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Breathing Disorders Learning Center

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Welcome

By taking in oxygen from the air and expelling carbon dioxide, the lungs play a crucial role in maintaining life. The oxygen gathered by the lungs enters the blood as it circulates and is distributed to cells throughout...

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Asbestos Disease
Asbestosis is a respiratory disease brought on by inhaling asbestos fibers.
Cold and Flu
The flu is a contagious infection of the nose, throat, and lungs caused by the influenza virus.
Whooping Cough
Pertussis is a highly contagious bacterial disease that causes uncontrollable, violent coughing. The coughing can make it hard to breathe.
Bronchitis
Bronchitis is an inflammation of the main air passages to the lungs. Bronchitis may be short-lived (acute) or chronic, meaning that it lasts a long time and often recurs.
Chronic Bronchitis
If you cough up mucus and feel short of breath for at least three months each year, two or more years in a row, you have chronic bronchitis.
Breathing Too Fast (Tachypnea)
Hyperventilation is rapid or deep breathing that can occur with anxiety or panic. It is also called overbreathing, and may leave you feeling breathless. See also: Rapid shallow breathing
Pleurisy
Pleurisy is inflammation of the lining of the lungs that causes pain when you take a breath or cough.
Pneumonia
Pneumonia is an infection of the lungs. Many different organisms can cause it, including bacteria, viruses, and fungi. Pneumonia can range from mild to severe, and can even be deadly.
Pulmonary Embolism
A pulmonary embolus is a blockage of an artery in the lungs by fat, air, a blood clot, or tumor cells.
Emphysema
Detailed information on pulmonary emphysema, pulmonary emphysema symptoms, pulmonary emphysema causes, pulmonary emphysema treatment
Adult Respiratory Distress Syndrome (ARDS)
Acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) is a life-threatening lung condition that prevents enough oxygen from getting into the blood. See also: Infant respiratory distress syndrome
Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS)
Severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) is a serious form of pneumonia, caused by a virus isolated in 2003.
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD)
Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is lung disease that makes it difficult to breathe.
Asthma
Asthma is an inflammatory disorder of the airways, which causes attacks of wheezing, shortness of breath, chest tightness, and coughing. See also: Pediatric asthma
Cystic Fibrosis
Cystic fibrosis is an inherited disease that causes thick, sticky mucus to build up in the lungs and digestive tract.
Allergic Bronchopulmonary Aspergillosis
Pulmonary aspergillosis is an allergic reaction to a fungus called aspergillus, which causes inflammation of the airways and air sacs of the lungs.
Respiratory Acidosis
Respiratory acidosis is a condition that occurs when the lungs cannot remove all of the carbon dioxide the body produces. This disrupts the body's acid-base balance. Body fluids become too acidic.
Respiratory Alkalosis
Respiratory alkalosis is a condition marked by low levels of carbon dioxide in the blood due to breathing excessively. See also: Alkalosis
Bronchopneumonia
Pneumonia is an infection of the lung that can be caused by nearly any class of organism known to cause human infections . These include bacteria, amoebae, viruses, fungi, and parasites.
Byssinosis
Byssinosis is a disease of the lungs brought on by breathing in cotton dust or dusts from other vegetable fibers such as flax, hemp, or sisal while at work. See also: Occupational asthma
Caplan's Syndrome
Caplan syndrome is swelling (inflammation) and scarring of the lungs in people with rheumatoid arthritis who have been exposed to mining dust, such as coal, silica, or asbestos.
Croup
Croup is breathing difficulty accompanied by a "barking" cough. Croup, which is swelling around the vocal cords, is common in infants and children and can have a variety of causes.
Empyema
Empyema is a collection of pus in the space between the lung and the inside of the chest wall (pleural space.
Pneumothorax
Pneumothorax is the collection of air or gas in the space around the lungs.
Pulmonary Alveolar Proteinosis
Pulmonary alveolar proteinosis is a rare disease in which a type of protein builds up in the air sacs (alveoli) of the lungs, making breathing difficult.
Pulmonary Fibrosis
Pulmonary fibrosis is scarring in the lungs.
Acute Bronchitis
Detailed information on acute bronchitis, including symptoms, diagnosis, and treatment
Pulmonary Coin Lesion
A solitary pulmonary nodule is a round or oval spot (lesion) in the lungs that is seen with a chest x-ray or CT scan.
Pulmonary Edema
Pulmonary edema is an abnormal build up of fluid in the air sacs of the lungs, which leads to shortness of breath
Acute Upper Respiratory Infection (URI)
The common cold generally involves a runny nose, nasal congestion, and sneezing. You may also have a sore throat, cough, headache, or other symptoms. Over 200 viruses can cause a cold.
Aspiration Pneumonia
Aspiration pneumonia is inflammation of the lungs and airways to the lungs (bronchial tubes) from breathing in foreign material.
Mycoplasma Pneumonia
Mycoplasma pneumonia is an infection of the lungs caused by by the bacteria Mycoplasma pneumoniae (M. pneumoniae. See also: Atypical pneumonia; Viral pneumonia.
Bronchiolitis
Bronchiolitis is an inflammation of the small passages in the lungs (bronchioles), usually caused by a viral infection.
Atelectasis
Atelectasis is the collapse of part or all of a lung. See also: Pneumothorax
Pleural Effusion
A pleural effusion is an accumulation of fluid between the layers of tissue that line the lungs and chest cavity.
Pneumococcal Pneumonia
Pneumococcal pneumonia is a common but serious infection and inflammation of the lungs. It is caused by the bacterium Streptococcus pneumoniae .
Bronchiectasis
Bronchiectasis is destruction and widening of the large airways.
Pulmonary Actinomycosis
Pulmonary actinomycosis is a rare bacterial lung infection.
Acute Silicosis
Silicosis is a progressive disease that belongs to a group of lung disorders called pneumoconioses. Silicosis is marked by the formation of lumps (nodules) and fibrous scar tissue in the lungs.
Atypical Pneumonia
Atypical pneumonia refers to pneumonia caused by certain bacteria, including Legionella pneumophila, Mycoplasma pneumoniae, and Chlamydophila pneumoniae.
Acute Mountain Sickness
Acute mountain sickness is an illness that can affect mountain climbers, hikers, skiers, or travelers at high altitude (typically above 8,000 feet or 2,400 meters.
Aspergillosis
Aspergillosis is an infection, growth, or allergic response due to the Aspergillus fungus.

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