by Marianne Drevna | Dec 23, 2024 | The Lungs
Many people with chronic lung diseases find themselves getting bronchitis winter after winter. There are a few reasons why this may occur: For starters, bacteria thrives in warm, moist and dark places, like your lungs and airways. In addition, if you are taking certain medications, like steroids, your immune system may be suppressed, causing you to be more prone to infections and making it more difficult for them to clear up. Here are a few things you can do to help prevent infections in the first place: Wash your hands. Warm, soapy water goes a long way to get rid of bacteria. If you are prescribed an antibiotic, make sure to take it all, even if you are feeling better. See your doctor if your symptoms worsen – don’t wait. An ER visit costs much more than a trip to your primary care doctor. Stop smoking. Keep all of your respiratory equipment clean. This includes your spacer, peak flow meter, CPAP/BiPAP supplies, and/or nebulizer kits. You should always stick to a regular cleaning schedule for your equipment, but you should clean it even more often if you’re sick. If you have questions about keeping your equipment clean, give us a call at 1-800-220-1990, and we can help. Stay hydrated. Most of us don’t feel the need to drink as much water as we do in the summer, but it’s equally important in winter, as it helps thin your lung secretions so they are easier to cough out. While these things may not be enough to keep bronchitis from recurring, they might be able to help lessen your symptoms and...
by Carla Conrad | Oct 22, 2024 | The Lungs
If I asked you what the number one cancer killer of women is, would you be surprised that it isn’t breast cancer? In 2015, it is estimated that 71,660 women will die of lung cancer2. Compare that to the 2015 estimated breast cancer death rate of 40,290 women1. Though more women are diagnosed with breast cancer, more people die annually of lung cancer than cancer of the colon, breast, and prostate combined2. Lung cancer accounts for 13% of all new cancer diagnoses, with an estimated 105,590 new cases among women in 20152. When you consider the statistics, you have to wonder why more isn’t done to save lives and prevent new cases of lung cancer. The sad truth is that lung cancer is a stigmatized disease. When a lung cancer patient shares their diagnosis, the common response is, “Did you smoke?” When diagnosed with any other cancer, words of compassion and support are shared. The fact is that smoking and lung cancer are so closely aligned, that it is easy to blame a victim for what’s considered a self-inflicted disease. But did you know that not all lung cancer is caused by smoking, and that non-smokers can develop it as well? In fact, environmental exposure to radon gas is an increases the risk of developing lung cancer5. Let’s stop blaming the victim and focus on prevention. The fact is that most smokers become addicted to tobacco when they are children. For example, 90% of cigarette smokers first tried smoking by age 184. Knowing the impact that breast cancer foundations have in raising awareness and funds gives me hope for...
by Brittany Zuckerman | Jul 15, 2024 | The Lungs
You’ve probably heard of air quality alert days where is the air is dangerous to breathe, but what actually causes an air quality alert? Two things contribute to air pollution that can cause an air quality alert: Ground-Level Ozone – High-levels of ground-level ozone are frequently the cause of air quality alerts. Ground-level ozone is created by pollutants such as car exhaust and industrial fumes mixing with oxygen. This most often happens on hot, but dry sunny days with a light breeze. Ground-level ozone can trigger asthma attacks and decrease lung function. Particulate Matter – Particulate matter consists of pollutants such as dust, soot, ash and wood smoke. This is often caused by the burning of fossil fuels or other chemical processes. This type of air quality issue is most common on hot, humid days. There are also different air quality alert color codes to be aware of: An orange air quality alert means the air is dangerous for sensitive groups, such as those with asthma or the elderly. A red air quality alert indicates it is starting to become dangerous for everyone. Purple and maroon air quality alerts—though rare—are extremely hazardous for all groups. If there is an air quality alert, try to stay indoors with the windows shut, carry your rescue inhaler with you everywhere and consider a face mask if you need to go outside. Visit airnow.gov to check the air quality anywhere in the United States or download their app to be able to check the air quality when you’re out and...
Why Are You Coughing?
by Brittany Zuckerman | Jun 11, 2024 | The Lungs
Coughing is the body’s reaction to irritation in the airways or foreign material in the lungs and airways. Most coughs will resolve themselves on their own and are a normal part of life, but if you have a cough that lasts longer than a day or two it can mean a number of different things, ranging from minor issues to a symptom of a serious disease. There are two types of coughs, productive and nonproductive. A productive cough produces mucus, whereas a nonproductive cough is dry and doesn’t produce any mucus. Possible causes of a productive cough include: The common cold Infections such as pneumonia or bronchitis COPD Gastro esophageal reflux disease (GERD) Postnasal drip Smoking or other tobacco use Possible causes of a nonproductive cough include: Exposure to a lung irritant like dust or smoke Viral illness Bronchospasms Allergies Asthma Certain types of medicines Airway blockage If you have a cough that doesn’t go away after a few weeks, see your doctor to determine the cause of your cough. If you’re experiencing severe symptoms such as shortness of breath, high fever or coughing up blood, seek immediate medical...
Pneumonitis
by Brittany Zuckerman | Jun 11, 2024 | The Lungs
Pneumonitis refers to inflammation of the lungs. It occurs when an irritant enters the lungs and causes the tiny air sacs, called alveoli, to become inflamed. This inflammation makes it harder for your lungs to pass oxygen through the alveoli into your blood. Common symptoms of pneumonitis include: Shortness of breath and difficulty breathing An unproductive (dry) cough Fatigue Weight loss and loss of appetite Certain hobbies and occupations can make your risk of developing pneumonitis higher. Causes of pneumonitis can include: Molds and bacteria Exposure to feathers and bird excrement Radiation therapy Some antibiotics Some chemotherapy drugs Aerosolized mists and pesticides To diagnosis pneumonitis, your doctor will take a detailed medical and job/hobby history to determine whether you could have been exposed to lung irritants. Physical exams and tests such as blood tests, chest x-rays, CT scans, bronchoscopy and pulmonary function tests are used to determine if it’s pneumonitis. To treat pneumonitis your doctor will recommend removing exposure to the irritant to reduce symptoms. In additions, they may recommend: Corticosteroids to reduce inflammation Oxygen therapy to help with trouble breathing Lifestyle changes to protect your lungs including avoiding tobacco smoke, pollution and other lung irritants If left untreated, chronic pneumonitis can develop. This can cause irreversible lung damage, such as pulmonary fibrosis. To help prevent pneumonitis, use dust masks and respirators while working in hazardous conditions. Try to avoid hobbies and activities that would expose you to lung...
Silicosis
by Brittany Zuckerman | Apr 30, 2024 | The Lungs
Silicosis is a progressive lung disease caused by inhalation of silica dust. Silica is a component of soil, sand, granite and other rocks. Silica dust is formed during activities such as mining, quarrying and sandblasting. There are three types of silicosis – simple chronic, accelerated and acute. Simple chronic silicosis is the most common type of the disease, caused by long-term exposure to low amounts of silica dust. Accelerated silicosis occurs after a large amount of exposure to silica over a shorter period of time. Acute silicosis happens when lungs are exposed to a very large amount of silica over a short period of time. Very high exposure to silica dust can cause the onset of the disease within a year, but normally, it takes about 10 to 15 years to develop silicosis. Symptoms of silicosis include: Trouble breathing and shortness of breath Weight loss Fatigue Cough Silicosis can also cause swelling in the lungs and chest lymph nodes, lung scarring and low blood oxygen levels. To diagnose silicosis, your doctor will take a detailed medical and job/hobby history to determine if you have been exposed to silica and how often. Physical exams and tests such as chest x-rays, chest CT scans and pulmonary function tests are also used to determine if it is silicosis. There is no cure for silicosis, but treatment to improve quality of life and slow the progression of the disease includes: Discovering the source of the silica dust and removing exposure to it Medicines to ease breathing trouble and fight respiratory infections Limiting exposure to other lung irritants, including smoking Regular tuberculosis (TB) testing,...
