What problems can there be with the lungs? Major pulmonary diseases

Lung diseases have become common. What are the most common of them, their features and symptoms?

Pneumonia (lung inflammation)

As a result of a bacterial, fungal or viral infection, an inflammatory process occurs in the lungs. Pneumonia can also be caused by chemicals that enter the body through inhaled air. This disease can affect both all lung tissues and a separate part of the organ.

Symptoms: difficulty breathing, cough, chills, fever. Characteristic features include chest pain and extreme fatigue, and sudden feelings of anxiety often appear.

Swelling and inflammation of the pleura, which is the outer membrane covering the lungs. The causative agent of the disease can be an infection or injury that causes damage to the chest. Pleurisy can be a symptom of tumor development. The disease manifests itself as pain when moving the chest and when breathing deeply.

Bronchitis

Bronchitis comes in two types: and. Acute bronchitis occurs when the bronchial mucosa becomes inflamed. This disease is common among older adults and young children. Occurs when the upper respiratory tract becomes infected, due to allergic reactions, or when inhaling air containing chemical impurities. The main symptom of acute bronchitis is a dry, sharp cough that gets worse at night.

When bronchitis enters the chronic stage, a constant cough appears, accompanied by copious mucus secretion, breathing becomes difficult, swelling of the body is observed, and the skin color may acquire a blue tint.

A chronic disease that manifests itself in the form of periodic attacks, which can range from a mild cough to serious attacks of suffocation. During asthma attacks, the bronchi and chest become narrowed, making breathing difficult. The mucous membrane swells greatly, the cilia of the epithelium cannot cope with their functions, which negatively affects the functioning of the lungs.

Over time, asthma progresses and leads to serious damage to lung tissue. The main symptoms are coughing, heavy and noisy breathing, frequent sneezing; due to lack of oxygen, the skin may become bluish.

Asphyxia

Asphyxia can be called oxygen deprivation, which occurs due to physical influences affecting breathing. The main causes: neck injuries, strangulation, retraction of the tongue as a result of injury, pathology in the larynx, injury to the abdomen or chest, dysfunction of the respiratory muscles.

In case of asphyxia, immediate resuscitation measures are necessary: restoration of airway patency, artificial ventilation, chest compressions. After eliminating the symptoms, the causes of the disease are determined and treatment is prescribed.

The causative agents of this lung disease are mycobacteria. Tuberculosis is transmitted by airborne droplets, that is, it is spread by carriers of the disease. How the initial stage of tuberculosis will proceed depends on the initial state of health of the patient and on the number of bacteria that have entered the body.

When infected, the immune system reacts by producing antibodies, and the protective system of the lungs envelops the affected mycobacteria in peculiar cocoons, in which they can either die or “fall asleep” for a while, only to later appear with renewed vigor.

Usually, at the initial stage of tuberculosis, a person feels completely healthy and no symptoms appear. Over time, the body begins to react with increased temperature, weight loss, sweating, and decreased performance.

This is an occupational lung disease. The disease is common among construction workers, metal workers, miners and other workers who regularly inhale dust containing free silica.

In the early stages, it is quite difficult to independently detect silicosis, since it develops over many years. Only with a thorough examination can one see that there has been an increase in the airiness of the lung tissue. The later stages are characterized by: lack of air, chest pain, shortness of breath even at rest, cough with sputum production, high fever.

With emphysema, the walls between the alveoli are destroyed, causing them to enlarge. The volume of the lungs increases, the structure becomes flabby, and the respiratory passages narrow. Tissue damage leads to a decrease in gas exchange of oxygen and carbon dioxide to dangerous levels. This lung disease is characterized by difficulty breathing.

Symptoms begin to appear when there is significant damage to the lungs. Shortness of breath appears, the person rapidly loses weight, redness of the skin is observed, the chest becomes barrel-shaped, and serious effort is required to exhale.

An almost fatal disease. Those people who started treatment before the acute onset of symptoms have a great chance of recovery. Unfortunately, lung cancer is very difficult to recognize. There are no symptoms that unconditionally indicate this particular disease. Conventional symptoms are considered to be hemoptysis, chest pain, shortness of breath, and cough. For timely diagnosis, doctors advise not to neglect regular examinations in clinics.

As you can see, the variety of symptoms makes it difficult to diagnose yourself at home, so if you have any suspicions of lung disease, you should consult a doctor and under no circumstances prescribe treatment yourself.

Diseases of the lungs and bronchi are common. In recent years, there has been a steady trend towards an increase in the percentage of patients suffering from diseases of the bronchopulmonary system.

Symptomatically, such pathologies are expressed in two ways: either in the form of an acute severe process, or in the form of sluggish progressive forms. Neglect, improper treatment and the principle “it will go away on its own” lead to tragic consequences.

It is impossible to determine the cause of the disease at home. Only a qualified pulmonologist can diagnose the pathological process.

A distinctive feature of many pulmonary diseases is difficult diagnosis. The causes of a particular pathology may be subjective. But there are a number of common factors that provoke the occurrence and development of the inflammatory process:

unfavorable environmental situation in the region; presence of hazardous industries;
exacerbation of other chronic diseases;
pathologies of the cardiovascular system;
disturbance of electrolyte balance in the body, increased sugar levels;
nerve diseases;
presence of bad habits.

Each pathological process in the lungs has specific signs that appear as it develops. In the initial stages, the manifestations of all pulmonary diseases are very similar.

Presence of cough. A cough is the first sign of a possible lung disease. The pathological process provokes inflammation, irritation of receptors and reflex contraction of the muscles of the respiratory tract.
Coughing is the body’s natural attempt to get rid of accumulated mucus. Already by the timbre of the cough one can judge whether the patient has any pathology: croup, laryngotracheobronchitis, bronchiectasis.

During coughing attacks, the patient experiences:

discomfort;
pain and burning in the sternum;
lack of air;
pressing sensation in the chest.

Sputum production. As a consequence of the pathological process, sputum saturated with pathogenic microbes is considered. With inflammation, the amount of discharge increases significantly. The patient's disease is determined by the color of the sputum, its smell and consistency. An unpleasant odor indicates putrefactive processes in the lungs; white, foamy discharge is a sign of pulmonary edema.
Presencebloodin sputum orsaliva. Often serves as a sign of a dangerous disease. The cause may be damage to a small vessel, malignant neoplasms, or lung abscess. In any case, the presence of blood in sputum or saliva requires immediate referral to specialists.
Labored breathing. A symptom of almost all diseases of the bronchi and lungs. In addition to lung problems, it can be caused by dysfunction of the cardiovascular system.
Painful sensations in the sternum. Chest pain is a characteristic sign of pleural damage. It is most often found in various forms of pleurisy, cancer, and foci of metastases in the pleural tissues. Chronic pulmonary pathologies are considered as one of the prerequisites for pleurisy.

With infectious lesions of the lungs, symptoms appear suddenly and vividly. Fever appears almost immediately, there is a sharp increase in temperature, chills and profuse sweating.

Classification

A characteristic feature of pulmonary diseases is their effect not only on various parts of the lungs, but also on other organs.

According to the lesions, bronchopulmonary pathologies are classified by the following criteria:

lung diseases affecting the respiratory tract;
diseases affecting the alveoli;
pathological lesions of the pleura;
hereditary lung pathologies;
diseases of the bronchopulmonary system;
purulent processes in the lungs;
congenital and acquired lung defects.

Lung diseases affecting the airways

COPD(chronic obstructive pulmonary disease). In COPD, the bronchi and lungs are simultaneously affected. The main indicators are a constant cough, sputum production, shortness of breath. Currently, there are no therapeutic methods that completely cure the pathology. Risk groups include smokers and patients associated with hazardous production. At the third stage, the patient’s life expectancy is about 8 years, at the last stage - less than a year.
Emphysema. The pathology is considered a type of COPD. The disease is characterized by impaired ventilation, blood circulation and destruction of lung tissue. The release of carbon dioxide is characterized by significant and sometimes critical indicators. It occurs both as an independent disease and as a complication of tuberculosis, obstructive bronchitis, and silicosis. As a consequence of the pathology, pulmonary and right ventricular heart failure and myocardial dystrophy develop. The main symptoms for all types of emphysema are changes in skin color, sudden weight loss, and shortness of breath.
Asphyxia- oxygen starvation. Characterized by a lack of oxygen and an excess amount of carbon dioxide. There are two groups of asphyxias. Nonviolent is considered a serious consequence of bronchopulmonary and other diseases. Violent - occurs with mechanical, toxic, barometric lesions of the bronchi and lungs. With complete suffocation, irreversible changes and death occur in less than five minutes.
Acute bronchitis. When the disease occurs, the patency of the bronchi is impaired. Acute bronchitis is characterized by symptoms of both acute respiratory disease and intoxication. It can have either the form of a primary pathology or be the result of complications of other processes. Two common causes are damage to the bronchi by infection or viruses. Less common is acute bronchitis of an allergic nature.

Symptomatically expressed by a continuous cough, sputum production, and profuse sweating. Self-medication, improper use of medications, and untimely contact with specialists threaten the disease becoming chronic.

A typical manifestation of chronic bronchitis is a cough that occurs with any slight decrease in immune activity.

Alveolar pathologies

Alveoli are air sacs, the smallest part of the lung. They have the appearance of bubbles, the walls of which are also their partitions.

Lung pathologies are also classified by damage to the alveoli.

Pneumonia. An infectious disease caused by viruses or bacteria. When the disease is neglected, if it is not timely to contact a specialist, it turns into pneumonia.

A characteristic feature is the rapid, sometimes reactive development of pathology. At the first signs, immediate consultation with a doctor is required. Clinically expressed as follows:

heavy, “crispy” breathing;
a sharp and strong increase in temperature, sometimes to critical levels;
separation of sputum in the form of mucous lumps;
shortness of breath and chills;
in severe cases of the disease, a change in skin color is observed.

Tuberculosis. Causes severe processes in the lungs and, if immediate assistance is not provided, leads to the death of the patient. The causative agent of the pathology is Koch's bacillus. The danger of the disease is during a long incubation period - from three weeks to a year. To exclude infection, an annual examination is indicated. The initial stages of the disease are characterized by:

persistent cough;
low but not decreasing temperature;
the appearance of blood streaks in saliva and sputum.

Important. In children, the clinical picture is more pronounced, the disease is more severe, develops much faster and leads to the most dire consequences. Parents, first of all, should pay attention to the following signs:

the child has been coughing for more than 20 days;
loss of appetite;
decreased attention, fatigue and apathy;
signs of intoxication.

Pulmonary edema. It is not an independent disease and is considered a serious complication of other diseases. There are several types of pulmonary edema. The most common causes are either fluid entering the lung space or destruction of the outer walls of the alveoli by toxins produced by the human body itself.

Pulmonary edema is a dangerous disease that requires quick and accurate diagnosis and immediate treatment.

Lungs' cancer. Aggressive, rapidly developing oncological process. The last, terminal stage leads to the death of the patient.

Cure is possible at the very beginning of the disease, but few people will pay attention to a constant cough - the main and main symptom of the early stage of lung cancer. To detect the disease at the earliest stages, a computed tomography scan is necessary.

The main symptoms of the pathology are:

cough;
blood streaks and whole blood clots in the sputum;
dyspnea;
constantly elevated temperature;
sudden and significant weight loss.

Additional Information. The longest life expectancy is observed in patients with peripheral lung cancer. There are officially registered cases where patients lived for 8 years or more. The peculiarity of pathology is its slow development in the complete absence of pain. Only in the terminal stage of the disease, with total metastasis, did patients develop pain.

Silicosis. Occupational disease of miners, miners, grinders. Grains of dust, tiny fragments of glass and stone settle in the light years. Silicosis is insidious - signs of the disease may not appear at all or be mild for many years.

The disease is always accompanied by a decrease in lung mobility and disruption of the respiratory process.

Tuberculosis, emphysema, and pneumothorax are considered severe complications. In the final stages, a person suffers from constant shortness of breath, cough, and fever.

Acute respiratory syndrome - SARS. Other names are SARS and purple death. The causative agent is coronavirus. It multiplies quickly and in the process of development destroys the pulmonary alveoli.

The disease develops over 2-10 days and is accompanied by renal failure. After discharge, patients noted the growth of connective tissue in the lungs. Recent studies indicate the ability of the virus to block all parts of the body's immune response.

Pathological lesions of the pleura and chest

The pleura is a thin sac that surrounds the lungs and the inside of the chest. Like any other organ, it can be affected by disease.

With inflammation, mechanical or physical damage to the pleura, the following occurs:

Pleurisy. Inflammation of the pleura can be considered both as an independent pathology and as a consequence of other diseases. About 70% of pleurisy is caused by the invasion of bacteria: Legionella, Staphylococcus aureus and others. When infection penetrates, due to physical and mechanical damage, the visceral and parietal layers of the pleura become inflamed.

Characteristic manifestations of the disease are stabbing or dull pain in the sternum, severe sweating, and in severe forms of pleurisy - hemoptysis.

Pneumothorax. It occurs as a result of penetration and accumulation of air in the pleural cavity. There are three types of pneumothorax: iatrogenic (arising as a result of medical procedures); traumatic (as a result of internal damage or injury), spontaneous (due to heredity, lung defect or other disease).

Pneumothorax can lead to lung collapse and requires immediate medical attention.

Chest diseases are associated with pathological processes in the blood vessels:

Pulmonary hypertension. The first signs of the disease are associated with disturbances and changes in pressure in the main vessels of the lungs.

Important. The forecast is disappointing. 20 people out of a hundred die. The timing of the development of the disease is difficult to predict; it depends on many factors, and, above all, on the stability of blood pressure and the condition of the lungs. The most alarming sign is frequent fainting. In any case, the survival rate of patients, even with the use of all possible treatment methods, does not cross the five-year threshold.

Pulmonary embolism. One of the main reasons is vein thrombosis. The blood clot travels to the lungs and blocks oxygen flow to the heart. A disease that threatens sudden, unpredictable hemorrhage and death of the patient.

Permanent chest pain can be a manifestation of the following diseases:

Hyperventilation with excess weight. Excess body weight puts pressure on the chest. As a result, breathing becomes irregular and shortness of breath occurs.
Nervous stress. A classic example is myasthenia gravis, an autoimmune disease called muscle flaccidity. Considered as a pathological disorder of nerve fibers in the lungs.

Diseases of the bronchopulmonary system as a hereditary factor

The hereditary factor plays an important role in the occurrence of pathologies of the bronchopulmonary system. In diseases transmitted from parents to children, gene mutations provoke the development of pathological processes regardless of external influences. The main hereditary diseases are:

Bronchial asthma. The nature of occurrence is the effect of allergens on the body. It is characterized by shallow shallow breathing, shortness of breath, and spastic phenomena.
Primary dyskinesia. Congenital pathology of the bronchi of a hereditary nature. The cause of the disease is purulent bronchitis. Treatment is individual.
Fibrosis. Connective tissue grows and replaces alveolar tissue with it. As a result - shortness of breath, weakness, apathy in the early stages. In the later stages of the disease, the skin changes color, a bluish tint appears, and drumstick syndrome is observed - a change in the shape of the fingers.

The aggressive form of chronic fibrosis shortens the patient's life to one year.

Hemosiderosis. The reason is an excess of hemosiderin pigment, a massive release of red blood cells into the body tissues and their breakdown. Indicative symptoms are hemoptysis and shortness of breath at rest.

Important. Acute respiratory infection is the root cause of pathological processes in the bronchopulmonary system. The first symptoms of the disease do not cause anxiety or fear in patients; they are treated at home with traditional remedies. The disease enters a chronic phase or acute inflammation in both lungs.

Bronchopulmonary diseases are the result of viruses entering the body. Damage occurs to the mucous membranes and the entire respiratory system. Self-medication leads to serious consequences, including death.

The primary manifestations of diseases of the bronchi and lungs are practically no different from the symptoms of a common cold. Infectious lung diseases are bacterial in nature. The development of inflammatory processes occurs rapidly – sometimes taking several hours.

Diseases caused by bacteria include:

pneumonia;
bronchitis;
asthma;
tuberculosis;
respiratory allergies;
pleurisy;
respiratory failure.

The development of infection is reactive. To prevent life-threatening consequences, a full range of preventive and therapeutic measures is carried out.

Many bronchial and pulmonary pathologies are accompanied by sharp and severe pain and cause interruptions in breathing. Here, a treatment regimen specific to each patient is used.

Suppurative lung diseases

All suppurative lung diseases are classified as serious pathologies. The set of symptoms includes necrosis, putrefactive or purulent decay of lung tissue. Pulmonary purulent infection can be total and affect the entire organ, or be focal in nature and affect individual segments of the lung.

All purulent pathologies of the lungs lead to complications. There are three main types of pathologies:

Lung abscess. A pathogenic process in which lung tissue melts and is destroyed. As a result, purulent cavities are formed, surrounded by dead lung parenchyma. Pathogens: Staphylococcus aureus, aerobic bacteria, aerobic microorganisms. With a lung abscess, fever, pain in the inflamed segment, sputum with pus, and expectoration of blood are observed.

Treatment includes lymphatic drainage and antibacterial therapy.

If there is no improvement within two months, the disease becomes chronic. The most severe complication of a lung abscess is gangrene.

Lung gangrene. Total tissue decay, putrefactive pathogenic processes in the lungs. An obligatory accompanying symptom is sputum with an unpleasant odor. The fulminant form of the disease causes the patient’s death on the first day.

Symptoms of the disease include an increase in temperature to critical levels, heavy sweating, sleep disturbances, and a persistent cough. In severe stages of the disease, patients experienced changes in consciousness.

It is impossible to save a patient at home. And with all the successes of thoracic medicine, the mortality rate of patients with lung gangrene is 40-80%.

Purulent pleurisy. It is an acute purulent inflammation of the parietal and pulmonary membranes, and the process affects all surrounding tissues. There are infectious and non-infectious forms of pleurisy. The development of the disease is often reactive in nature; immediately initiated therapeutic measures can save the patient. The main symptoms of the pathology are:

shortness of breath and weakness;
pain on the side of the affected organ;
chills;
cough.

Congenital lung defects

A distinction should be made between congenital pathologies and congenital lung anomalies.

Abnormalities of the lungs do not manifest themselves clinically; the modified organ functions normally.

Developmental defects are a complete anatomical disorder of the structure of an organ. Such disorders occur during the formation of the bronchopulmonary system in the embryo. The main lung defects include:

Aplasia– a serious malformation in which either the entire organ or part of it is missing.
Agenesis– a rare pathology, there is a complete absence of the lung and main bronchus.
Hypoplasia– underdevelopment of the lungs, bronchi, lung tissue, blood vessels. The organs are in their infancy. If hypoplasia affects one or more segments, it does not manifest itself in any way and is discovered by chance. If everything is undeveloped, hypoplasia manifests itself in signs of respiratory failure.
Tracheobronchomegaly, Mounier-Kuhn syndrome. It occurs when the elastic and muscular structures of the bronchi and lungs are underdeveloped, as a result of which a gigantic expansion of these organs is observed.
Tracheobronchomalacia– a consequence of defects in the cartilage tissue of the trachea and bronchi. When you inhale, the lumen of the airways narrows, and when you exhale, it widens greatly. The consequence of the pathology is constant apnea.
Stenosis– reduction of the lumen of the larynx and trachea. There is a serious disruption of respiratory function and the swallowing process. The defect significantly reduces the patient’s quality of life.
Accessory lung lobe. In addition to the main pair of lungs, there are accessory lungs. They practically do not manifest themselves at all; clinical symptoms occur only during inflammation.
Severstation. A section of lung tissue is separated from the main organ, which has its own blood flow, but does not take part in the process of gas exchange.
Azygos vein. The right side of the lung is divided by the azygos vein.

Congenital defects are easily noticed on ultrasound, and modern courses of therapy make it possible to stop their further development.

Diagnostic methods and preventive measures

The more accurately the diagnosis is made, the faster the patient’s path to recovery. At the first examination, the pulmonologist must take into account all external manifestations of the disease and the patient’s complaints.

Based on the initial examination and conversation with the patient, a list of necessary examinations is compiled, for example:

X-ray;
fluorography;
blood analysis,
tomography;
bronchography;
testing for infections.

Based on the data obtained, an individual treatment regimen is determined, procedures and antibacterial therapy are prescribed.

But none of the most modern methods of treatment, none of the most effective drugs will bring any benefit if you do not follow all the prescriptions and recommendations of a specialist.

Preventive measures will significantly reduce the risk of pulmonary pathologies. The rules are simple, everyone can follow them:

avoiding smoking and excessive drinking of alcohol;
physical education and light physical activity;
hardening;
relaxation on the sea coast (and if this is not possible, walks in a pine forest);
annual visits to a pulmonologist.

The symptoms of pulmonary diseases described above are easy to remember. Every person should know them. Know and seek medical help at the first warning signs.

Various lung diseases are quite common in human daily life. Most of the classified diseases have severe symptoms of acute lung disease in humans and, if not treated correctly, can lead to bad consequences. Pulmonology deals with the study of respiratory diseases.

Causes and signs of lung diseases

To determine the cause of any disease, you should contact a qualified specialist (pulmonologist), who will conduct thorough research and make a diagnosis.

Lung diseases are quite difficult to diagnose, so you need to undergo the entire list of recommended tests.

But there are common factors that can cause acute pulmonary infection:

There are a large number of objective signs characterizing lung disease. Their main symptoms:

Lung diseases affecting the alveoli

Alveoli, the so-called air sacs, are the main functional segment of the lungs. When the alveoli are damaged, individual lung pathologies are classified:

Diseases affecting the pleura and chest

The pleura is the thin sac that contains the lungs. When it is damaged, the following respiratory diseases occur:

Blood vessels are known to carry oxygen, and their disruption causes chest diseases:

Pulmonary hypertension. Violation of pressure in the pulmonary arteries gradually leads to the destruction of the organ and the appearance of primary signs of the disease.
Pulmonary embolism. Often occurs with vein thrombosis, when a blood clot enters the lungs and blocks the supply of oxygen to the heart. This disease is characterized by sudden bleeding in the brain and death.

For constant pain in the chest, the following diseases are distinguished:

Hereditary and bronchopulmonary diseases

Hereditary respiratory diseases are transmitted from parents to child and can have several types. Basic:

The basis of diseases of the bronchopulmonary system is an acute respiratory infection. Most often, bronchopulmonary infectious diseases are characterized by mild malaise, gradually developing into an acute infection in both lungs.

Bronchopulmonary inflammatory diseases are caused by viral microorganisms. They affect the respiratory system and mucous membranes. Improper treatment can lead to the development of complications and the occurrence of more dangerous bronchopulmonary diseases.

The symptoms of a respiratory infection are very similar to the common cold, caused by viral bacteria. Infectious lung diseases develop very quickly and are of bacterial origin. These include:

pneumonia;
bronchitis;
asthma;
tuberculosis;
respiratory allergies;
pleurisy;
respiratory failure.

Infection in inflamed lungs develops rapidly. To avoid complications, a full range of treatment and prevention should be carried out.

Chest conditions such as pneumothorax, asphyxia, and physical damage to the lungs cause severe pain and can cause breathing and lung problems. Here it is necessary to apply an individual treatment regimen, which has a sequence-related nature.

Suppurative diseases

Due to the increase in purulent diseases, the percentage of suppurative inflammations causing problems with damaged lungs has increased. Pulmonary purulent infection affects a significant part of the organ and can lead to serious complications. There are three main types of this pathology:

X-ray;
fluorography;
general blood analysis;
tomography;
bronchography;
testing for infections.

After all the studies, the doctor must determine an individual treatment plan, necessary procedures and antibacterial therapy. It should be remembered that only strict adherence to all recommendations will lead to a quick recovery.

Compliance with preventive measures for lung diseases significantly reduces the risk of their occurrence. To exclude respiratory diseases, you should follow simple rules:

maintaining a healthy lifestyle;
absence of bad habits;
moderate physical activity;
hardening of the body;
annual vacation on the seaside;
regular visits to a pulmonologist.

Every person should know the manifestations of the above diseases in order to quickly identify the symptoms of an incipient respiratory disease, and then seek qualified help in time, because health is one of the most valuable attributes of life!

Lung diseases are a common phenomenon diagnosed in recent years. Due to the large number of varieties and similar symptoms, it is very difficult for a non-professional to determine what may be associated with poor health and pain.

Only an experienced doctor knows exactly what types of lung diseases there are and how to treat them correctly.

A huge number of types of diseases

The list of the most common lung diseases in humans is as follows:

All these diseases associated with the lungs manifest themselves in a rather acute form, and if not treated in a timely manner, can lead to serious consequences affecting both the health and life of the patient.

The manifestations of chronic lung diseases are very dangerous. Such diseases include:

Tracheobronchial dyskinesia;
Forms of pneumonia;
Chronic cor pulmonale;
Polycystic disease;
Asthma;
Bruton's disease;
Cartagena syndrome.

Pneumonia, also called pneumonia, develops due to the inflammatory process due to various types of infections: from fungal to viral. In addition, one of the possible pathogens may be a chemical that enters the body through inhalation. The disease spreads throughout the entire organ, or can “lurk” only in a certain part.

Another common abnormality in lung function are diseases whose names are pleurisy and bronchitis.

The first is associated with swelling of the pleura or an inflammatory process in it (the outer membrane that “envelops” the lungs). Pleurisy can occur due to infection or injury that affects the chest area. This disease can be the beginning of the development of a malignant tumor.

Bronchitis is diagnosed in 2 types: chronic and acute forms of manifestation. The cause of the latter is inflammation of the bronchial mucosa. The disease is especially common among older people and young children. The respiratory tract becomes infected due to allergies when inhaling chemically contaminated air.

Bronchial asthma most often manifests itself in the form of coughing attacks or painful suffocation of a periodic nature. While an attack occurs, the bronchi and the entire chest sharply narrow, which makes breathing difficult. In this case, the mucous membrane swells, epithelial cilia do not perform their main functions, which leads to improper functioning of the lungs.

Common dangerous lung diseases are asphyxia and silicosis.

The first is called oxygen starvation, which occurs due to negative external influences that directly affect the respiratory process. The disease appears due to compression, various injuries to the neck or chest, pathological abnormalities in the larynx, and disturbances in the functioning of the muscles responsible for breathing.

Silicosis is a disease common among people in certain professions who work in environments where there is a lot of dust, the particles of which contain silicon dioxide. Dangerous areas - objects under construction, mines, metallurgical industry,

The causative agent of a disease such as tuberculosis is mycobacterium. It is transmitted by the carrier through the air and through saliva. The main manifestations are directly related to the general health of the patient, as well as how many pathogenic microorganisms have entered. Emphysema is characterized by the separation of the walls located between the alveoli, due to which they significantly increase in volume.

The consequence of this is that the lungs grow, all passages narrow, and the structure of the organ becomes loose and flabby. Such damage reduces the level of oxygen and carbon dioxide exchange to critical levels. It becomes difficult for the patient to breathe.

The most dangerous of lung diseases is cancer, which in most cases ends in death. There is a chance of cure for those people who began a course of therapy before the main manifestation of symptoms. However, the whole problem is that cancer is the most difficult to recognize disease.

Medicine has not yet identified symptoms that would definitely indicate a terrible diagnosis. It is generally accepted that you should immediately go to the hospital if you have a severe cough, pain in the chest and the presence of blood in the expectorant discharge.

Consequences for the human body

The lungs are a rather complex organ, consisting of important elements of the respiratory tract. The bronchi, as well as the trachea, may be vulnerable if a person suffers from any of the possible diseases associated with the lungs.

The list of diseases associated with the occurrence of the inflammatory process and purulent discharge can be combined into a whole category of purulent lung diseases:

Suppurative lung diseases are represented by the following list:

Empyema of the outer membrane of the lungs;
Infectious destruction in acute form;
Gangrenous organ abscess (acute form);
Gangrene of a widespread nature;
Chronic abscess;
Acute purulent abscess.

The list of lung diseases is quite extensive; there is currently no clear classification. All disorders are differentiated based on the impact on certain organs or tissues, as well as on the source of occurrence.

Nonspecific lung diseases include:

Chronical bronchitis;
Some experts include bronchial asthma in this group;
Chronic abscess;
Pneumonia;
Obstructive emphysema;
Pneumofibrosis.

If we talk about the impact on the respiratory tract and the negative impact on it, then we can identify quite a lot of dangerous diseases. First of all, this is asthma, which is characterized by frequent spasms, causing severe shortness of breath and difficulty breathing.

A person can have the disease from birth, and also as a complication after an allergy; the possibility of its occurrence due to negative environmental influences cannot be ruled out.

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease is characterized by a constant, painful cough. From birth, a child may develop cystic fibrosis, in which infections in the body periodically recur due to excessive accumulation of mucus in the bronchi. Acute bronchitis and emphysema negatively affect the airways.

Diseases that negatively affect the alveoli are pneumonia, tuberculosis, emphysema, and cancer. Plus, pulmonary edema, characterized by loss of pulmonary fluid from the smallest blood vessels. Acute respiratory distress syndrome, which causes irreparable damage to the main respiratory organ, also falls into this category.

It is imperative to ventilate the lungs until the patient can recover. Another disease in this group is pneumoconiosis, which occurs due to inhalation of hazardous substances that can cause any kind of organ damage. This could be cement or coal dust, asbestos, and many others. etc.

Lung diseases that have a negative effect on blood vessels - pulmonary embolism and hypertension. The first is the result of thrombosis of the veins of the lower extremities. Blood clots present in the pulmonary arteries can cause lack of oxygen and shortness of breath. Hypertension is increased pressure in the arteries of the lung. Most often, the patient feels severe chest pain and shortness of breath.

Lung diseases and their symptoms

Lung diseases in humans are united, in most cases, by common symptoms, which manifest themselves in frequent coughing, shortness of breath, pain in the chest and bleeding, and respiratory failure is also noted.

Fungal lung diseases are often diagnosed, the symptoms of which are as follows:

A cough that is noticeably different from what happens with colds;
A large amount of sputum, the discharge of which causes acute pain in the lung area;
Severe weakness;
Decreased activity;
Strong craving for sleep.

Signs of a lung disease such as pneumonia are pronounced and are accompanied by temperature changes, coughing and difficulty breathing. The patient feels exhausted, anxious, and complains of pain in the chest area.

Signs of emphysema appear in the later stages, when the lungs are severely damaged. Body weight decreases, the skin turns red, significant effort is required to exhale, and the chest becomes like a “barrel.”

Cancer is practically impossible to diagnose in the initial stages. Therefore, in case of any deviations from the norm, you must not delay your visit to the hospital. The symptoms of this lung disease in women are similar, in the early stages, to the common cold. Therefore, many do not pay attention to their malaise and the gradual deterioration of the body’s condition.

The following symptoms are identified:

Blood in sputum;
Unexplained weight loss;
“Whistling” from the chest when exhaling;
Pain when coughing;
Dyspnea.

Signs of lung disease - cancer - in men are fever, frequent viral illnesses, severe cough and heart rhythm disorders.

Lung diseases and their symptoms are similar to each other in initial manifestations, but the impact is on completely opposite parts of the respiratory tract. Asthma can cause damage to lung tissue.

The disease can be identified by noisy breathing, coughing, “bluish” skin, and frequent sneezing. Bronchitis in acute form is manifested by a severe night cough, causing acute pain. In the chronic stage, the symptom becomes more frequent, mucus is released, the body swells, and the skin tone approaches blue.

Pleurisy is characterized by severe pain when breathing and moving the chest.

Tuberculosis is considered dangerous in terms of symptoms, since the patient usually does not complain of any pain or cough. Only over time does it become noticeable that a person is suddenly losing weight, sweating, constantly sleepy, and his body temperature rises.

Main symptoms

People with lung diseases note the following signs of illness:

Cough

Most often, a cough can be triggered by irritation of the mucous membrane of the respiratory tract. In this case, the cough is both constant and episodic. There is also a distinction between a dry cough and a cough with sputum. The chronic manifestation of an irritating symptom leads to frequent exacerbation of bronchial diseases.

Expectoration of sputum is used as biological material for diagnostics, the results of which determine the causes of cough. Moreover, not only the shade of sputum is taken into account, but also their smell. If you neglect to consult a doctor in a timely manner and try to cope with the disease on your own, the disease may worsen and it will be more difficult to cope with it in the future.

Redness of the mucous membrane

Inflammation of the oral mucosa is a harbinger of more serious lung disease. Even the allergic manifestation of this symptom should not be left without due attention.

Snore

Unfortunately, this seemingly simple symptom is not given enough attention. However, according to statistics, most people suffering from such inconvenience, after a certain period of time, have a fairly high risk of suffering a heart attack or stroke with a fatal outcome. In addition, constant fatigue is felt. To understand how dangerous snoring is for a particular person, you need to contact a doctor with complaints, who will prescribe a comprehensive examination.

Shortness of breath or suffocation

Unlike other symptoms of lung diseases, complaints of such an ailment should be the reason for an immediate trip to the doctor. Shortness of breath can cause discomfort not only during exercise, but even during sleep.

Chest pain

Since there are no nerve endings on the lungs, there should be no pain as such. However, if such a symptom does occur, then the lung tissue may be affected. If pain in the sternum does not subside, then this may be one of the first manifestations of a cancerous tumor.

Insufficient oxygen supply to the lungs

This symptom can occur for a number of reasons. It is expressed in the complication of the respiratory process, which in turn does not allow oxygen to be supplied to the blood in sufficient quantities. There is a feeling of slight malaise, sometimes leading to loss of consciousness. The color of the skin loses its natural shade. With prolonged lack of oxygen, even convulsions can occur. Finding out the reasons for this symptom is very important, since inaction can be fatal.

Expectoration processes, etc.

This process is a natural way of removing mucus from the lungs. The accumulated mucus after each expectoration releases the lungs, improving the patient’s well-being. Moreover, expectoration serves as a kind of indicator of the healing process.

The above symptoms of lung disease are evidence that you should urgently contact a qualified specialist who, depending on the complexity of the situation, will prescribe adequate therapy. Self-medication is unacceptable.

Lifestyle and the presence of bad habits can aggravate the course of the disease, which will ultimately lead to the appearance of such an ailment as tuberculosis. The most terrible diagnosis, which in most cases is incurable, is lung cancer.

Treatment can be prescribed only after thoroughly listening to the patient's breathing. If there are suspicions, the doctor is obliged to write out a referral for fluorography, which will provide a more accurate “picture” of the condition of the lungs. All currently available diagnostic methods provide each person with the opportunity to conduct an examination and promptly begin the treatment process, which can consist of either taking one drug or a whole complex.

Even well-trained people cannot live long without air. Death from the complete lack of a fresh portion of oxygen is the fate of any person who finds himself in a similar situation.

The sole supplier of such invaluable gas to the body is the respiratory system and its very center - a pair of lungs. These “oxygen monopolists”, consisting of many special bubbles - alveoli, in addition to their main function (the role of a “communication channel” between sources of valuable gas in the environment and the human circulatory system) also perform a number of others. Thus, they serve as one of the most capacious reservoirs of blood in the body - about ten percent of all such reserves in the human body are stored here. In addition, the lungs are one of the most important organs working to create the immune defense and barrier of the body's resistance. They also create the air flow needed to produce the voice.

Knowing all this, one can only imagine how complicated the work of various organs and systems of the body is when lung diseases occur, the symptoms of which are not always immediately detected (and the diseases, meanwhile, manage to do their dirty work). What makes me shudder most is the realization that a number of diseases of this kind are fatal - and people not involved in medicine are not even aware of the existence of many of them.

About ten years ago, the entire planet was shocked by the news of the emergence of a new, hitherto unknown disease - SARS, which soon became known as the “purple death”, or atypical pneumonia. A huge focus of this severe acute respiratory syndrome arose in the Asian region - mainly in China, soon “spreading” to Vietnam and Hong Kong. In just a few months of the first half of 2003, the rapidly spreading SARS affected almost 8.5 thousand people. More than eight hundred of them died, that is, about ten percent.

Among the deadly lung diseases, of course, is tuberculosis. This terrible disease is considered one of the most common in the world, and is transmitted through air masses (when a patient coughs or sneezes), so it is extremely difficult to avoid infection. However, the worst thing is that the human body is not able to develop immunity against the causative agents of this disease - Koch bacilli. Therefore, those who have had it at least once run the risk of encountering this scourge again in the future.

Tuberculosis does not recognize any boundaries, especially social ones. It is capable of striking both a degraded marginalized person and a completely prosperous and financially secure person. Back in the last century, doctors learned to timely diagnose and successfully treat this disease, but the possibility of disability and death in the event of a long refusal of medical care and/or incomplete therapy still hangs over humanity.

Among the most terrible diseases of the lungs is lung cancer. This, by the way, is the most common form of cancer among the male population of the planet - especially in developed countries. More than half of such cases end in a gravestone.

Passionate tobacco lovers expose themselves to a particularly high risk of contracting this dangerous disease: about ninety percent of those who contract lung cancer are smokers. However, there are other "carcinogenic" factors - for example, ionizing (radioactive) radiation and some viral infections. However, non-smokers have a ten times less risk of developing lung cancer - even despite the presence of the above-mentioned causes, which are in no way associated with tobacco smoke.

Another danger hangs over smokers like a sword of Damocles, which many of them are not even aware of. Its name is chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), which, according to some forecasts, by the end of this decade may firmly enter the top three among the “killer” diseases of humanity.

With this disease, the inflammatory process, which began in one or both lungs at once, becomes permanent, and its course becomes irreversible. Unfortunately, with all the advances in medicine, complete recovery from COPD is impossible, although adequate therapy can influence the course of the disease, somewhat slowing it down and improving the quality of life of the person suffering from it.

The list of dangerous diseases of the respiratory organs is not limited to all this. It is impossible not to mention another very common disease in the world - pneumonia. In fact, this term unites a whole group of diseases, most of which in the “pre-antibiotic” era were considered virtually a death sentence for those who, unfortunately, became infected with them.

With pneumonia (another name for the disease), the inflammatory process affects the alveoli. They fill with fluid and become unable to perform their function of transmitting oxygen to the blood. However, with adequate and timely antibiotic therapy, the prognosis for recovery from the disease is quite favorable.

However, if a person often experiences pneumonia and bronchitis, he runs the risk of getting another serious lung disease - emphysema. This very insidious disease, the “victims” of which are the alveoli and their partitions, grows slowly, almost imperceptibly for the patient, and he often consults a doctor only when things take a serious turn.

The lungs are the main organ of the respiratory system of the human body, occupying almost the entire chest cavity. Like any other, lung diseases can be acute or chronic and are caused by both external and internal factors; their symptoms are very diverse. Unfortunately, lung diseases have recently become quite frequent and widespread and represent one of the most important threats to human life and health. Lung diseases rank 6th among the causes of high mortality throughout the world, often leading to disability and early loss of ability to work. All this depends on the high costs of hospitalization and medications required for their treatment.

The main function of the lungs is gas exchange - enriching the blood with oxygen from the air inhaled by a person and releasing carbon dioxide - carbon dioxide. The process of gas exchange occurs in the alveoli of the lungs and is ensured by active movements of the chest and diaphragm. But the physiological role of the lungs in the functioning of the whole organism is not limited only to the process of gas exchange - they also participate in metabolic processes, perform secretory and excretory functions and have phagocytic properties. The lungs also participate in the process of thermoregulation of the entire body. Like all other organs, the lungs are also susceptible to the occurrence and development of various diseases, which can be either inflammatory or infectious in nature - due to the ingress of various kinds of bacteria, viruses or fungi into them.

List of the most common lung diseases:

pneumonia;
bronchitis;
bronchial asthma;
tuberculosis;
emphysema;
lung cancer;
pneumonia.

Pneumonia, bronchitis, asthma

Pneumonia is an inflammatory process that develops in the lungs as a result of the ingress of various pathological microorganisms: bacteria, viruses or fungi. Sometimes the causative agents of pneumonia are various chemicals that enter the human body. Pneumonia can develop on all tissues of the lung, on both sides, and on any individual part of it. Symptoms of pneumonia are quite painful sensations in the chest, cough, difficulty breathing, chills, fever and a sudden feeling of anxiety. Pneumonia is treated with penicillin antibiotics and is the most serious and dangerous lung disease, often leading to the death of the patient.

Bronchitis is an inflammatory disease of the mucous membrane of the lungs, bronchioles. Most often it occurs in young children and elderly people due to infection of the upper respiratory tract, as well as as a result of allergic reactions. A symptom of bronchitis is a dry, irritating, sharp cough that gets worse at night. Bronchitis comes in two types: acute and chronic, the characteristic symptoms of which are difficulty breathing with whistling, swelling of the upper body, severe and persistent cough, accompanied by copious secretion of mucus and sputum, the skin of the face acquires a bluish tint, especially in the area of the nasolabial triangle. Sometimes, in parallel with chronic bronchitis, a person develops obstructive bronchitis, its symptom is extremely difficult breathing, which is hampered by a narrowing of the lumen (obstruction) of the upper respiratory tract caused by the inflammatory process and thickening of the walls of the bronchi. Chronic obstructive bronchitis is a lung disease that occurs mainly in smokers.

Bronchial asthma is also a chronic disease, manifested in the form of attacks of dry, irritating cough, ending in suffocation. During such attacks, narrowing and swelling of the bronchi and the entire chest occurs, which makes breathing difficult. Bronchial asthma progresses quite quickly and leads to pathological damage to lung tissue. This process is irreversible and has characteristic symptoms: a constant debilitating cough, cyanosis of the skin due to a constant lack of oxygen and rather heavy, noisy breathing.

Tuberculosis, emphysema, cancer

Tuberculosis is a lung disease caused by mycobacterium - Koch's bacillus, transmitted by airborne droplets. Infection occurs from a carrier of the disease and at the initial stage is practically asymptomatic. This happens because antibodies produced by the human immune system envelop these mycobacteria in so-called cocoons, which can remain dormant in a person’s lungs for a fairly long period of time. Then, depending on the state of a person’s health, his lifestyle, external factors, and the number of mycobacteria that have entered the body, the disease begins to progress and manifests itself in the form of sudden weight loss, increased sweating, rather reduced performance, weakness and a constantly elevated temperature of up to 37 °C. body temperature.

Emphysema is the destruction of the walls between the alvioli of the lungs, which leads to an increase in lung volume and narrowing of the airways. Pathological tissue damage leads to impaired gas exchange and significant loss of oxygen, leading to breathing difficulties. For the lungs, the disease emphysema is quite secretive, its symptoms appear even with significant damage - a person develops shortness of breath, he rapidly loses weight, the skin turns red, it becomes difficult, almost impossible to breathe, and the chest becomes barrel-shaped.

Another disease is lung cancer. A pathological, fatal disease that is practically asymptomatic, especially at an early stage of its development. Sometimes cancer can be identified by the presence of chest pain, cough, shortness of breath and hemoptysis. Cancer diseases are characterized by the rapid growth of pathological cells (metastasis), which spread throughout all organs and systems of the body. Therefore, cancer is considered a fatal disease and practically cannot be cured, especially at the stage of metastasis.

Sometimes there are cases of pneumonia developing without a cough. This is a more dangerous disease, since when you cough, the body naturally clears itself of mucus and phlegm, which contain a fairly large number of pathogenic microorganisms that cause inflammation. A cough signals a pathological process in the lungs and allows you to start the necessary treatment on time, which reduces the risk of complications. In the absence of cough syndrome, the bronchi are not cleared of phlegm and mucus, which leads to worsening of the inflammatory process and the appearance of pus in the mucus and sputum.

What should the treatment be?

If you have any cough, even not a very strong one, you should consult a doctor, do the necessary laboratory tests and get diagnosed. After identifying the cause, the symptoms of lung disease must be treated with medications prescribed by a doctor according to the disease and the degree of its development. In addition to drug therapy, you can use fairly simple and no less effective traditional medicine:

Lung balm based on aloe leaves - prepared from crushed aloe leaves, which should be poured with grape wine and mixed with liquid honey. Infuse the mixture in a cool place for several weeks, then strain and consume 3 times a day daily for any lung diseases.
A medicinal mixture of carrot, beet, and black radish juice with the addition of alcohol and honey must be infused in a dark place for 10 days, shaking occasionally. Then drink 1 tbsp. l. 3 times a day until the infusion ends. Then take a break while the new mixture is prepared. This composition helps well in relieving and alleviating the symptoms of all lung diseases.
You can prepare such a medicinal paste, which should be consumed 3 times a day with a glass of goat milk or spread on bread to make a sandwich: mix 10 yolks from fresh chicken eggs with sugar, add melted chocolate, lard and grated apple. Mix everything thoroughly and store in the refrigerator. This mixture is an excellent expectorant and also has properties to strengthen the immune system.

But still, in order to correctly determine the diagnosis, take medications and traditional recipes, you should consult a doctor.

Lung diseases - symptoms and treatment.

Pulmonary embolism causes a blood clot to become lodged in the lungs. In most cases, embolisms are not fatal, but the clot can damage the lungs. Symptoms: sudden shortness of breath, sharp chest pain when taking a deep breath, pink, foamy cough discharge, acute feeling of fear, weakness, slow heartbeat.

Pneumothorax This is an air leak in the chest. It creates pressure in the chest. A simple pneumothorax can be treated quickly, but if you wait several days, surgery will be needed to unload the lungs. Those affected by this disease experience sudden and sharp pain on one side of the lungs and a fast heart rate.

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)

COPD is a mixture of two different diseases: chronic bronchitis and emphysema. Narrowing of the airways makes breathing difficult. The first symptoms of the disease: rapid fatigue after light work, even moderate exercise makes breathing difficult. You feel cold in your chest, the expectoration becomes yellow or greenish in color, and weight loss is uncontrollable. Bending over to put on your shoes reveals a lack of air to breathe. The causes of chronic disease are smoking and protein deficiency.

Bronchitis is an inflammation of the mucous tissue that covers the bronchi. Bronchitis can be acute or chronic. Acute bronchitis is an inflammation of the bronchial epithelium caused by an infection or virus. Bronchitis One of the common symptoms of bronchitis is a cough, 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 sign of chronic bronchitis is a lingering cough. If for two years the cough persists 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 discharge 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 an environment for bacteria to grow. One of the first obvious signs of illness is a salty taste to the skin.

Prolonged constant cough, breathing with a sound similar to a whistle, acute pain during inspiration - first signs of pleurisy, inflammation of the pleura. The pleura is the covering 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 gall bladder, and throat cancer. If a production worker notices a cough that does not go away for a long time, chest pain, poor appetite, and a dry sound like a cracking sound comes out of his lungs when breathing, you should definitely do fluorography and consult 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 cold. It is difficult for the body to fight infection and lung diseases when weakened after illness.

As a result of fluorography nodules detected? Don't panic. Whether it is cancer or not will be revealed by subsequent thorough diagnostics. This is a complex process. Has one or several nodules formed? Is its diameter greater than 4 cm? Does it adhere to the walls of the chest, or the muscles of the ribs? These are the main questions that a doctor should find out before deciding on surgery. The patient's age, smoking history, and, in some cases, are assessed. Observation of the nodule continues for 3 months. Often unnecessary operations are performed due to patient panic. A non-cancerous cyst in the lungs can resolve with the right medication.

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

The cause of uncomplicated pleural effusion: the amount of fluid in the pleura is slightly greater than the required amount. This 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, and a focus of inflammation appears. If left untreated, the disease can create a ring around the lungs, the fluid eventually turning into 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 remove tuberculosis infection from an open form to a closed form. It is possible to cure tuberculosis. You need to take the disease seriously, take medications and attend procedures. Do not use drugs under any circumstances, lead a healthy lifestyle.

The lungs are a paired organ located in the chest cavity and perform a number of functions.

The main task of the lungs is gas exchange. In the alveoli, carbon dioxide and oxygen are exchanged between inhaled air and venous blood.

This is a vital function, the violation of which causes acute or chronic hypoxia, and when breathing stops, clinical and then biological death quickly develops.

Also, the lungs are a place that is in direct contact with the external environment, and therefore with all pathogenic agents transmitted by airborne droplets.

Considering their importance for the body as a whole, lung diseases and their symptoms are extremely important points that require the fastest and most effective treatment.

All pulmonary pathologies are divided into several groups:

Congenital diseases.
- Dysplasias are developmental defects. These include: absence or underdevelopment of the lung or bronchial tree, malformations of the pulmonary vessels, cystic degeneration, etc.
- Pulmonary symptoms of systemic diseases. Bruton's syndrome, Cystic fibrosis.
Acquired pathologies.
- Acute forms
- With damage to the bronchial tree. Bronchitis of bacterial, viral, toxic or thermal origin.
- With damage to lung tissue. Abscess, gangrene of the lungs. Pneumonia of various etiologies.
- Chronic forms
- With damage to the bronchial tree. Chronic bronchitis, bronchial asthma, bronchiectasis, COPD.
- With damage to lung tissue. Emphysema, pneumoconiosis, tuberculosis.

Benign and malignant diseases are distinguished separately. This applies to a greater extent to tumor processes in the lungs. Benign tumors include: fibroma, lipoma, adenoma. Malignant neoplasms include lymphoma, sarcoma, and squamous cell carcinoma.

Consequences for the human body. Lung diseases and their symptoms can have a wide variety of consequences for a person. Acute inflammatory pathologies with timely treatment most often have a favorable prognosis for both life and health. Chronic diseases, when properly treated, for the most part do not pose a threat to a person’s life, but significantly reduce the quality of life.

Benign and malignant diseases, as well as massive purulent processes (abscess, gangrene), require surgical intervention for health reasons. Malignant lung diseases and their symptoms are often subtle, which is why they are diagnosed late. Therefore, they often metastasize and have a questionable or poor prognosis. Lung cancer is the most common cause of death in pulmonary diseases, followed by pneumonia.

Can your lungs hurt: the most common symptoms of pulmonary diseases

Can your lungs hurt? Lung tissue itself does not have pain receptors. This means that with the development of local pathological changes, the feeling of pain does not occur.

But many can say that they definitely felt the feeling of pain in the chest. The bottom line is that the chest cavity is lined by the pleura, which has two layers - visceral (covering organs, including the lungs) and parietal or parietal - lining the chest from the inside.

The visceral pleura, like the lungs, does not have pain receptors and cannot hurt. However, the parietal pleura has pain endings, and when it is drawn into the pathological process, pain occurs. Therefore, answering the question, “can your lungs hurt?” the answer is no, but with the caveat that pain can occur when the pleura is damaged.

Signs that you have a lung problem. Almost all pulmonary pathologies have fairly characteristic clinical manifestations. They include cough (dry and wet), shortness of breath, feeling of heaviness and chest pain, hemoptysis, etc. Often these symptoms are accompanied by nonspecific manifestations - increased body temperature, general weakness, drowsiness, decreased appetite.

In what cases should you immediately go to the doctor? Any pulmonary disease is a reason to visit a general practitioner or family doctor. Almost all diseases of the respiratory system tend to progress. This means that delaying consultation aggravates the patient’s condition and complicates the treatment process. But there are also signs that require immediate medical attention. First of all, this is the release of sputum streaked with blood.

In all cases, this is a symptom of serious disorders, and often the first manifestations of pulmonary hemorrhage. Severe shortness of breath is also an alarming sign, in which case you should immediately consult a doctor. Diseases such as bronchial asthma or COPD lead to a narrowing of the lumen of the bronchi and chronic hypoxia, which has a detrimental effect on the entire body. An acute attack of bronchial asthma is a life-threatening condition. To avoid it, you need to regularly take medications that only a doctor can correctly prescribe.

Lung diseases and their symptoms: clinical picture of the most common pathologies

All pulmonary diseases and their symptoms in the initial stages are very similar. All pathologies without exception are characterized by an increase in respiratory rate, an increase in heart rate and disturbances in the act of inhalation or exit.

A specific disease can be identified only by the results of a physical examination (palpation, percussion and auscultation) and data from laboratory tests (general blood and urine analysis, ECG) and instrumental research methods (radiography, computed tomography, bronchoscopy). Without additional research, an accurate diagnosis cannot be established. The main lung diseases and their symptoms are presented below.

Bronchitis is an inflammation of the walls of the bronchial tree with a narrowing of their lumen. Bronchitis can be acute and chronic. They arise or worsen, as a rule, during the cold season. The clinical picture includes general malaise, a dry cough, which turns into a wet cough, accompanied by light or yellowish sputum. With a background weakening of the immune system, body temperature may rise to a maximum of 38.5-39 degrees. Without appropriate treatment, bronchitis can develop into pneumonia.

Alveolitis- a disease characterized by massive inflammation of the alveoli and interstitium of the lungs. These lung diseases and their symptoms depend on the specific form - idiopathic, allergic or toxic. Symptoms common to all forms are progressive shortness of breath (more so during physical exertion), dry cough without sputum, cyanosis, general malaise, and possibly an increase in temperature to 38 degrees.

- inflammation of the lung tissue, most often of infectious origin. In this case, the alveoli are more involved in the pathological process, into which inflammatory exudate is released. Depending on the degree of damage, pneumonia can be focal, segmental, lobar, confluent and total. Depending on the degree of prevalence, these forms of lung disease and their symptoms also differ in severity and difficulty in treatment. The main symptoms are an increase in body temperature above 39 degrees, a severe cough with the release of a large amount of purulent sputum, and when the pleura is drawn into the process, pain in the chest is added. Breathing becomes short, rapid, and audible wheezing may occur.

Lung abscess- this is a limited area of purulent-destructive process in the tissues of the lungs. Develops when immunity decreases or as complications of other diseases. The most common pathogen is staphylococcus. An abscess can be acute or chronic. With acute development, there is a sharp increase in body temperature above 39.5 degrees, increased sweating, severe malaise, dry cough and chest pain. With a chronic abscess, chronic hypoxia with cyanosis and purulent sputum, which is released when coughing, comes first.

Emphysema is a pathology that is manifested by increased air content in the lung tissue and destruction of the alveoli. With it, normal gas exchange does not occur. Most often it develops against the background of chronic obstructive bronchitis and long-term smoking. Clinically, emphysema is manifested by severe shortness of breath, cyanosis, expansion of the chest and bulging of the intercostal spaces and supraclavicular fossa. The chest takes on a characteristic “Barrel” shape.

Pulmonary tuberculosis is an infectious disease caused by Mycobacterium tuberculosis or Koch's bacillus. It can have various forms: disseminated, miliary, infiltrative, limited, cirrhotic, cavernous, etc. This lung disease and its symptoms are not detected for a certain time, only occasionally an unrelated cough may occur. With prolonged development, the first to appear are nonspecific symptoms: general malaise, pallor, apathy, fever up to 37.5 degrees, increased sweating. Regional lymph nodes are very often enlarged. After some time, a cough occurs with the discharge of clear or yellowish sputum, and hemoptysis.

Lung cancer or bronchogenic carcinoma- a malignant neoplasm of lung tissue that develops from the epithelium of the bronchial walls. Depending on the location, it may be central or peripheral. Common manifestations are rapid weight loss, general malaise, low-grade fever. This lung disease and its symptoms do not appear immediately. Central cancer reaches the clinic much earlier than peripheral cancer.

The first manifestations are progressive shortness of breath, collapse of the lung, hypoxia. A cough immediately occurs, which is quickly followed by sputum streaked with blood. Pain often occurs as the process quickly affects the pleura. Peripheral cancer clinically manifests itself only in late stages and has similar symptoms, but less severe.