What is lung pathology. Lung diseases and their symptoms. Signs, classification and prevention of major lung diseases. List of hereditary diseases

Lung diseases: a list of respiratory diseases.

Today, respiratory diseases are increasingly leading to disability and death.

In terms of the prevalence of diseases of the respiratory system, they already occupy the 3rd place.

Experts attribute this rise to an unfavorable environmental situation and addiction to bad habits.

To deal with the source of the pathological process, you need to know what the main organ of the respiratory system is.

The right lung is shorter and larger in volume. It consists of 3 parts. The left one is of two.

The lobes are divided into segments, including the bronchus, artery, and nerve.

The bronchi are the basis of the lungs, which form the bronchial tree.

The main bronchi branch into lobar, then segmental, lobular and terminal bronchioles, ending in alveoli.

The acinus (pulmonary lobule, or alveolus) is entrusted with the main purpose of the respiratory tract - gas exchange.

In addition to the main function of enriching the blood with oxygen and releasing carbon dioxide, the lungs perform a number of other tasks: they protect against environmental influences, participate in the processes of thermoregulation, metabolism, and secretion.

In medicine, a huge number of lung diseases have been described that occur for certain reasons, are characterized by their own symptoms and the development of the disease.

Common factors in the development of chest pathologies

• Smoking
• hypothermia
• Bad ecology
• chronic diseases
• Weak immunity
• Stress and emotional overstrain.

The main manifestations of human respiratory diseases occur immediately.

Symptoms of lung disease

• Dyspnea.

1. Subjective - shortness of breath, which the patient notes. (Thoracic sciatica, flatulence)
2. Objective - diagnosed by a doctor when breathing parameters change (Emphysema, pleurisy)
3. Combined. (, bronchogenic lung cancer)

Also distinguished by violation of the phase of breathing:

• difficulty in breathing - inspiratory dyspnea;
• expiration - expiratory.

Mixed shortness of breath, accompanied by pain, is called suffocation. This is an alarming sign that may indicate pulmonary edema.

• Cough is a protective mechanism aimed at removing pathological substances from the respiratory tract.

When sputum is discharged, its microscopic examination is mandatory. The analysis is taken in the morning, after rinsing the mouth.

Coughing can be disturbing for periods or constantly. Periodic is more common.

It accompanies influenza, acute inflammatory diseases,.

Permanent manifests itself in bronchogenic cancer, tuberculosis, inflammation of the larynx and bronchi.

• Hemoptysis is the excretion of blood with sputum. A dangerous symptom that causes serious diseases of the chest: cancer and tuberculosis of the lungs, abscess and gangrene, pulmonary infarction, thrombosis of the branches of the pulmonary artery.

When collecting an anamnesis, the doctor finds out the amount and nature of the blood released to make the correct diagnosis.

1. not an obligatory symptom in diseases of the respiratory system. This is a sign of inflammation or tuberculosis. Remember that doctors recommend not to bring down the temperature below 38 degrees. This is explained by the fact that with subfebrile numbers, the human immunity begins to fight the infection itself, mobilizing the body's defenses.
2. Pain in the chest can be stabbing, aching, pressing. Increased with deep breathing, coughing, physical activity. Localization indicates the location of the pathological focus.

9 main types of lung diseases

Tumor processes in the chest: what to be afraid of?

There are two types of tumors: malignant and benign.

The first case is the most dangerous and serious, because. symptoms often appear almost imperceptibly.

This leads to metastasis, difficult and difficult treatment and unfavorable outcome.

Types of malignant tumors and purulent processes in the lungs:

• Lymphoma
• Sarcoma
• Gangrene
• Abscess

To prevent a danger to life, you need to immediately contact a specialist and begin treatment.

Treatment of lung diseases

Depending on the type of disease, severity, degree and individual characteristics of the patient, the following can be used:

• Surgical intervention;
• Medications;
• Antiviral, restorative and antibacterial therapy;
• Painkillers and antispasmodics;
• Sanitary-resort and physiotherapy treatment.

Comprehensive treatment is advisable, because it is necessary to act on all links of pathogenesis.

Some drugs are aimed at the destruction of the pathogen.

Antibacterial, antiviral drugs have a similar effect.

Sulfonamides have a good bacteriostatic effect.

Others help improve the patient's condition by getting rid of the symptoms of the disease.

Airway patency is provided by bronchodilators.

They stimulate beta-adrenergic receptors, resulting in relaxation of the smooth muscles of the bronchi.

Mucolytic, expectorant drugs contribute to the liquefaction of sputum with its subsequent expectoration.

Pharmacotherapy of diseases of the respiratory system requires careful diagnostic measures.

A qualified specialist must take into account the individual characteristics of each for the speedy recovery of the patient.

Prevention of lung diseases

1. Long walks in the fresh air.
2. Getting rid of bad habits (smoking).
3. Cleanliness and freshness in the rooms where you spend most of your time (mites and dust provoke asthma attacks and spasms, impair the body's performance).
4. Getting rid of allergic factors (harmful chemicals in the form of powder, cleaning and detergents).
5. Hardening of the body and moderate physical activity in accordance with the individual characteristics of a person.
6. Regular visits to the pulmonologist.

Such simple prevention will help protect your respiratory tract and improve the whole body.

But, if the disease has already overtaken, do not delay the treatment. Contact your doctor immediately!

Diseases of the lungs and respiratory tract are the third most common in the world. And in the future, they may become even more common. Lung diseases are inferior only to cardiovascular ailments and liver pathologies, which affect every fifth person.

Lung diseases are a frequent occurrence in the modern world, perhaps this is provoked by an unstable environmental situation on the planet or by the excessive smoking of modern people. In any case, pathological phenomena in the lungs must be dealt with as soon as the first symptoms of the disease appear.

Modern medicine copes very well with pathological processes in the lungs of a person, the list of which is quite large. What are the diseases of the lungs, their symptoms, as well as ways to eliminate today we will try to analyze together.

So, a person has lung diseases of varying severity and intensity of manifestation. Among the most common are the following:

• alveolitis;
• asphyxia;
• bronchitis;
• bronchial asthma;
• lung atelectasis;
• bronchiolitis;
• neoplasms in the lungs;
• bronchiectasis;
• hyperventilation;
• histoplasmosis;
• hypoxia;
• pulmonary hypertension;
• pleurisy;
• chronic obstructive disease (COPD);
• pneumonia;
• sarcoidosis;
• tuberculosis;
• pneumothorax;
• silicosis
• apnea syndrome.

For the majority of little-informed people without medical education, the list of such names does not mean anything. To understand what exactly this or that lung disease means, we will consider them separately.

Alveolitis is a disease that consists in inflammation of the pulmonary vesicles - alveoli. In the process of inflammation, fibrosis of lung tissue begins.

Asphyxia can be recognized by a characteristic attack of suffocation, oxygen stops flowing into the blood and the amount of carbon dioxide increases. Atelectasis is the collapse of a certain part of the lung, into which air stops flowing and the organ dies.

Chronic lung disease - bronchial asthma, is very common in recent years. This disease is characterized by frequent attacks of suffocation, which can be of different intensity and duration.

Due to a bacterial or viral infection, the walls of the bronchioles become inflamed, signs of a disease called bronchiolitis appear. In the case of inflammation of the bronchi, bronchitis manifests itself.

Bronchospasm manifests itself in the form of frequent muscle contractions, as a result of which the lumen is significantly narrowed, causing difficulties in the entry and exit of air. If the lumen in the vessels of the lungs narrows gradually, then the pressure in them rises significantly, which causes dysfunction in the right chamber of the heart.

Bronchiectasis is characterized by permanent expansion of the bronchi, which is irreversible. A feature of the disease is the accumulation of pus and sputum in the lungs.

Sometimes the mucous membrane of the lungs - the pleura - becomes inflamed, and a certain plaque forms on it. Similar problems of the respiratory organs are called pleurisy in medicine. If the lung tissue itself becomes inflamed, then pneumonia is formed.

In cases where a certain amount of air accumulates in the pleural region of the lung, pneumothorax begins.

Hyperventilation is a kind of pathology that can be congenital or occur after a chest injury. It manifests itself in the form of rapid breathing at rest.

The causes of hypoxia can be different, ranging from trauma to nervous tension. This disease is characterized by obvious oxygen starvation.

tuberculosis and sarcoidosis

Tuberculosis can deservedly be called the modern plague, because every year this disease affects more and more people, as it is very contagious and transmitted by airborne droplets. The causative agent of this disease is Koch's wand, which can be treated with constant exposure to drugs.

Among the lung diseases that still have unexplained causes of education, sarcoidosis can be noted. This disease is characterized by the appearance of small nodules on the organ. Quite often, cysts and tumors form on these paired organs, which must be removed surgically.

Fungal lesions of the lungs are called histoplasmosis. Fungal infections of the lungs are dangerous diseases, they can be caught by constantly being in damp, unventilated rooms. If a person's living or working conditions are associated with dusty premises, then an occupational disease called silicosis may develop. Sleep apnea is an unreasonable stoppage of breathing.

The chronic form can develop in each of the above diseases. The main provoking factor is ignoring the signs of the disease and the lack of qualified assistance.

Symptoms of respiratory diseases

The above lung diseases have their own characteristics and nature of manifestation, but there are a number of symptoms that are characteristic of all diseases of the respiratory system. Their symptoms are quite similar, but they can have different intensity and duration of manifestation. Typical symptoms include:

• asthma attacks accompanied by coughing;
• weight loss;
• loss of appetite;
• expectoration of pus and sputum;
• spasms in the sternum;
• fever, chills and fever;
• dizziness;
• decreased performance and weakness;
• increased sweating;
• whistling and wheezing in the chest;
• frequent shortness of breath;

Treatment regimens for the lung disease itself and its symptoms are selected only by a qualified doctor based on examinations and test results.

Some people try to treat themselves, but you should not do this, because you can cause a number of serious complications, which will be much more difficult to get rid of than the original disease.

Treatment and prevention

In most cases, antibacterial, antiviral and restorative therapy is prescribed to eliminate respiratory diseases. Antitussive expectorants are used to combat coughs, and pain relievers are prescribed to reduce pain. The selection of drugs is carried out taking into account the age, weight and complexity of the patient's disease. In the most severe cases, surgery is prescribed with further chemotherapy in case of oncology, physiotherapy and sanitary-resort treatment.

There are many reasons for the development of respiratory diseases, but prevention will help prevent lung diseases. Try to spend more time outdoors, quit smoking, pay attention to the cleanliness of the room in which you are, because it is the dust and mites that live in them that provoke spasms and asthma attacks.

The lungs are a paired organ that carries out human breathing, located in the cavity of the chest.

The primary task of the lungs is to saturate the blood with oxygen and remove carbon dioxide. The lungs are also involved in the secretory-excretory function, in metabolism, and in the acid-base balance of the body.

The shape of the lungs is cone-shaped with a truncated base. The apex of the lung protrudes 1-2 cm above the clavicle. The base of the lung is wide and is located in the lower part of the diaphragm. The right lung is wider and larger in volume than the left.

The lungs are covered with a serous membrane, the so-called pleura. Both lungs are in pleural sacs. The space between them is called the mediastinum. In the anterior mediastinum is the heart, large vessels of the heart, thymus gland. In the back - trachea, esophagus. Each lung is divided into lobes. The right lung is divided into three lobes, the left into two. The basis of the lungs consists of the bronchi. They are woven into the lungs, make up the bronchial tree. The main bronchi are divided into smaller, so-called subsegmental, and they are already divided into bronchioles. Branched bronchioles make up the alveolar passages, they contain the alveoli. The purpose of the bronchi is to deliver oxygen to the lung lobes and to each lung segment.

Unfortunately, the human body is prone to various diseases. Human lungs are no exception.

Lung diseases can be treated with medications, in some cases surgery is required. Consider lung diseases occurring in nature.

A chronic inflammatory disease of the airways in which persistent bronchial hypersensitivity leads to bouts of bronchial obstruction. It is manifested by asthma attacks caused by bronchial obstruction and resolved independently or as a result of treatment.

Bronchial asthma is a widespread disease, it affects 4-5% of the population. The disease can occur at any age, but more often in childhood: in about half of patients, bronchial asthma develops before the age of 10, and in another third - before the age of 40.

Two forms of the disease are distinguished - allergic bronchial asthma and idiosyncratic bronchial asthma, and a mixed type can also be distinguished.
Allergic bronchial asthma (aka exogenous) is mediated by immune mechanisms.
Idiosyncratic bronchial asthma (or endogenous) is not caused by allergens, but by infection, physical or emotional overstrain, sudden changes in temperature, air humidity, etc.

Mortality from asthma is low. According to the latest data, it does not exceed 5,000 cases per year per 10 million patients. In 50-80% of cases of bronchial asthma, the prognosis is favorable, especially if the disease occurs in childhood and is mild.

The outcome of the disease depends on the correct antimicrobial therapy, that is, on the identification of the pathogen. However, isolation of the pathogen takes time, and pneumonia is a serious disease and treatment must be started immediately. In addition, in a third of patients, it is not possible to isolate the pathogen at all, for example, when there is neither sputum nor pleural effusion, and the results of blood cultures are negative. Then it is possible to establish the etiology of pneumonia only by serological methods after a few weeks, when specific antibodies appear.

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a disease characterized by partially irreversible, steadily progressive airflow limitation caused by an abnormal inflammatory response of the lung tissue to damaging environmental factors - smoking, inhalation of particles or gases.

In modern society, COPD, along with arterial hypertension, coronary heart disease and diabetes mellitus, constitute the leading group of chronic diseases: they account for more than 30% of all other forms of human pathology. The World Health Organization (WHO) classifies COPD as a group of diseases with a high level of social burden, as it is widespread in both developed and developing countries.

Respiratory disease, characterized by pathological expansion of the air spaces of the distal bronchioles, which is accompanied by destructive and morphological changes in the alveolar walls; one of the most frequent forms of chronic nonspecific lung diseases.

There are two groups of causes leading to the development of emphysema. The first group includes factors that violate the elasticity and strength of the elements of the structure of the lungs: pathological microcirculation, changes in the properties of the surfactant, congenital deficiency of alpha-1-antitrypsin, gaseous substances (cadmium compounds, nitrogen oxides, etc.), as well as tobacco smoke, dust particles in the inhaled air. Factors of the second group contribute to an increase in pressure in the respiratory section of the lungs and increase the stretching of the alveoli, alveolar ducts and respiratory bronchioles. The most important among them is airway obstruction that occurs in chronic obstructive bronchitis.

Due to the fact that with emphysema the ventilation of the lung tissue is significantly affected, and the functioning of the mucociliary escalator is disrupted, the lungs become much more vulnerable to bacterial aggression. Infectious diseases of the respiratory system in patients with this pathology often turn into chronic forms, foci of persistent infection are formed, which greatly complicates treatment.

Bronchiectasis is an acquired disease characterized by a localized chronic suppurative process (purulent endobronchitis) in irreversibly altered (dilated, deformed) and functionally defective bronchi, mainly in the lower parts of the lungs.

The disease manifests itself mainly in childhood and adolescence; a causal relationship with other diseases of the respiratory system has not been established. The direct etiological factor of bronchiectasis can be any pneumotropic pathogenic agent. Bronchiectasis developing in patients with chronic respiratory diseases are considered as complications of these diseases, are called secondary and are not included in the concept of bronchiectasis. The infectious-inflammatory process in bronchiectasis occurs mainly within the bronchial tree, and not in the lung parenchyma.

It is a purulent fusion of a lung area, followed by the formation of one or more cavities, often delimited from the surrounding lung tissue by a fibrous wall. The most common cause is pneumonia caused by staphylococcus, Klebsiella, anaerobes, as well as contact infection with pleural empyema, subdiaphragmatic abscess, aspiration of foreign bodies, infected contents of the paranasal sinuses and tonsils. A decrease in the general and local protective functions of the body is characteristic due to the ingress of foreign bodies, mucus, and vomit into the lungs and bronchi - when drunkenness, after a convulsive seizure or in an unconscious state.

The prognosis for the treatment of lung abscess is conditionally favorable. Most often, patients with a lung abscess recover. However, in half of the patients, with an acute lung abscess, thin-walled spaces are observed, which disappear over time. Much less often, a lung abscess can lead to hemoptysis, empyema, pyopneumothorax, broncho-pleural fistula.

An inflammatory process in the region of the pleural sheets (visceral and parietal), in which fibrin deposits form on the surface of the pleura (the membrane covering the lungs) and then adhesions form, or different types of effusion (inflammatory fluid) accumulate inside the pleural cavity - purulent, serous, hemorrhagic. The causes of pleurisy can be conditionally divided into infectious and aseptic or inflammatory (non-infectious).

pathological accumulation of air or other gases in the pleural cavity, leading to a violation of the ventilation function of the lungs and gas exchange during breathing. Pneumothorax leads to compression of the lungs and oxygen deficiency (hypoxia), metabolic disorders and respiratory failure.

The main causes of pneumothorax include: trauma, mechanical damage to the chest and lungs, lesions and diseases of the chest cavity - ruptures of bulls and cysts in emphysema, abscess ruptures, rupture of the esophagus, tuberculosis, tumor processes with pleura melting.

Treatment and rehabilitation after pneumothorax last from 1-2 weeks to several months, it all depends on the cause. The prognosis for pneumothorax depends on the degree of damage and the rate of development of respiratory failure. In case of wounds and injuries can be unfavorable.

This infectious disease is caused by mycobacteria. The main source of infection is a patient with tuberculosis. Often the disease proceeds secretly, has symptoms related to many diseases. This is a prolonged subfebrile temperature, general malaise, sweating, cough with sputum.

Allocate the main ways of infection:

1. The airborne route is the most common. Mycobacteria rush into the air when coughing, sneezing, breathing of a patient with tuberculosis. Healthy people, inhaling mycobacteria, bring the infection into their lungs.
2. The contact route of infection is not excluded. Mycobacterium enters the human body through damaged skin.
3. Mycobacteria enter the digestive tract by eating meat contaminated with mycobacteria.
4. The intrauterine route of infection is not excluded, but is rare.

Exacerbates the course of the disease bad habits, such as smoking. The inflamed epithelium is poisoned by carcinogens. The treatment is ineffective. Patients with tuberculosis are prescribed drug treatment, in some cases surgery is indicated. Treating the disease at an early stage increases the chance of recovery.

Lung cancer is a malignant tumor that develops from the lung epithelium. The tumor is growing rapidly. Cancer cells, along with lymph, spread throughout the body through the circulatory system, creating new tumors in the organs.

Symptoms signaling the disease:

• in the separated sputum, streaks of blood, purulent discharge are visible;
• deterioration of well-being;
• pain that appears when coughing, breathing;
• a large number of leukocytes in the blood.

Factors leading to the disease:

1. Inhalation of carcinogens. Tobacco smoke contains a huge amount of carcinogens. These are oluidin, benzpyrene, heavy metals, naphthalamine, nitroso compounds. Once in the lungs, they corrode the delicate lung mucosa, settle on the walls of the lungs, poison the entire body, and lead to inflammatory processes. With age, the harmful effects of smoking on the body increases. When quitting smoking, the state of the body improves, but the lung does not return to its original state.
2. Influence of hereditary factors. A gene has been isolated whose presence increases the risk of developing cancer.
3. Chronic lung diseases. Frequent bronchitis, pneumonia, tuberculosis, weaken the protective functions of the epithelium, and subsequently cancer may develop.

The disease is difficult to treat, the earlier treatment is taken, the higher the chance of recovery.

Diagnosis plays an important role in the detection and treatment of lung diseases.

Diagnostic methods:

• x-ray
• tomography
• bronchoscopy
• cytology, microbiology.

Keeping your checkup schedule, adopting a healthy lifestyle, and quitting smoking will help keep your lungs healthy. Of course, giving up a bad habit even after 20 years of active smoking is more useful than continuing to poison your body with tobacco poisons. A person who quit smoking can have lungs very polluted with tobacco soot, but the sooner he quit, the more likely he is to change this picture for the better. The fact is that the human body is a self-regulating system, and lungs of a quitter can restore their functions after various damages. The compensatory capabilities of cells make it possible to at least partially neutralize the harm from smoking - the main thing is to start taking care of your health in time

Knowledge of the fundamentals of human anatomy and physiology allows one to understand many of the symptoms, complications, and treatment measures taken in the course of common and dangerous lung diseases.

Pulmonary tuberculosis
Pulmonary tuberculosis, formerly called consumption, in past centuries was considered one of the most dangerous infectious diseases, which is reflected in many literary and musical works known throughout the world. This disease has become especially widespread among the poor strata of the population, whose malnutrition and hygienic conditions contributed to its occurrence and spread. The causative agent of tuberculosis is highly resistant mycobacteria, discovered more than 100 years ago by the founder of modern bacteriology, Robert Koch (therefore, in many countries tuberculosis is also called "Koch's disease"). Tuberculosis can affect more than just the lungs. It is undoubtedly one of the most serious diseases.
Penetrating into the lungs, the bacteria first create a focus of inflammation, destroy the tissue in it and slowly multiply, affecting the lymph nodes as well. The body resists the penetration of bacteria, as if enclosing them in capsules. Dying tissue is calcified. Most often, antibodies formed under favorable conditions (good physical condition) are enough to cope with newly penetrating bacteria, otherwise they become winners in the lung focus. From this primary source, new pathogens enter the body, taking root in other alveoli of the lung and infecting other areas. The protective ability of the body is reduced. As a result of softening, cavities (caverns) appear in the lung tissue, sometimes damaging blood vessels and causing heavy bleeding. As the disease progresses, the patient loses more and more strength (consumption). Of course, tuberculosis has not yet been completely defeated, but such severe, untreatable processes are now almost rare. Every year (in the GDR - transl.) the number of patients in need of treatment for this disease does not exceed 6,000 people. This result was made possible thanks to a general improvement in social conditions, and also, no doubt, also due to the consistent implementation of preventive vaccinations with a weakened tuberculosis strain, starting from an early age (BCG vaccinations). From the first weeks of a child's life, they contribute to the formation of protective substances in his body. Before the contact of an infant with causative agents of tuberculosis (and this possibility is becoming less and less due to a decrease in the number of carriers), his body already has a sufficient amount of specific antibodies. And yet, in diseases that have become less common, a danger is hidden: they have begun to be forgotten. But tuberculosis has not yet completely disappeared. Outbreaks of this disease can occur primarily in the elderly as the weakening of the protective properties of their body. Signs of tuberculosis can be profuse sweating during sleep, (a slight increase in temperature), constant cough with sputum, decreased performance, etc. In such cases, the results of simple x-ray examinations and sputum samples undergoing special processing with the aim
cultivation of individual bacteria, quickly bring clarity to the situation. Currently, tuberculosis treatment is carried out with very effective and reliable methods. Today, for the purpose of therapy, they almost never resort to stopping the activity of one of the halves of the lungs (pneumothorax).

Lungs' cancer
Lung cancer (more precisely bronchial cancer) is currently one of the diseases that cause the greatest concern. Along with stomach cancer and various forms of cancer of the female genital organs, it is the most common type of cancer. The results of numerous experiments undoubtedly prove that smoking is one of the main causes of this form of cancer. According to statistics, 90% of patients with bronchial cancer are heavy smokers (the rest, as a rule, are exposed to secondhand smoke when smoking!). Undoubtedly, other environmental factors play a role in the occurrence of cancer. But in comparison with smoking tobacco, they are of course of secondary importance - a person dying from a lightning strike is hardly consoled by the thought that he escaped a cold after a thunderstorm. The incidence of lung cancer is on the rise and has a surprising relationship with smoking habits. Increasingly, there are cases of bronchial cancer in women that used to be a rarity. It is assumed that the main influencing factor is the tar products resulting from the burning of cigarettes (as well as cigarettes, cigars, pipes!). In experiments with animals, it was these foods that very regularly caused cancer. Hundreds of such substances are already known, and the most effective of them is tobacco smoke benzpyrene. For the entire period of smoking, an intense smoker inhales 10 kg of tar! Its products change the cells of the walls of the bronchi - they become cancerous, begin to grow violently, displacing
healthy and penetrating in the form of metastases to other areas. Growing around the bronchi, they block the inner lumen and turn off entire areas from the breathing process. Blood vessels are destroyed. There is a stagnation of sputum, which entails very complex and diverse complications.
Unfortunately, and this is really regrettable, bronchial cancer, like cancer of a different localization, does not cause pain in its early stage. Pain does not force the patient to go to the doctor. Early detection of the disease is a prerequisite for its possible surgical treatment. However, the symptoms of the early stage of the disease are uncharacteristic: prolonged cough, blood in the sputum, decreased performance, weight loss - all these are not specific symptoms, already mentioned in connection with tuberculosis. Therefore, x-ray examinations and regular medical monitoring are of great importance. It is necessary to say with all frankness that sometimes a tumor detected with the help of X-rays does not make sense to operate. That is why it is impossible to miss the deadlines for the scheduled X-ray examination. Emerging cancer gives a person a chance - in the initial stage it develops relatively slowly. This chance must be used. The best and actually the only chance to significantly reduce the risk of cancer is the consistency in behavior when quitting smoking.

Inflammation of the lungs (pneumonia)
The word "inflammation" would be more correct to use in the plural, because there are a large number of varieties of this disease.
Several decades ago, when there were no antibiotics yet, pneumonia was considered one of the dangerous complications, which often meant a close fatal outcome. In particular, children were the victims of this disease, because. in childhood, pneumonia is especially severe, affecting one of the halves of the lung (lobar pneumonia) or a large number of segments. As a rule, pneumonia occurs as a result of a bacterial inflammatory process that occurs in certain areas of the lung. The occurrence of bacterial inflammation is facilitated by foreign bodies that cause blockage of the bronchi (“aspiration pneumonia”), mucus stagnation, etc. In the affected areas of the lung, inflammation causes the concentration (impregnation) of fluid and cells. The air supply to the lung alveoli is blocked. Purulent foci may occur in the lungs, pathogens begin to affect other separate areas of the lung tissue (bronchopneumonia in adults).
In most cases, the disease is severe in the presence of high fever, pain, asthma attacks, sweating, coughing fits, copious sputum, weak heart activity, etc. In children, pneumonia can occur within hours, with life-threatening deterioration in health.

Causes of complications in lung disease: if a connection occurs between the branch of the bronchus and the pleural fissure, then as a result of air intake, pneumothorax may occur (above). If pus enters the pleural space from the bronchial tree, empyema develops (center). Air bubbles around the branches of the bronchus are called pneumoceles. They are easily susceptible to infection.

Naturally, the children's lung has smaller dimensions, and, accordingly, smaller reserves, so the protective reaction in children proceeds differently than in adults. If you suspect pneumonia, you should immediately call a doctor (“trembling of the wings of the nose” in an infant occurs as a result of more intense respiratory activity due to failure of sections of the lung tissue). Similar to the symptoms of pneumonia, other diseases can also occur: tuberculosis is also a specific form of the inflammatory process. Anthrax, etc., has a damaging effect on the lungs, like almost all infectious diseases. Inflammation of the lungs can be treated with antibiotics. If necessary, a decrease in the gas exchange area can also be compensated for by breathing oxygen. In older people, pneumonia in most cases is less pronounced. In relation to this age group, a suspicion of pneumonia may occur precisely with a protracted recovery from other diseases and difficulty breathing in the absence of fever.
With the help of even a stethoscope, a doctor can determine the presence of pneumonia. X-ray helps to make the correct diagnosis. Very often, pneumonia occurs as a result of unreasonable behavior. The occurrence of such a dangerous complication with an already existing infection is just facilitated by additional hypothermia and excessive exercise. Inflammation of the lungs can also cause toxic dust and harmful gases to enter the body through the respiratory tract. If you suspect the ingress of such substances into the body, you must immediately resort to medical control, because. the reaction can sometimes take place only after a few hours (for example, volatile phosphorus compounds, nitrous gas, irritating poisonous substances).

Pleural effusion, pleurisy
The mechanisms of occurrence and consequences of the course of these diseases have already been mentioned on page 176. “Wet” pleurisy is most often the result of tuberculosis, but it can also be caused by irritation of the pleura as a result of cancer or pneumonia. Increased accumulation of fluid can also occur for other reasons: uremia, liver disease, leading to a decrease in blood protein production, trauma, and many others. etc. Therefore, the so-called inflammation of the pleura ("pleurisy") is not a disease that occurs only for any one reason. It should be emphasized once again that "wet" pleurisy during breathing may not be accompanied by pain, as is often imagined. More typical with such an effusion is shortness of breath, which occurs due to the accumulation of several liters of fluid in each half of the chest. The formation of an effusion can also occur with heart defects that impede blood flow towards the heart. In this case, the inflammatory process is not the cause of the effusion. The fluid contains a small amount of protein (transudate) and is similar in composition to plasma. In the discharge, the cause of which is an inflammatory process (exudate) contains a significantly larger amount of protein substances that can settle in the form of clots. The consequence of pleurisy may be the fusion of both sheets of the pleura, which impedes the mobility of the lung, and sometimes due to friction, which causes pain (dry pleurisy, pleural adhesion). Pleurisy- a common form of complications resulting from pneumonia and other lung diseases.

Bronchial asthma
Bronchial asthma (unlike cardiac asthma, which is accompanied by the same severe attacks of suffocation with a sharp decrease in the efficiency of the left heart) is an extremely serious and burdensome disease. A patient suffering from asthma is subjectively affected by the fear of death from suffocation during an attack, the frequent recurrence of asthmatic phenomena and the insufficient duration of the effect of therapy. The causes of asthma are varied. Often they are allergens found in the environment (household dust, animal hair, medicines, pollen), which, if predisposed, contribute to the occurrence of asthmatic attacks. The so-called internal allergens (bacteria and their metabolic products in the foci of inflammation) can also cause asthma. This may include climatic factors, mental stress, hormonal imbalance or the presence of a still unexplained tendency to such allergic reactions. The body reacts to the allergen with muscle spasms of small bronchioles, resulting in swelling of the bronchial mucosa and the release of rather sticky mucus. Already known symptoms appear: suffocation, difficulty exhaling (due to constriction of the bronchioles), accompanied by whistling sounds, coughing with clear mucus. During severe asthma attacks, the patient tends to take a sitting position, allowing the accessory respiratory muscles of the trunk to somewhat facilitate breathing. In the later stages of the disease, the swelling of the lungs that occurs during an attack can become chronic and turn into emphysema, further complicating the respiratory process.
Treatment of bronchial asthma should only be carried out by a doctor. General recommendations cannot be dispensed with here, because the establishment of the causes of the disease requires a great deal of professional experience. If the cause is known (for example, animal hair), then the recurrence of attacks is prevented by eliminating the factor that causes predisposition (eliminating the animal).

Pulmonary edema
This acute severe disease is mostly due to weakness of the left side of the heart (as in cardiac asthma). It occurs as a result of the fact that the blood pumped into the lungs by the right side of the heart cannot flow out of them unhindered. The pulmonary capillaries act like filters through which blood plasma seeps into the alveoli of the lungs. Due to the accumulation of fluid in the alveoli, breathing is very difficult, because. liquid greatly complicates gas exchange. There is a kind of "internal drowning". This severe illness can also occur with uremia, disturbances in the protein and water balance of the body, penetration of toxic substances through the respiratory tract, etc. The most obvious symptoms of this disease, along with shortness of breath, are the fear of suffocation and bubbling sounds with every respiratory movement. Noticeable frothy sputum when coughing. In case of illness, urgent medical attention should be sought.

Bronchitis
Bronchitis is the most common disease. Due to the fact that in most cases it proceeds harmlessly and without any special complaints, it is often not even referred to as a disease, but is considered a symptom and cause of a prolonged cough ("smoker's catarrh"). Acute bronchitis caused by bacteria, viruses, and chemical or physical environmental irritants is well known as the bad "cold" or acute respiratory illness. Its symptoms are cough, sputum, chest pain, fever. It can bring on the flu, or go away in about two weeks. Chronic bronchitis, on the contrary, does not go away even after the acute stage. According to the classification of the World Health Organization, it is classified as an independent inflammatory disease of the bronchi, accompanied by cough, sputum production, difficulty breathing. It runs for at least 3 months a year for at least two years. The occurrence of chronic bronchitis is promoted by smoking, frequent infectious diseases of the respiratory tract, exposure to dust, constant exposure to drafts, increased sensitivity of the bronchial mucosa and other factors. The main symptoms are a prolonged cough with sputum production. Chronic bronchitis can cause complications (inflammation and emphysema, asthma, etc.). Even if acute bronchitis occurs in adults without pain, it is necessary to take into account the possibility of complications and the constant decrease in the protective ability of the body that occurs due to exposure to the remaining infection. Even with typical symptoms of bronchitis, one cannot ignore the possibility of the presence of another disease (for example, tumors, pneumonia). Bronchitis is of particular importance in childhood, which requires long-term medical supervision (dispensary).

bronchiectasis
Saccular dilatations of the small branches of the bronchi may be the result of chronic bronchitis or congenital disorders. In such dilated bronchi, a very large amount of secretions accumulates, which leads to difficulty in regular air circulation. With bronchiectasis, especially in the morning, an extremely large amount of sputum is released. A not entirely pleasant, but rather accurate description of this phenomenon is given in the medical literature - "sputum discharge with a full mouth." Causes that cause changes in the body in this disease can contribute to inflammation of the lungs, bleeding from the lungs, blood poisoning, inflammation of the brain and other complications.

Emphysema
These changes in lung tissue have already been repeatedly mentioned. Excessive swelling of the lungs, accompanied by an increase in the volume of air in the pulmonary alveoli, a person unfamiliar with the process of gas exchange, may lead to the idea that such an anomaly of breathing turns into a special advantage, because if there is a lot of air in the lungs, then it means, they say, a lot for gas exchange . Such a representation is incorrect. Excessive "bloating" of the lungs and wrinkling of the walls of the alveoli causes a sharp reduction in the exchange area. The air in the lungs does not receive sufficient circulation and with each respiratory movement a large volume of unrenewable air remains in them. Together with the inhaled, it increases the volume of the mixture, which has a low oxygen content, which causes a gradual increase in the feeling of suffocation, which is characteristic primarily in the so-called obstructive emphysema, because. the internal lumen of the bronchioles narrows like a valve. With swelling of the lungs, the load on the heart also increases, because the resulting air cushion causes narrowing of the pulmonary vessels. To overcome the resistance in this case, the heart needs to increase the amount of work.
Emphysema and bronchitis often coexist. You can prevent such a complication by doing gymnastics, breathing exercises and consistent treatment of inflammatory processes in the lungs. Of course, a one-time walk through the forest, even with “deep ventilation breathing”, will not give significant positive results, however, periodic intensification of the respiratory process (sport!) Helps to ventilate all parts of the lungs. Prevention of emphysema is also more effective than its therapy.

"flu infection"
The mention of this disease in the chapter "Diseases of the lungs" is due to necessity. Usually, "colds" do not affect the lungs, but the upper respiratory tract. The catarrh of the respiratory tract begins - and this is a favorite subject of the examination of doctors - in the nose, not the mouth. After all, usually breathing is carried out through the nose, and only with difficulty in nasal breathing do they switch to breathing through the mouth. Viruses, bacteria and other harmful environmental factors primarily affect the nasal mucosa. In the nasal cavity, the inhaled air is “preheated” and humidified, therefore, when breathing through the mouth, due to the absence of such factors, the risk of damage to the deeper airways increases. Apparently, every reader with an acute infectious disease of the respiratory tract is well aware of the manifestations of a complex of symptoms of an influenza infection, which, unfortunately, is often called simply influenza. This is a runny nose, hoarseness, cough, sore throat, possible fever, pain.
Hypothermia contributes to the occurrence of this infection. However, it is not correct to consider cold as the cause of the disease, just as the name “cold” itself is not entirely correct. In a reflex way, hypothermia (including, for example, the legs) causes constriction of blood vessels, which helps to reduce the reflection of heat. In the mucosa, there is a narrowing of the blood vessels through which a smaller amount of blood passes. The protective ability of the body against microbes that “wait” on the mucous membrane of the respiratory tract for a moment to penetrate into the body is reduced. The vigilance of the body seems to be lulled. This is how the "cold" begins. It is also typical that clear frosty days are less conducive to such infectious diseases than cold but wet weather, which contributes to the reproduction and survival of microbes (in expeditions to the pole, participants almost did not suffer from infectious diseases). In the initial period, all acute infections proceed very harmlessly, although at times the general well-being of the patient deteriorates significantly. In case of an infectious disease, one should not play a hero and, neglecting the temperature and runny nose, infect one's colleagues, instead of isolating oneself from others for several days during the acute infectious phase of the disease. The causative agents of the disease are transmitted through droplets of sputum (coughing, sneezing). The handshake is also reminiscent of an involuntary "vaccination" since as a result of such involuntary contact, pathogenic microbes can be transmitted.
These infectious diseases are not identical to viral influenza, although in the acute phase it occurs, accompanied by similar symptoms. However, the flu is by no means a harmless disease. Each epidemic is accompanied by deaths, the causes of which are complications from the cardiovascular system, or complications in the form of pneumonia.
Hardening of the body, gymnastics, exposure to fresh air, vitamin-rich food, sufficient sleep, appropriate clothing - these are preventive measures against the "cold" and the true flu. They, as it were, train the mucous membrane and blood vessels, creating the prerequisites for successfully counteracting pathogenic microbes. Preventive vaccinations are carried out against viral influenza. But they are not effective against all its types and therefore they should be repeated (1-2 times a year). Vaccinations are not made against the “cold”, since hundreds of different pathogens can be its causes. You should not complain about the inefficiency of the influenza vaccination if the result is still an infectious disease (although not the flu!). In "fluy" weather, the protective effect is often attributed to alcohol (grog), but this is not true, although alcohol does promote vasodilation. Causing the illusion of warming and excessively expanding blood vessels, it contributes to additional hypothermia of the body. Just in the morning after a heavy alcoholic libation, a disease may occur. A "clogged" nose with a runny nose is a consequence of swelling of the mucosa, which prevents nasal breathing, as a result of which complaints (headaches) may occur. Reduction of puffiness is achieved by the use of spray and drops from the common cold. Sometimes this is an urgent need, but one should be careful not to use them too often, for - as already mentioned - a decrease in the blood supply to the mucosa facilitates the penetration of pathogens into the body and can even cause destruction of the mucosa itself. The side effects of medicines also become clear if its causal processes are known. The use of a spray for a runny nose to reduce swelling of the mucosa cannot replace the treatment of the causes of an acute respiratory disease, but only one of its symptoms can be eliminated. The same is true of so-called “flu pills,” painkillers that do not cure the flu, but only help to endure some of its burdensome symptoms.

Lung diseases - symptoms and treatment.

Pulmonary embolism causes a blood clot to lodge in the lungs. Most embolisms are not fatal, but the clot can damage the lungs. Symptoms: sudden shortness of breath, sharp pain in the chest when taking a deep breath, pink, frothy coughing, acute fear, weakness, slow heartbeat.

Pneumothorax This is an air leak in the chest. It creates pressure in the chest. Simple pneumothorax is treated quickly, but if you wait a few days, you will need surgery to unload the lungs. In those affected by this disease, sudden and sharp pains are felt on one side of the lungs, a fast heart rate.

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)

Bronchitis is an inflammation of the mucous tissue that covers the bronchi. Bronchitis is acute and chronic. Acute bronchitis is an inflammation of the bronchial epithelium caused by an infection, a virus. Bronchitis One of the common symptoms of bronchitis is coughing, an increase in the amount of mucus in the bronchi. Other common symptoms are sore throat, runny nose, nasal congestion, mild fever, fatigue. In acute bronchitis, it is important to drink expectorants. They remove mucus from the lungs and reduce inflammation.

The first symptom of chronic bronchitis is a persistent cough. If for two years the cough does not leave for about 3 or more months a year, doctors determine the patient has chronic bronchitis. In the case of chronic bacterial bronchitis, the cough lasts longer than 8 weeks with copious secretions of yellow mucus.

cystic fibrosis is a hereditary disease. The cause of the disease is the entry of digestive fluid, sweat and mucus into the lungs through the producing cells. This is a disease not only of the lungs, but also of pancreatic dysfunction. Fluids accumulate in the lungs and create a breeding ground for bacteria. One of the first clear signs of illness is the salty taste of the skin.

Protracted persistent cough, breathing with a sound like a whistle, sharp pain during inspiration - first signs of pleurisy, inflammation of the pleura. The pleura is the lining of the chest cavity. Symptoms include dry cough, fever, chills, and severe chest pain.

Asbestos is a group of minerals. During operation, products containing fine asbestos fibers are released into the air. These fibers accumulate in the lungs. asbestosis causes difficulty breathing, pneumonia, cough, lung cancer.

Studies show that exposure to asbestos provokes the development of other types of cancer: gastrointestinal tract, kidney, cancer, bladder and gallbladder, throat cancer. If a worker at work notices a cough that does not go away for a long time, chest pain, poor appetite, a dry sound similar to crackling comes out of his lungs when breathing, you should definitely do a fluorography and contact a pulmonologist.

Cause of pneumonia is a lung infection. Symptoms: fever and breathing with great difficulty. Treatment of patients with pneumonia lasts from 2 to 3 weeks. The risk of developing the disease increases after the flu or a cold. A weakened body after an illness finds it difficult to fight infection and lung diseases.

As a result of fluoroscopy nodules are found? Don't panic. Whether it is cancer or not, a subsequent thorough diagnosis will reveal. This is a complex process. Nodule formed one or more? Its diameter is more than 4 cm? Is it attached to the chest wall, are the ribs muscles? These are the main questions that the doctor must find out before making a decision about the operation. The patient's age, smoking history, and in some cases additional diagnostics are assessed. Observation of the nodule continues for 3 months. Often, due to the patient's panic, unnecessary operations are performed. A non-cancerous cyst in the lungs can resolve with the right medical treatment.

Pleural effusion this is an abnormal increase in the amount of fluid in the circumference of the lungs. May be the result of many diseases. Not dangerous. Pleural effusion is divided into two main categories: uncomplicated and complex.

The cause of an uncomplicated pleural effusion: the amount of fluid in the pleura is slightly higher than the required amount. Such an illness can cause symptoms of a wet cough and chest pain. A neglected simple pleural effusion can develop into a complex one. In the fluid accumulated in the pleura, bacteria and infections begin to multiply, a focus of inflammation appears. If the ailment is not treated, it can create a ring around the lungs, the fluid eventually turns into an astringent mucus. The type of pleural effusion can only be diagnosed from a fluid sample taken from the pleura.

Tuberculosis affects any organ of the body, but pulmonary tuberculosis is dangerous because it is transmitted by airborne droplets. If the tuberculosis bacterium is active, it causes tissue death in the organ. Active tuberculosis can be fatal. Therefore, the goal of treatment is to bring tuberculosis infection from an open form to a closed one. It is possible to cure tuberculosis. You need to take the disease seriously, take medications and attend procedures. In no case do not use drugs, lead a healthy lifestyle.