Lung Disease Symptoms and Treatment

The lungs (lungs) are the vital organs responsible for breathing. They are the organs that get oxygen and release carbon dioxide through the inhalation and exhalation of air. There are four types of lung-related diseases: pneumonia, tuberculosis, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, and lung cancer.

The causes of these lung diseases are smoking, soot, fine dust, bacteria and viruses. Based on 'Web MD' and the Korea Health Care Association's data, we will look at four lung disease symptoms and how to deal with them.

1. Pneumonia

Mild inflammation is easy to treat, but complications are serious enough to lead to death. Pneumonia is inflammation of the lungs caused by infections caused by microorganisms such as bacteria, viruses, and fungi. Coughing, sputum and dyspnea are typical symptoms.

With pneumonia, inflammation of the lungs can develop extensively and progress to the pleura (chest membrane) surrounding the lungs, which can cause severe pain. To prevent pneumonia, you need to be vaccinated against the flu or pneumococcus, and you need to hygienically control your indoor air and surroundings.

2. Tuberculosis

When TB patients cough or sneeze, they are directly infected by spattering drops, but not all of them get TB. Usually about 30% of contacts are known to be infected.

The most common early symptoms of tuberculosis are frequent coughing, sputum, fever, and bloody phlegm. Loss of appetite and indigestion may also accompany breathing difficulties.

In order to prevent TB germs, it is best to thoroughly sanitize and quit smoking. To prevent it, you need to get BCG shots. Getting vaccinated reduces the incidence to one-fifth than it would otherwise.

3. Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease

The lungs are made up of bronchus and alveoli (lungareopuri). When problems occur, such as asthma, chronic bronchitis, emphysema, and so on. Of these, chronic bronchitis and emphysema, unlike asthma, is characterized by always out of breath, cough, sputum in everyday life.

This is called chronic obstructive disease. The main cause is lung damage from smoking. The mortality rate from complications is very high and can be more dangerous than cancer. Older people who quit smoking and have a high risk of complications should get an influenza or pneumococcal vaccine.

4. Lung Cancer

The most important cause is smoking and exposure to pollutants such as asbestos. Tobacco contains about 4,000 chemicals and more than 1 million unknown substances, of which 69 are known to be carcinogenic. The most obvious lung cancer prevention method known to date is to avoid smoking and pollutants.