to deal with eating this type of solid item, and hard candy should be kept...
When food enters the lungs instead of the esophagus, it affects breathing and can cause choking and other problems. The structures inside the mouth and neck each have a distinct role in breathing, speaking and swallowing. The swallowing mechanism...
If you enjoy swimming but have a tracheostomy, or tracheotomy, you do not necessarily have to forgo this activity. A tracheostomy is a medical procedure characterized by surgically creating a hole in the throat to provide direct access to the...
Croup is a common children’s ailment that occurs when swelling develops around the trachea and vocal chords. One of the most noticeable symptoms of croup is the loud, harsh barking sound that occurs when your child coughs or attempts to...
Heartburn is a common complaint of many Americans, afflicting more than 40 percent of the population. When heartburn, the pain associated with acid reflux, reoccurs, it is clinically referred to as gastroesophageal reflux disease, or GERD....
Laryngectomy is the surgical removal of all or part of the larynx, or voice box, usually as a treatment for laryngeal cancer. It is normally performed when other treatment options, such as radiation or chemotherapy, fail. Laryngectomies can be...
The best method to take an infant's pulse is to listen to the apex of the heart with a stethoscope. In case of an emergency and when you don't have a stethoscope, check a pulse on the large brachial artery of the infant's arm. If an infant does...
Your respiratory system is the part of your body that provides you with the oxygen you need for daily survival. It includes your lungs, trachea, nose and mouth, as well as the muscular diaphragm in the bottom of your chest cavity. When you perform...
The respiratory tract is made up of a system of tubes (trachea, bronchi and bronchioles) that gradually narrow and end in a grape cluster-like collection of sacs called alveoli. The upper tubes, trachea and bronchi are made up of cartilage and...
The lungs are the organs responsible for respiration. Lee-Ellen Copstead, Ph.D. and Jacquelyn Banasik, Ph.D., authors of "Pathophysiology: Biological and Behavioral Perspectives," discuss the respiratory system in depth. The specific anatomy of...
The lungs are the main component of your respiratory system. The respiratory system works closely with the cardiovascular system to provide your body with vital oxygen. The lungs themselves have many components that work to help attach oxygen to...
A breathing tube is generally inserted into your trachea through the mouth or nose while you're under anesthesia in preparation for a surgical procedure. In some cases, the tube will take over breathing for you entirely until recovery is underway....
Although rare, esophageal cancer most frequently affects men, smokers and those who chronically use alcohol, according to MedlinePlus, a service of the National Institutes of Health. The esophagus is the tube that transfers food from the mouth to...
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Haemophilus influenzae type B, also known as H. flu, is a bacteria, not a virus. Once the leading cause of serious systemic infections in children and infants, the type B organism...
A tracheotomy is a procedure that opens the airways directly through the neck. Learn about the dealing with and performing a tracheotomy in this video.
Choking is the mechanical (either by foreign object or compression) obstruction of outside air flowing into the lungs. Learn about choking, including emergency treatments like CPR, in this video.
Pharyngeal cancer is cancer in the pharynx. Watch this video for more information on this condition, its symptoms, prevention, and how to treat it.
Anaphylaxis is a reaction to an allergen or foreign body, usually food, bug bites or stings or a medication. Anaphylaxis can cause a rash, trouble breathing, wheezing and nausea. Learn more about the symptoms and treatments for anaphylaxis in...