Lung Diseases mainly consist of asthma, bronchitis, accumulation of water in the chest, shortness of breath, hydatid cyst, pleurisy, tuberculosis, pneumonia.
What are the Symptoms and Treatment of Lung (Chest) Diseases?
Lung Diseases mainly consist of asthma, bronchitis, water collection in the chest, shortness of breath, hydatid cyst, pleurisy, tuberculosis, pneumonia. The most common lung diseases are asthma and COPD (Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease). Patients with lung diseases usually apply to the doctor with respiratory complaints.
Asthma, which is common among lung diseases; It is a condition in which the patient has difficulty in breathing as a result of the narrowing of the air pipes in the lungs. Some people are allergic to things like dust, hair, aspirin. Asthma attack, which can develop as a result of exposure to these substances to which they are sensitive, can sometimes appear as the first sign of asthma, which is a common lung disease. The first thing to do is to eliminate this emergency. The most common complaints in asthma;
• Shortness of breath
• Cough lasting longer than 3 weeks
• Whistling sound in the chest
• The feeling of congestion in the chest.
Shortness of breath in asthma attacks occurs and it may wake the patient from sleep, especially at night. The patient generally does not have shortness of breath between asthma attacks. In some of the patients, shortness of breath may become permanent. There are also forms of asthma with cough. Especially when there are cough that comes at night and wakes the patient from sleep, and cough that comes with exertion, the possibility of asthma should be considered.
Among the Lung Diseases, asthma often progresses in the form of attacks. In attacks, there is usually a factor that pulls the trigger, and in most patients, this is the allergen substance. In addition, asthma attacks are common following infections. In an asthma attack, the inflammation in the airways increases and narrows the airways. The secretion of sputum producing cells in the airways increases and sputum plugs form and block the airways. This is followed by the contraction of the muscle fibers around the airways, further increasing the existing narrowing.
Asthma, one of the lung diseases, is basically a genetic disease. Close People with a family history of asthma are more likely to develop asthma. Asthma cannot be completely cured, but a good cooperation of the doctor with the patient and their relatives can provide full control of the disease. What is meant by controlled asthma; having two or fewer symptoms per week, using two or less reliever medications per week, having good pulmonary function test results (PEF or FEV), not waking up at night or early in the morning, and not being restricted in exercise, work, or school.
Another common disease among Lung Diseases is COPD. COPD, known as "chronic bronchitis", "chronic bronchitis", is characterized by the restriction of airflow during breathing due to the narrowing of the airways in the lungs. Its most important feature is that it restricts the air entering and exiting the lungs to such an extent that it causes shortness of breath. As in other Lung Diseases, COPD presents with respiratory tract complaints. The most common complaints in the patient are:
• Cough
• sputum production
• Blood spitting
• Shortness of breath
• Decrease in the oxygen saturation of the blood
• Due to heart failure, in the feet swelling
• Chest congestion
• Wheezing
In order to be successful in the treatment of COPD, which is a common lung disease, it is necessary to quit smoking, not be in dusty and smoky environments, and to use drugs regularly. When smoking is stopped, the severity of damage to the bronchi and air sacs slows down. Medicines do not prevent the progression of the disease, they are used to reduce shortness of breath. Medicines are used with the help of different devices. Thus, since they reach the respiratory tract directly, their effects are very strong.
Oxygen therapy is applied in patients with severe lung diseases, including COPD, in cases of respiratory failure. Severe COPD patients must continuously use oxygen for at least 15 hours a day. For long-term oxygen therapy, small nightstand-sized devices called "oxygen concentrators" are used. This device itself produces oxygen from room air. Patients also need to take some additional precautions;
• Light exercise should be done. ir. Constant sitting weakens the muscles, increasing shortness of breath.
• You should not go out during cold and high air pollution hours.
• The habit of eating small amounts at frequent intervals should be gained.
• Food should consist of mostly juicy foods. Solid and heavy meals increase shortness of breath.
• Foods that may cause indigestion and gas complaints should be avoided.
• Plenty of fluids should be consumed.
• The complaints of patients who are overweight will increase so much. Weight control should be ensured.
• Influenza vaccination should be done every year in autumn. With the flu, the disease worsens, complaints become worse, and hospitalization is usually required.
In Lung Diseases, drugs that expand the bronchi (bronchodilator) are drugs that eliminate the narrowing due to muscle spasm in the bronchi, which are the air passages leading to the lungs. They widen the bronchi, allowing them to take in more oxygen. These drugs are used in asthma and COPD, which are common lung diseases. The effect of bronchodilators usually lasts for 3-12 hours. They give great relief within minutes to the person who has trouble breathing. These drugs can cause increased heart rate, palpitations, tremors, headaches, and blackouts as side effects.
Steroid therapy is the drug of choice for patients with asthma and COPD, which are also common lung diseases. Oral or intravenous steroids are life-saving in an asthma attack. Steroids given by inhalation are used in the maintenance treatment of patients. Inhaled steroids do not have the side effects of oral steroids. They act directly on the bronchial mucosa. Transmission to blood is very low. There are also some side effects, these are;
• Hoarseness: It is reversible. It goes away when the drug is discontinued.
• Oral candidiasis.
• Cough due to irritation.
To reduce the risk of side effects; After each inhalation with the device, the mouth should be gargled with water, the mouthwash should be spit out without swallowing. In this way, steroid fragments that can remain in the throat are removed from the body without being swallowed.
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