Lung diseases are some of the most common diseases suffered by human beings throughout the world. Smoking and infections are responsible for most lung diseases. The lungs perform one of the most important functions of the body. It is also one of the most active organs in the human body and hence lung problems can arise due to problems in any other part of the body. Some of the most common and infectious lung diseases are discussed below.

1. Asthma
Asthma is a common long term disease which is characterized by reversible airflow obstruction and bronchospasm. The symptoms of asthma include coughing, shortness of breath and tightness of chest. These symptoms may occur frequently during a day and depending on the person, it may become worse during night or during a certain exercise.

2. Pneumonia
Pneumonia is another common lung problem which is suffered due to inflammation in the microscopic air sacs in the lungs known as alveoli. Symptoms of pneumonia include dry cough, chest pain, breathing problem and fever. Pneumonia is caused most commonly by viruses or bacteria. It is also caused by certain medications and conditions which are popularly known as autoimmune diseases. There are a number of vaccines available to prevent certain types of pneumonia. Other methods include hand washing and refraining from smoking.

3. Tuberculosis
Tuberculosis is a very infectious disease which is caused by the bacteria mycobacterium tuberculosis. Although tuberculosis generally affects the lungs, but it has been known to affect other parts of the body as well. Symptoms of tuberculosis include cough containing sputum with blood, night sweats, fever and weight loss. Air is an active medium for spreading tuberculosis. This happens when people who already have tuberculosis sneeze, cough or speak. Infection occurs more in those who have hiv/aids or those who smoke. Prevention of tuberculosis includes staying away and keeping those who are at high risk, early detection and treatment and vaccination.

4. Mesothelioma
Mesothelioma is a type of cancer which affects the lungs. It affects the lining of the lungs and chest wall. Symptoms of mesothelioma include shortness of breath, swollen abdomen, cough, chest pain, weight loss and general lethargy. Mesothelioma is caused mainly due to exposure to asbestos. Those people who mine asbestos, produce products from asbestos, work with asbestos products are at high risk. Mesothelioma also results from genetical problems and due to infection caused by the simian virus 40.

5. Pulmonary embolism
This is a disease caused due to blockage of an artery in the lungs by a substance which has travelled from another part of the body by the bloodstream. Symptoms of this disease include chest pain, breath shortness and coughing up of blood. There may also be signs of blood clot in the legs.

Types of Lung Diseases

When you suffer from dry, chronic cough along with shortness of breath, it is normal to get worried and annoyed. You will want to know the cause and the cure. Note that it might be due to a condition called the interstitial lung disease.

Including almost more than 200 different lung conditions, interstitial lung disease refers to the inflammation and scarring caused in the lungs, which leads to less oxygen entering the blood. Mainly affecting the interstitial part of the anatomic structure of the lungs, which is responsible for the oxygen flow into the blood, interstitial lung disease can damage other parts of the lungs too, such as the lung lining, the airways or the blood vessels. The following is a brief account of the types, causes, symptoms, and treatment of ILD.

Types
Interstitial lung disease can be of various kinds, though all of them leads to the thickening of the lung s interstitial part. Some of the types of ILD are 

Nonspecific interstitial pneumonitis
Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis
Acute interstitial pneumonitis
 Hypersensitivity pneumonitis
Asbestosis
Sarcoidosis
Cryptogenic organizing pneumonia or COP, etc. 
While some of the ILD types are short lived, some are irreversible and chronic.

The primary causes of interstitial lung disease are viruses, fungi, and bacteria. Regular exposure to inhalable irritants such as talc, silica dust, asbestos, coal dust or any other kind of metal dust, bird proteins of pigeons, chickens or any exotic birds, grain dust, etc. can also cause interstitial lung disease. Though rare, sometimes it is the intake of particular drugs that may cause ILD. For the majority of interstitial lung diseases, the exact cause is not always known.

Both men and women of any age can develop this disease, and it is more common in people with rheumatoid arthritis, lupus, scleroderma, and autoimmune disease. Some of the primary symptoms and signs of interstitial lung disease are nonproductive dry cough, shortness of breath, and considerable weight loss. While for some types of ILDs the symptoms develop slowly and gradually over months, for others, such as the acute interstitial pneumonitis or interstitial pneumonia, the symptoms develop more rapidly, within days or a few hours.

For identifying the presence of ILD, doctors usually rely upon chest X-ray, CT scan or computed tomography, pulmonary function testing, high-resolution CT scan, and lung biopsy. In case no apparent cause behind the disease is found from the tests, a patient's history of being exposed to certain chemical environments is then taken into consideration.

Depending on the type and severity of the disease the treatment options vary from one to another. While for some taking prescribed drugs can offer a solution to prevent the lungs from deteriorating further, for some a complete lung transplant may become the only solution. Treatments like pulmonary rehabilitation and oxygen therapy can also be ideal, based on the condition of the lungs.

Thus, if one is constantly exposed to lung irritants and experiences the symptoms of interstitial lung disease for more than eight weeks, he/she must seek the advice of a pulmonologist without delay as the condition may lead to severe complications when left untreated.

Interstitial Lung Disease - Understanding Its Types!

An allergy occurs when your body s immune system reacts abnormally to certain substances or chemicals (known as allergens) that may actually be harmless.

Respiratory allergies are one of the most common forms of allergy seen in people of all ages. This type of an allergy occurs when the immune system reacts negatively to airborne substances, for example, dust. Although normally these substances do not pose a threat to your body, the antibodies consider allergens dangerous and release chemicals (histamines) to fight it. This response of the body to an allergen is expressed in the form of symptoms like a rash and is known as an allergic reaction.

Causes of Respiratory Allergy-
Some of the common causes of respiratory allergy are-

Dust/pollen- when you are exposed to dust mites that are usually found indoors
Mold- when you inhale mold spores
Pet dander- when you inhale or come in contact with pet dander/saliva
Apart from these, exposure to certain irritants such as fumes and smoke may also trigger a respiratory allergy in individuals.

Symptoms to watch out for-
The symptoms of respiratory allergy in each person may vary from those in another. Usually, the symptoms affect the airway, skin, or eyes.

Coughing/sneezing
Nasal congestion/discharge
Difficulty breathing
Runny/blocked nose
Watery, itchy eyes
Swollen eyelids
Sinus pressure
Severe allergic reactions may also lead to chest tightness, asthma, and conjunctivitis.

How Homeopathy treats Respiratory Allergy-

Homeopathy treatment is based on a paradoxical theory- a substance that triggers a set of symptoms is also capable of curing them. Homeopathy thus aims to evaluate what is causing the illness and eliminate its underlying causes.
As stated above, allergies are the result of an unknown immune response to an otherwise harmless substance. This usually occurs if you have a weak immune system. Homeopathy works to improve and boost your immune system, so you do not encounter allergic reaction to such conditions in future.
Medications and drugs used in conventional treatment methods often lead to side effects, but Homeopathy uses natural ingredients and substances, and hence these are 100% safe for consumption.
Allergies are usually curable, only if one takes prompt action. Allergic reactions, if left untreated for long, can quickly aggravate to cause a life-threatening condition like anaphylaxis. So if you see any of the above symptoms, consult a doctor as early as possible.


Can Homeopathy Treat Respiratory Allergies?

Interstitial lung disease includes a large group of disorders like idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis, hypersensitivity pneumonitis, sarcoidosis and asbestosis. These cause progressive fibrosis or scarring of the tissues surrounding the air sacs in your lungs. The scarring causes your lungs to stiffen which makes it difficult for you to breath.

What are the symptoms to look out for?

  Dry cough
  Shortness of breath at rest or due to exertion
  Loss of weight
  Loss of appetite
  Weakness
  Chest discomfort

What are the causes?

Normally, your lungs will regenerate tissue to repair any damage. But in interstitial lung disease, the normal repair process does not occur due to injury to the lungs. The tissue around the air sacs gets scarred and thickened, causing difficulty in breathing.

Your lungs may get injured due to long-term exposure to airborne toxins and pollutants like  

  Asbestos
  Silica dust
  Coal dust
  Grain dust from framing
  Radiation
  Indoor hot tubs
  Bird and animal droppings
  Bird proteins from chicken or pigeon

Sometimes, certain drugs can cause chronic damage to your lungs, like-

  Chemotherapy drugs
  Heart medications
  Antibiotics
  Anti-inflammatory drugs

Lung disease can also be caused by autoimmune disorders like-

  Rheumatoid arthritis
  Sjogren s syndrome
  Scleroderma
  Dermatomyositis
  Polymyositis
  Mixed connective tissue disease

Why homeopathy?

Homeopathic remedies are customized according to the effects that the disease has on your body. It will relieve symptoms like sharp pain in the lungs, hemorrhaging in the capillaries and coughing with mucus. It will also slow down the progression of the disease. Homeopathy induces your immunity system to restore the damaged tissues and heal itself. There are no associated side effects of homeopathic remedies to your body. 

Homeopathic medication and therapy also help you to treat the damage from the side effects caused by conventional treatment.

If you visit a pulmonary specialist, he/she will prescribe medications like corticosteroids, medications that will slow down fibrosis and that reduce stomach acid or you might be given artificial oxygen to make breathing easier. The last option is surgery. All of these treatment options will not reverse the scarring in the lungs. In most cases, they do not stop the progression of the disease.

The life expectancy for someone with any of the types of interstitial lung diseases is 3 to 5 years. Homeopathy has proven to be a safe and effective treatment option with no side effects that can slow down the progression of your disease. It is important that you treat it early if you want to prevent severe health complications.

Interstitial Lung Disease - Why Should You Choose Homeopathy For Treating It?

Pulmonary Function Tests or PFTs are a set of tests that are used to determine, measure or observe the functioning of the lungs. The most common pulmonary function tests used are spirometry, gas diffusion, and lung plethysmography. 

Highlights of pulmonary function tests

A spirometry test is used to measure the amount of air inhaled and exhaled. It also measures the amount of time taken to complete a respiration cycle.
A lung plethysmography measures the amount of air in the lungs after the patient has taken a deep breath. It also measures the amount of air that remains in the lungs after the patient has exhaled as much air as possible.
What does a Pulmonary Function Test measure?
Pulmonary function tests would not only check how well the person is breathing but also how effectively the lungs are able to conduct oxygen to the rest of the body. In addition to air flow, these tests would measure the size and volume of the lung and lung diffusion.

These tests can also be used to measure

Total Lung Capacity   the amount of air present in the lungs after breathing in deeply
Forced Vital Capacity   the amount of air that can be exhaled after breathing in deeply
Minute Volume   the amount of air exhaled per minute
Vital Capacity   the total volume of air that can be breathed out after inhaling as much as possible
Tidal Volume   the amount of air inhaled or exhaled when breathing normally
Maximum voluntary ventilation   the amount of air that can be inhaled and exhaled in one minute
Functional Residual Capacity   the amount of air that remains in the lungs when breathing normally
Forced Expiratory Flow   the flow or volume of air during an exhalation
Peak Expiratory Flow Rate   the rate at which a person can exhale
When are Pulmonary Function Tests recommended?
A physician might recommend a patient undergo a PFT as part of a routine physical check-up. This test would be advised if the patient is experiencing any symptoms associated with lung problems or disorders such as asthma, respiratory infections, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, COPD. A doctor would also use these tests to monitor and check whether a certain treatment prescribed for a lung disease or condition is working effectively.

Pulmonary function tests are safe as they are non-invasive but it is important to follow the instructions of the doctor or technician before, after and during the test. It is important to make your doctor aware of any surgeries, respiratory infections, chest pains or heart attacks that you might have experienced before the test. If you are taking any medications you might need to follow the advice of the doctor as to whether you can take them before the test.

Your doctor would also advice you on how to prepare for the test such as not eating a large meal, avoiding caffeine and wearing loose-fitting clothes. If you have any doubts, concerns or queries discuss them with your doctor.

Pulmonary Function Tests - Why Is It Required?

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease or COPD is a group of progressive lung diseases. Emphysema and chronic bronchitis are the most common lung diseases. Emphysema gradually ruins the air sacs in your lungs, which are interfered with exhalation. The inflammation and swelling of airways in the lungs is called bronchitis, which further allows production of mucus, which leads to increased difficulty in breathing.

COPD is a case which makes it harder to breathe. The symptoms like coughing and shortness of breath are light at first. With passage of time, these symptoms worsen and make it increasingly difficult for the patient to breathe.

The patient may experience wheezing and feel heavy on the chest. Some patients suffering from COPD experience flare-ups of severe symptoms or exacerbations.
The main cause of COPD is cigarette smoking and therefore, people who are used to smoking for a longer time may suffer from this diesease. It is a disease that takes time to build up inside one s body. COPD can further cause heart problems and worsen respiratory diseases.

Severe symptoms of COPD include:

Occasional shortness of breath
Mild and reoccurring cough with mucus
Constant need to clear your throat
Noisy breathing
Frequent cold and cough
Loss of energy or feeling fatigued
Swelling of ankles, legs or feet
Sudden weight loss
Treatment of COPD
The treatment of COPD can ease its symptoms and avoid further complications. To treat COPD, one needs a skillful and experienced pulmonologist and respiratory therapist.

The medications which are preferred by the doctor are bronchodilators, which soothe the muscles of bronchial tubes, making it easier for the patient to breathe. This medicine is basically taken from inhalers. To reduce the inflammation, Glucocortico steroids are added.
Oxygen therapy is undertaken to provide oxygen to the patient through an oxygen mask or nasal prongs to ease the breathing process of the patient. A portable unit is advised, if the patient is cured at home.
Surgery is an option for severe COPD patients, which is undertaken if and only all other medications have already failed to control COPD, which can be the case in emphysema. Bullectomy is a kind of surgery in which the doctors eliminate the large bullae (air sacs) from the lungs. Volume reduction surgery is the last option for the doctor to cure a COPD patient. In this process, the damaged lung tissue is removed. The doctors go for a lung transplant in some rare cases of COPD.
The treatment for many diseases is a healthy and disciplined lifestyle. One should quit smoking and get the nutrition that their body needs. People should consult a dietician and get a healthy diet plan, and ask a doctor about the extent of exercise they should perform daily.

COPD - Can Oxygen Therapy Help Treat It?

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