Health professionals will need to monitor the patient's breathing closely, as the swelling of the windpipe that's symptomatic of tracheitis can severely restrict breathing, leading to serious medical complications. If you or your child begins to...
A goiter is simply an enlarged thyroid gland. Symptoms can occur when the thyroid increases in size and compresses other structures in the neck like the esophagus and windpipe. According to the American Association of Clinical Endocrinologists,...
Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease (GERD) is a chronic digestive disease that occurs when acid from the stomach or, on occasion, bile flows back into the food pipe, or esophagus. Stomach acid has a higher pH than the esophagus, and irritates the...
Bacterial infections usually need to be cleared up using antibiotics, which take several days to produce results. During that time, you should ensure that your child gets plenty of rest and avoids excessive physical exertion. Because tracheitis...
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...
When attempting to lose weight, it is recommended to stay within the fat-burning zone. Being in this zone not only burns fat but also burns calories. It is helpful to figure out your fat-burning zone to ensure that your workout is effective....
A goiter is simply an enlarged thyroid gland that's caused by a lack of the thyroid hormone. The gland becomes enlarged to compensate for this deficiency. You can usually identify a goiter as a distinct lump in your neck. In milder cases it may...
Croup is a common problem seen with children, especially babies and toddlers. Croup is a viral infection that causes inflammation in the respiratory system. Common viruses responsible for this infection include parainfluenza or respiratory...
Few things scare a parent more than a baby with breathing issues. Croup, with its characteristic barking cough leads to more than $56 million in annual health care costs in the United States, according to a 2004 report published in "American...
To have the most effective cardio workouts, you need to push your pulse into your personal target range. Unless you have a device that reads your pulse as you exercise, you have to check your pulse manually. Doing so after you've completed your...
Losing just 10 lbs. can have a huge impact on your health, according to cardiothoracic surgeon and TV personality Dr. Mehmet Cengiz Oz. Being overweight increases your risk of developing diabetes, having cancer and suffering from high blood...
Sleeping on your back isn't necessarily harmful, but it leads to back pain in some people. You're also more likely to snore because the relaxed tissue in your throat blocks your windpipe. Pregnant women should avoid lying on their backs during...
Gastroesophageal reflux is a common disorder in infants. The symptoms are a result of acid from the stomach flowing out of the stomach and up the esophagus. This is the tube that leads from the mouth to the stomach. Gastroesophageal reflux is the...
Non-Hodgkins lymphoma develops from the rapid, out-of-control growth of cells of the immune system called lymphocytes. Non-Hodgkins lymphoma often begins in the lymph nodes, small organs of the immune system located throughout the body. However,...
Chest physical therapy can help treat several forms of lung disease such as cystic fibrosis, COPD, pneumonia and bronchiectasis. Depending on the type of chest physical therapy required, procedures are typically performed by respiratory...
The thyroid is a gland that is located in the throat, positioned just below the larynx, or voice box. It is shaped like a butterfly with one wing fitting on each side of the windpipe. The thyroid produces a hormone called thyroid hormone, referred...
The esophagus is the medical term for the swallowing tube, or tube that extends from the throat to the stomach. The esophagus is lined with rings of muscles called sphincters at the top and bottom of its length. The strength and function of these...
The lungs are a paired set of organs in your chest that bring oxygen-rich air into your body and allow you to get rid of a cellular waste product called carbon dioxide. Your lungs also perform a supporting role in your body's regulation of the...
Chewing gum is an often-flavorful treat you can chew to satisfy your sweet tooth and relieve stress. Most people spit out chewing gum, thanks, in part, to an old wives' tale that says chewing gum takes seven years to digest. While this seems...
The cold season should not keep you from getting in your weekly runs. A common misconception among runners, especially beginners, is that your lungs can freeze in cold temperatures. Even in extreme cold weather conditions, your body is still able...
Occasional outbreaks of whooping cough, also called pertussis, are thought to be on the rise in the United States. Infections are most common among very young children and adults who may have compromised immune systems. Whooping cough causes...
Continuous positive airway pressure, or CPAP, is a type of therapy used to treat sleep apnea. A CPAP machine is used to prevent the obstruction of airways during sleep caused by this disorder. The machine has a connective tube and a mask to be...
The bronchial tubes connect the windpipe to the lungs. When that tube becomes inflamed, making it difficult to breath well, the condition is called bronchitis. There are two types of bronchitis: chronic and acute. Chronic bronchitis lasts several...
General anesthesia is a combination of inhaled and injected medications resulting in a lack of pain and no memory. This allows physicians and surgeons the opportunity to perform life-saving procedures, such as surgery. The effects of anesthesia...
More common in women than men, hypothyroidism is when the thyroid gland does not produced an adequate supply of hormones. Hypothyroidism can be caused by a number of factors, such as hormone imbalances, lack of hormone conversions by the liver and...
With each breath, air travels through the nose or mouth down the throat and through the larynx where a small flap allows air to enter the windpipe and keeps food and liquids out of the airways. Two smaller airways, known as bronchi, branch off...
Oxygen therapy helps people increase their oxygen intake to combat breathing difficulty, decrease fatigue and improve sleep. Oxygen therapy can also stretch the lifespan of those with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Major organs need...
The respiratory system is composed of the trachea (windpipe), a set of lungs and its blood vessels and bronchioles (smaller airways). Sometimes, an infection can invade the respiratory system. In some cases, an anatomical problem is to blame for...