Lungs do in some cases repair themselves if the lung damage is not too severe.
You can make your lungs super strong by exercising regularly, doing breathing exercises, using an air purifier in your home, maintaining a healthy diet and avoiding smoke including secondhand smoke.
Things that are good for lung repair are exercise, sipping hot tea such as green tea, using steam therapy, taking turmeric, doing breathing exercises, eating healthy, eating leafy greens and consuming olives and ginger.
Vitamins that help with lungs are Vitamin D and Vitamin C as well as magnesium, zinc, selenium and omega 3 which help promote lung health.
Lungs recover by self cleaning and self healing once they are no longer exposed to pollutants.
The lungs' large surface area exposes the organ to a continual risk of damage from pathogens, toxins or irritants; however, lung damage can be rapidly healed via regenerative processes that restore its structure and function.
Lung pain is felt on one or even both sides of your chest.
The pain is not technically coming from inside your lungs but instead the pain is mostly coming from the lining of your lungs which has pain receptors.
The elderly tend to breathe heavy as a result of the shape of the rib cage changing which is caused by the bones thinning and changing shape as we age.
This then causes a reduction in the rib cage expansion potential.
Also as we age the respiratory muscles also known as the diaphragm can weaken and make it more difficult to keep the airway totally open.
A respiratory infection lasts on average of 7 to 11 days although some respiratory infections may go away within 3 to 5 days.
If the respiratory infection lasts longer than 2 weeks or gets worse you should seek medical attention or go to urgent care.
The 2 respiratory issues with aging are dyspnea and rhinitis as well as cough.
As we age the nasal passages become less cartilaginous which results in decreased patency.
The most common respiratory issue is asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease also known as COPD.
The most common treatment prescribed for respiratory diseases are medications which include.
Theophylline oral tablets.
Short-Acting Bronchodilator Inhalers (beta-agonist type).
Short-Acting Bronchodilator Inhaler (anti-cholinergic type).
Oral Corticosteroid Tablets.
Oral Anticoagulants.
Non-steroidal Inhalers.
Long-Acting Bronchodilators Inhaler (beta-agonist type).
The drugs that help you breathe better are Elixophyllin and Theobid which are brand names for a drug called Theophylline which is a bronchodilator that makes it easier to breathe.
The respiratory symptoms that are common in older patients are dyspnea, rhinitis and cough.
As we age the nasal passages become less cartilaginous that results in an overall decreased patency.
The three common respiratory infections are pneumonia, bronchitis and chest infections.
Bronchiolitis is also another common lung infection although it most commonly affects young children more than it does adults.
A lung virus can last from 7 days to 11 days and in some cases the lung virus may last a bit longer.
If the lung virus is not going away within 11 days to 14 days then you should see a doctor.
In some cases the lung virus may go away within 2 days to 3 days.
Lungs can repair themselves and heal themselves in most cases depending on how badly the lung is damaged or injured.
The lungs and respiratory system has a very good ability to regenerate lost or damaged cells and to respond to injury.
You can clean your lungs by drinking plenty of water, drinking green tea, eating anti inflammatory foods, use steam therapy and use an air purifier.
Also if you smoke you should quit smoking and avoid any secondhand smoke and other air pollutants.
You should also keep physically fit and active and avoid exposure as much as possible to outdoor air pollution and indoor air pollution.
You should worry about your lungs when you cough up blood, have shortness of breath, have trouble breathing or labored breathing.
If you have trouble breathing or labored breathing after no exercise or very little exercise or activity then you could have issues with your lungs.
Most lung infections can be cured and treated through antibiotics or even breathing medications depending on the cause of the lung infection.
Some lung infections go away on their own and some lung infections require treatment.
Things that can damage your lungs and lead to lung infections and Lung disease includes several things such as infections, bacteria, pollutants, cigarette smoke, breathing secondhand smoke, breathing in smoke from burning things, radon gas, asbestos as well as chemicals such as arsenic, vinyl chloride, beryllium and uranium.
Incurable lung disease is called pulmonary fibrosis which is a rare lung disease which causes scarring of the lungs that is irreversible.
The scarring of the lungs from pulmonary fibrosis can cause shortness of breath and persistent cough that progressively becomes worse over time.
The most serious lung disease is COPD which is the 3rd leading cause of death in people in the U.S.
Pulmonary Fibrosis is also another serious lung disease and lung cancer is even more serious of a disease of the lung which is also fatal.
The different types of lung disease are.
Asthma.
Collapse of part or all of the lung (pneumothorax or atelectasis)
Swelling and inflammation in the main passages (bronchial tubes) that carry air to the lungs (bronchitis)
COPD.
Lung cancer.
Lung infection (pneumonia)
Abnormal buildup of fluid in the lungs (pulmonary edema)
The signs of lung disease are.
Trouble breathing.
Shortness of breath.
Feeling like you're not getting enough air.
Decreased ability to exercise.
A cough that won't go away.
Coughing up blood or mucus.
Pain or discomfort when breathing in or out.
Shortness of breath, especially during physical activities.
Wheezing.
Chest tightness.
A chronic cough that may produce mucus (sputum) that may be clear, white, yellow or greenish.
Frequent respiratory infections.
Lack of energy.
Unintended weight loss (in later stages)
Swelling in ankles, feet or legs.
When death is near with lung cancer the person will often sweat and the skin will feel wet and clammy even though the persons skin is cool.
Other signs that death is near with lung cancer are the person stops eating and drinking as they will not feel thirsty or hungry and the persons breathing will also often change.
When you have stage 4 lung cancer you can expect things such as pain and fractures, when cancer has spread to the bone. headache, seizures, or dizziness, when cancer has spread to the brain. shortness of breath, when cancer has spread to the lung. jaundice or swelling in the belly, when cancer has spread to the liver.
The longest survival for stage 4 lung cancer is 6.8 years.
Approximately 16% of people with lung cancer survive more than 5 years after their initial diagnosis.
Various factors influence a person's life expectancy estimate following a diagnosis of lung cancer.
Chemo doesn't shorten your life and in some cases chemo can extend your life.
Sometimes chemo may get rid of certain cancers completely while other cancers may remain but be prevented from getting worse while on chemo.
Some people on chemo live for 3 to 12 months on chemo and for others they may live 2 to 4 years on chemo.
And in some cases the chemo may actually get rid of the cancer completely and the person can live a normal lifespan.
Cancer can still spread even while someone is on chemo.
While most chemo is successful at getting rid of cancer and keeping the cancer from spreading it's still possible for cancer to spread when on chemo.