Pneumonia

Pneumonia is very common and affects millions of American’s each year. Pneumonia is a life threatening lung infection that’s symptoms cover fever, chills, coughing, mucus, sweating, fatigue, headaches, chest pain and shortness of breath. Symptom severity depends on age and the state of the person’s immune system. Pneumonia occurs when germs and bacteria invade the lungs and air spaces with fluid. Breathing is harder due to the fluid and inflammation of the air spaces, which causes the persistent cough.

Pneumonia is an infection that can be formed from bacteria or a virus. Often if in bacteria form a doctor will prescribe antibiotics to cure the lung infection. Pneumonia can be treated at home and usually lasts between two and three weeks. It is crucial to drink plenty of fluids, rest, and to keep the fever under control. If symptoms are severe enough or you suffer from another disease get checked into the hospital immediately.

Prevention of Pneumonia consists of washing your hands thoroughly, staying away from people who are sick, and even by getting pneumococcal vaccine. Stay away from smoking, the tobacco damages your lung’s ability to fight off infection. Even go as far as wearing a mask during cleaning. This prevents a person from inhaling dust or mold. A lung x-ray can determine if a person has Pneumonia. A doctor may also listen to abnormal breathing sounds with a stethoscope.

Above is a chest x-ray of a person with Pneumonia. The white arrows on the x-ray are pointing to inflammation in the lung due to germs and mucus.

Pneumonia is a curable infection if treated correctly. If Pneumonia occurs in and infant or in the elderly it may become more fatal and hospitalization is necessary. The symptoms are very similar to the flu, but if the symptoms are severe and persist see a doctor.

Google. (2009). Google Health. Retrieved by

http://health.google.com/health/ref/Pneumonia#Prevention

Mayo Clinic. (2009). Pneumonia. Retrieved by

 http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/pneumonia/DS00135

Cystic Fibrosis

Cystic Fibrosis makes mucus produced in the body become very thick and sticky. This disease produces the sticky buildup throughout the lungs and other organs.

Asthma

16.4 million Adults and 7 million Children currently have Asthma. Asthma is a common lung disorder in many. An Asthma attack is caused by inflammation of the airway lining and tightening of the muscles around the airway. Due to the swelling of the airway it is hard to pass air and breath. Common symptoms are coughing, wheezing, chest tightening, and shortness of breath. Other more serious symptoms that need immediate medical attention are blue color in the lips, drowsiness, disorientation, rapid pulse, and sweating. Click to see what happens during an Asthma attack!

Asthma can be triggered by numerous things including animal hair, pollen, mold, vigorous exercise, stress, dust, and smoke. A common treatment for these attacks is an inhaler which helps open the airways so air can pass through. There are many different types of inhalers; some that are used to prevent an attack and some that are used to relieve an attack. If the attack is at an untreatable level hospitalization is necessary. The Asthma patient will be given oxygen and medicine intravenously.

Asthma has no known cause. Some people who suffer from Asthma have a family history of allergies. To prevent Asthma attacks one should avoid the common triggers mentioned above. The person should also sustain from scented detergents, rugs, humidity, household leaks, pets, and scented cleaning agents. It is even good to put allergy proof casing around the bedding, and placing filters over all the vents in the house.

There is currently no cure for Asthma but treatments make it managable. Most people who suffer from Asthma can live a normal healthy life. Although, if not treated properly some severe cases of Asthma can result in death.



Google. (2009). Google Health. Retrieved by
https://health.google.com/health/ref/Asthma

Mayo Clinic. (2009). Asthma Attack. Retrieved by
http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/asthma/MM00001

Lung Cancer

Lung Cancer is a lung disease that kills thousands everyday.

Spontaneous Pneumothorax

The first disorder I am going to talk about is one that I have experienced firsthand. I have suffered from a continuous Pneumothorax in my lung since I was fourteen. It just spontaneously happens for no apparent reason. The only thing the doctors could tell me was that it takes place in tall, thin, young people.


Spontaneous Pneumothorax is a lung disorder when either or both lungs collect air in the space between the lung and the chest wall. The trapped air causes the lung to collapse therefore it cannot inflate completely. If a Spontaneous Pneumothorax occurs once there is a high possibility it will happen again. Below is a picture of a chest x-ray. The chest x-ray displays a collapsed lung on the right side. All of the black in the right side of the lung is air that has leaked in.

The symptoms that I displayed when my lung collapsed were a sharp stabbing pain in my shoulder and chest. It actually hurt to breath. My entire left arm hurt as well, I remember thinking I was having a heart attack at fourteen. I couldn’t understand what was happening to my body. Other symptoms that can occur from a Pneumothorax are shortness of breath, chest tightness, coughing, and a rapid breathing rate.

Hospitalization is necessary for treatment for a Spontaneous Pneumothorax. If the air leak is small rest and oxygen can bring the lung back to its normal state. If the air leak is big a chest tube is inserted between the ribs into the pleural space to remove the air. Treatment for a reoccurring Pneumothorax can be a surgical procedure call Pleurodesis. Pleurodesis is scrapping of the lining of the lung which causes the membranes around the lung to stick together. Sometimes an irritant like talc powder is put inside the space to create inflammation causing the lining of the lung to stick to the chest wall.

There are no real causes of a Spontaneous Pneumothorax. Doctors say it occurs in taller, thin people, and family history may play a part in the occurrence of this disorder. Prevention is limited, it is best to not smoke because smoking will increase a person’s risk to suffering from a Spontaneous Pneumothorax.





Google. (2009). Google Health. Retrieved from https://www.google.com/health/ref/Spontaneous+pneumothorax
Medterms. (2009) Pleurodesis. Retrieved from
http://www.medterms.com/
Clarian. (2009). Chest tube. Retrieved from
http://www.clarian.org/ADAM/doc/graphics/images/en/7048.jpg

What are lungs, and how do they work?

Lungs are vital paired organs located in the chest, which perform respiration. Respiration is needed for cell metabolism, balancing blood ph, and maintaining body temperature. It is important to illustrate what lungs are and how they function, so that the Diseases and Disorders talked about in the future are more understandable.

            The main function of the lungs is to bring oxygen into the blood stream by inhaling breaths of air. A person can inhale air through the nose or the mouth. Everyday the average person takes in 23,000 breaths of air. This turns out to be about a pint of air a minute. The air we breathe contains oxygen, which humans need to survive. Once the oxygen is in the blood it distributes it to all of the cells throughout the body.  Without oxygen the body’s cells could not continue to exist. After oxidization takes place the lungs exhale the gas Carbon Dioxide. Carbon Dioxide is an unnecessary, waste gas that body cells discharge.

Above is an illustration of the structure of the Lungs. The basic structure consists of the Trachea, which is the windpipe, and the lungs. The Trachea takes the air from the mouth and nose and brings it into the lungs. There are two branches of the Trachea the Left and Right Bronchus. At the end of these branches are tiny air sacs that inflate and deflate during respiration. These tiny sacs are called Alveoli.

So that is just a small overview of the lungs and how they function.

My Blog Inroduction

My name is Jamie Lee Bannach, I'm twenty two and I go to Rowan University. My major is Elementary Education with a dual major in Writing Arts. For my Writing, Research, and Technology class we were instructed to make a Blog about a topic we were interested in. I had a hard time trying to come up with an informative topic that was interesting to me. After brainstorming for a while I chose to make my Blog about Lung Diseases and Disorders.

I picked this topic because it affects me on a personal level. I have been battling a lung disorder since I was fourteen. My Lung Disorder is called a Spontaneous Pneumothorax. A Spontaneous Pneumothorax is a Disorder when your lung collapses for no apparent reason. It occurs in my left lung and is a very painful!I have been dealing with this for the past eight years. I have had two surgeries to prevent my left lung from collapsing and an emergency chest tube inserted. Aside from all the surgeries, I spent countless nights in the hospital. I’ve had x-rays, cat scans and pet scans performed on a daily basis.

Not only does a Lung condition affect me, but it has affected my family. My Grandmother died from the very common Lung Disease known as Lung Cancer. She was a heavy smoker, and paid for it in the end. Asthma is a prevalent disease in my family as well. My brother and cousin were both diagnosed with Asthma at birth. As babies they had to use ventilation machines. Throughout the course of my Blog I will talk more about these conditions.

I also plan to expand education on many other Lung Conditions. The different Lung Diseases/Disorders I will be informing about are Tuberculosis, Pulmonary Embolisms, Pneumonia, and Cystic Fibrosis. I will illustrate how these different Conditions are caused, how to live with them, and different procedures to try and correct them. Some Lung Conditions can be cured and treated, while others can be fatal.

Lung Conditions affect Americans greatly every single day. That’s why my Lung Disease and Disorder Blog will be helpful. I plan to not only provide knowledge about Lung Conditions, but talk about ways they can be prevented. Keeping your lungs healthy is a big preventative measure against Lung Disease or Disorders. For example, avoid smoking. It is terrible for the lungs whether it is first hand or second hand. Smoking is the leading cause for Lung Cancer. Another preventive example is daily exercising. Exercise will help keep lungs strong and clear. It will also keep the rest of the body healthy as well.

This is just a small overview of what will be researched throughout the Lung Disease and Disorder Blog. I hope to not only educate people, but to educate myself on all of the common Lung Conditions in the world today. I want to show what it is like having to live with a Lung Problem. This Blog will provide information, pictures, and links for all of the Disease/Disorders mentioned.