Lung diseases – causes, symptoms and diagnosis
Respiratory-System Disorders
Lung Diseases
There are a lot of diseases or disorders associated to the respiratory-system of humans. These diseases usually affect the mouth, nose, larynx, throat, trachea, bronchial tubes, and especially the lungs. There are many types of lung diseases known to man. Each type usually having different causes and symptoms.
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Diseases
These diseases are the most common types of respiratory disorders. Asthma, Emphysema, and Chronic Bronchitis are some of them and although they do not directly affect the lungs, it affects the passageway of air which is the bronchi, which causes the lungs to labour more.
Not a good example
Allergies
Allergies of the respiratory-system include hay fever, asthma, and other types of pneumonia. These conditions are caught when the victim is exposed to bacteria from contaminated things.
Pnuemoconioses
These diseases are caused when a victim inhales nonallergenic inorganic dusts. These diseases are characterized by the injured tissues of the lungs due to the dust, which may lead to pulmonary fibrosis.
- -Silica dust can cause silcosis.
- -Coal dust can cause black lung(coal worker’s pneumoconiosis)
- -Asbestos fibers can cause asbestosis
- -Beryllium dust can cause berylliosis
Pleurisy
This condition is a result of pneumonia, rheumatic fever, or a tumor and is characterised by the swelling of the pleural membranes, which is surrounding the lungs.
Tumours
There are types of tumours, benign or non-cancerous and malignant which is cancerous. The former although a less fatal one still causes damage that may be due to continuous growth, causing pressure on other organs or structures that may lead to bleeding or other complications.
The lung cancer which commonly develops from the bad habit of smoking or other environment airborne pollutants. Although everyone exposed to unhealthy air has a chance of getting lung cancer, exposure to material substances like asbestos, chromium, and radioactive substances.
Lung cancer patient
There are three types of lung cancer according to where it originated
- Bronchial carcinomas – trachea or bronchi
- Lymphoma – lymph nodes
- Sarcomas – lungs, bones, etc.
Drug-Induced Pulmonary Diseases
Pulmonary fibrosis or edema (characterized by the existence of fluid in the lungs) are cause by drugs used in the wrong way. Some types of drugs include heroin, methadone, Darvon, and drugs used to treat serious illnesses such as cancer, leukaemia, and nitrofurantoin.
Other
Lung disorders from unusual atmospheric pressure – Atmospheric pressures that are not typical can cause lung problems. This includes high altitudes (as in the mountains) where the air has less oxygen, or deep water where there is more atmospheric pressure and higher nitrogen levels in the blood.
Reference:
Groliers, Encyclopedia of Knowledge, 1993