Love your lungs and breathe for life
Lung disease is a condition or disease in which the lung function is impaired. Without lungs, humans will not be able to breathe correctly. Our lungs open the doors to life as they provide us with oxygen and remove the carbon dioxide from our bodies.
Our lungs are constantly in contact with the outside air and the internal body environment which means they are susceptible to disease. In the USA alone COPD is the fourth leading cause of death. It has been predicted that by 2020 COPD will become the leading cause of death in the USA. Lung disease affects many people but it is also the number one killer in babies less than a year old.
With the cold weather upon us many of us try and keep indoors to stay warm and illness free. However the cold weather is a nightmare for anyone that suffers from respiratory illness such as chronic lung illness, COPD and asthma. The cold weather can be the cause of severe asthma attacks and can also aggravate existing lung conditions.
These problems can be avoided by keeping our lungs nice and healthy. Here is some useful advice to keep your lungs disease free:
If you are a smoker, get some help in quitting
If you don’t smoke then be grateful and don’t be tempted to start. Anyone who smokes a pipe, cigarette or cigar is inhaling more than 4,000 chemicals from the smoke.
Second hand smoke should be avoided
Smoking is harmless on its own, but breathing in second hand smoke is just as bad as smoking yourself.
Make sure you wash your hands to reduce the risk of infection
You may not know but around 80 percent of common respiratory illnesses such as common colds and flu are spread by our hands.
Get vaccinated regularly
Over recent years the flu vaccination has been recommended for anyone that wants it. It is also recommended you have the pneumonia vaccination if you are 65 or over. The pneumonia vaccination should also be given to those with chronic health conditions such as COPD.
Avoid anything that will trigger your lung disorder
People who suffer from asthma, COPD or emphysema should avoid anything that can trigger the illness. This can be anything that causes the chest to tighten, causes you to wheeze or suffer shortness of breath symptoms or coughing attacks.
Adhere to your diagnosis guidelines
If your diagnosis tells you that you have COPD, asthma or emphysema then it is important you understand how important breathing medication is and how often you need to take your medication.
Understand your symptoms and talk to your Doctor
It is very common for people to ignore symptoms such as shortness of breath, wheezing, constant coughing and chest tightness. If you experience any of these then speak to your Doctor immediately.
We only get one set of lungs so it is extremely important we know how to look after them. Following these tips can help us cope if we have respiratory conditions such as COPD and asthma. If you do suffer from COPD then your doctor can recommend COPD treatment advice which will help you with your condition as well as improve the quality of your life. This treatment may involve the use of a breathing trainer.
Processing your request, Please wait....
