Chronic bronchitis is an inflammation of the airways, called the bronchi, resulting in excess mucus production. Although infections often result from this form of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD), they are not typically the cause. An infection may produce acute bronchitis, a similar condition that can last days or weeks, but chronic bronchitis is persistent, lasting months or as is often the case, indefinitely.
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease or COPD is a general term that encompasses two conditions, namely chronic bronchitis and emphysema. Both cause obstruction of the airways, though in different ways, and reduce oxygen and carbon dioxide exchange efficiency. Consequently, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease diagnosis requires detailed tests in order to differentiate the two diseases.
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COPD is an acronym that stands for Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease. It is used as a generic term to cover chiefly chronic bronchitis and emphysema, since these are the two major lung diseases, which obstruct airways.
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COPD Emphysema is one of the two major forms of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease, which comes about when the alveoli become damaged. Those are the tiny sacs in the lung that exchange oxygen into the blood and carbon dioxide out.
While there are no known cures for chronic bronchitis or emphysema, the two major types of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, there are various COPD treatment options available that can ease discomfort and improve daily life.
The association between heavy, long-term smoking and lung problems has been recognized for over one hundred and fifty years. As early as the 1860s, physicians were warning folks about the effects of smoking on the lungs and breathing. Modern research has only served to make that link clearer and more well-founded.
The best way to explain how our lungs work is to think of them as an upside down tree. A long trunk, called the trachea, leads to thick branches. Off those branches, called bronchi, shoot smaller limbs, known as bronchioles. At the ends are the leaves called alveoli.
In order to keep your lungs healthy, there are a variety of things that you should and should not do. As is usual when talking about such things, smoking is inevitably the first thing that springs to everybody’s mind, but avoiding cigarette smoke is not the be all and end all of keeping a healthy pair of lungs although giving up the evil weed can be a big help. Many other lifestyle choices can have an influence on lung health, as well.
As with virtually any disease, the symptoms of lung cancer can overlap those of numerous other conditions. However, anybody can watch out for several common signs associated with this issue.
Coughing is a common behavior that we do spontaneously when anything irritates the airways. However, a new cough that persists for a few weeks in the absence of a cold should be checked out. That is especially true for those with a history of smoking and/or cancer in the immediate family. Such coughs can get worse over time, again not leading to any specific diagnosis. To obtain a definitive diagnosis requires a doctor.
Unlike asthma or Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD), tuberculosis disease has a known cause. It results from infection by a bacterium known as Mycobacterium tuberculosis. While secondary infections are more likely when a person has COPD, due to the tendency to retain excess mucus, the bacterial infection itself is the primary cause of TB.
For the patient who exhibits any symptoms of lung cancer or who has had an x-ray where something suspicious has shown up, there a several techniques available in order to obtain a definitive diagnosis. Although an x-ray will show worrying shadows, other tests for lung cancer will be required to determine whether or not any form of carcinoma exists.