Many people suffer from Respiratory System Diseases and Disorders at least once in their lifetime.
The respiratory system provides oxygen to all the tissues of our body.
This oxygen helps to generate energy which is used to keep us alive and active.
Interestingly respiration patterns control our mood and thoughts.
So any diseases to the respiratory system disturb our health and also spirit.
In more severe conditions, it can add up to stress on our heart leading to heart diseases.
To many people, this system is normal.
But due to habits like smoking and also widespread air pollution, it can get into trouble.
If neglected, these lung diseases can hamper our daily life activities and reduce our life span drastically.
The disorders of the respiratory system are many but are not fatal on an instant basis.
They can be cured or treated with proper medical help.
Respiratory System Diseases
These include Asthma, Colds, Cough, Flu, COPD, emphysema, T.B, and pneumonia.
1) Asthma
It is a periodic acute bronchial constriction with difficulty in breathing. It is mostly seasonal and aggravated by allergenic agents like pollen, dust, etc.
2) Cold
These are primarily seasonal infections or climatic changes.
It is due to inflammation of the respiratory tract and is caused by many viruses.
The colds, though seemingly simple and go off in a week or so, are actually harsh and cause wear and tear on the respiratory system.
The number of colds a person experiences, the faster is drop-in lung or respiratory capacity.
So one needs to watch the frequency of colds he suffers. Also, the lifestyle is disturbed due to colds with symptoms like a stuffy nose.
3) Cough
Cough is an irritating reflex of the larynx or bronchi.
When a substance or particle enters the system, it touches the mucous layers. If the mucous is irritated, it could irritate and lead to a cough.
Sometimes it is also caused by infectious diseases like tuberculosis, pneumonia, etc.
This is also a reflex to remove phlegm or mucous from the tract. It can be controlled easily.
Yet it can be troublesome in old age infants as it can pose pressure or pain in the region of the heart or throat.
4) COPD
Chronic obstructive pulmonary disorder.
Probably the silent yet most fatal disorder of the lungs.
It is a progressive decrease in the lung capacity of a person.
The disease makes him unable to perform even simple physical actions.
The victim has severe gushing even on slight physical exertion like standing, walking, climbing stairs, etc.
In severe cases, it causes a lack of oxygen to tissues, especially the heart and brain, leading to death.
Once diagnosed, the life span of the patient cannot be more than 4-5 years.
The leading cause is noted to be smoking, air pollution, and repeated infections.
Yet, it can also be due to respiratory infection of bacterial and viral origin.
5) Tuberculosis
A challenging infection to the medical world, tuberculosis could not be eradicated despite many years of effort to kill and eradicate TB.
It is caused by the bacteria Bacillus calumet Guerin.
This is a bacterium with special structures like a calcium shell around it, which gives its resistance to TB drugs.
It survives in most humans and gets activated due to lack of immunity or mental stress or by direct contact with the infectious substance of TB patients.
It is spread easily by coughing, phlegm, etc., from person to person.
Even the treatment is quite harsh as the patient has to consume potent drugs for six months to 1 year for complete sterilization from bacteria.
If relapsed, the treatment is relatively harder as bacteria are better resistant to previous drugs.
6) Pneumonia
It is a bacterial infection by streptococcus pneumonia.
This causes inflammation, difficulty in breathing, etc.
7) Sinusitis
This is the inflammation of the mucous layer of the nasal tract. The main symptom is a stuffy nose.
Breathing is difficult. The nasal walls are swollen due to engorgement with blood, or sometimes there can be a polyp or abnormal growth.