Disorders of Respiratory System: Causes, Symptoms, Treatments and Prevention

In this article, you will learn in detail about the Disorders of Respiratory System. Can you name the parts of the Human respiratory system? Can you tell its function? The human respiratory system is a system that includes organs like lungs that help us to breathe and stay alive. But what happens if this system gets diseased? What are the different disorders of this system? What are their causes and symptoms?

How can these be prevented? What are the tips to keep our respiratory system healthy? Have you ever heard of occupational respiratory problems like those of persons working in a stone crushing industry or other construction industries? Go through the article to learn about different disorders of the respiratory system. Continue reading to know more.

What is the Respiratory System?

The respiratory system is the system that helps us to respire and stay alive. It comprises respiratory organs and the respiratory tract. A pair of lungs come under the respiratory organ, while the respiratory tract refers to the tract through which air reaches the lungs. The respiratory tract comprises nostrils, nasal cavity, nasopharynx, larynx, trachea, bronchi, and bronchioles.

Fig: Human Respiratory System

Significance of Human Respiratory System

1. The human respiratory System helps in respiration, and respiration helps in the release of energy.
2. It also helps in the excretion of carbon dioxide, ammonia, water vapor, etc., from the blood during exhalation.
3. It helps in the maintenance of acid-base balance.
4. It helps in the maintenance of body temperature.

Some Common Disorders of Respiratory System

1. Emphysema

It is one of the respiratory disorders in which there occurs loss of elasticity of the bronchiole or alveolar sac due to inflation or abnormal distention. The walls of alveoli are damaged, resulting in the decrease of the surface area of the lungs. The alveolar sacs remain filled with air even after expiration, due to to which lung size increases.

Causes:
1. Cigarette smoking
2. Pollution
3. Chronic bronchitis

Symptoms:
1. Shortness of breath
2. Coughing
3. Weight loss
4. Fast heartbeat
5. Wheezing

Treatments:
1. This disease cannot be cured permanently, but its progression can be limited by proper treatment.
2. Bronchodilators are given to make breathing easier.
3. Antibiotics to combat infections.
4. Anti-inflammatory medication like corticosteroids.
5. Oxygen therapy
6. Surgery
7. Lung transplant

Prevention:
1. Avoid smoking.
2. Avoiding the polluted area.

Know About Human Respiratory System Here

2. Tuberculosis

It is caused by a bacteria called Mycobacterium tuberculosis. These bacteria usually attack or infect the lungs, but sometimes other parts of the body, too, like the spine or brain.

Causes:
1. Bacteria Mycobacterium tuberculosis
2. Contact with a contagious person
3. Spreads through air
4. Weak immune system

Symptoms:
1. A persistent cough that can last for more than 3 weeks
2. Coughing blood
3. Chest pain
4. Weight loss
5. Fever
6. Chills

Treatments:
1. Antibiotics for 6 to 9 months.

Prevention:
1. Wearing a surgical mask in public places.
2. Avoid going to crowded places.
3. Medications to infected people do not let them spread disease.
4. Vaccine

3. Laryngitis

As the name suggests, It is a disease that involves the voice box, larynx. This disease is characterized by inflammation of the voice box. This makes the sound hoarse. When the infected person speaks, a slow whispering or squeak sound comes.

Causes:
1. Viral infection
2. Cold
3. Flu
4. Bronchitis
5. Sometimes due to smoking, screaming, or loud cheering.

Symptoms:
1. Sore throat
2. Tickling feeling in throat
3. Hoarse sound
4. Low fever
5. Problem in speaking
6. Swollen glands
7. Dry cough

Treatment:
1. Speaking should be avoided for a few days.

Preventions:
1. Coffee and soda should be avoided.
2. Hydration is needed.
3. Smoking should be avoided.
4. Throat should not be cleared, and this can swell vocal cords.
5. Hands should be washed before eating to avoid infection.

4. Asthma

It is a chronic disease. There is inflammation in the inside walls of the airways due to the secretion of excess mucus, which may clog the bronchi and bronchioles, causing an allergic attack of breathlessness. Due to inflammation, bronchioles get narrowed, which restricts the air supply.

Causes:
1. Allergen
2. Pollution
3. Infection

Symptoms:
1. Coughing
2. Wheezing
3. Difficulty in breathing
4. Symptoms are worse at night

Treatments:
1. Inhaler
2. Antibiotic therapy
3. Some quick-relief drugs that relax the airways.

Preventions:
1. Avoiding exposure to foreign substances.
2. Smoking should be avoided.

5. Bronchitis

It is the inflammation of the bronchi, which causes excess production of mucus, leading to narrower airways.

Causes:
1. Infection due to microbes present in the air causes overgrowth of the sero-mucus gland and goblet cells or mucus cells lining the bronchi.
2. Over smoking
3. Exposure to pollutant
4. Weak immune system
5. Lung disease.

Symptoms:
1. Coughing brings up thick greenish-yellow sputum.
2. Chest congestion.

Treatments:
1. Antibiotics intake.
2. Bronchodilator drugs help to open the airways.
3. Rest and fluid intake for acute bronchitis.

Prevention:
1. Avoiding exposure to pollutant areas.
2. Avoiding smoking.

6. Pneumonia

It is an acute infection due to inflammation of the alveoli of the lung. There occurs accumulation of mucus in alveoli, due to which it is unable to carry enough air.

Causes:
1. Infection due to Streptococcus pneumoniae bacteria or some other bacteria or fungi or protozoa, viruses and mycoplasma.
2. Weak immune system

Symptoms:
1. Coughing
2. Fever
3. Sweating or chills
4. Chest pain
5. Fatigue
6. Nausea and vomiting

Treatments:
1. Antibiotics
2. Bronchodilator drugs

Preventions:
1. Vaccination
2. Avoid smoking
3. Washing hands regularly with soap.
4. Coughs and sneezes should be covered.
5. Rest
6. Healthy diet to strengthen the immune system.

7. Occupational Respiratory Disorders

These types of disorders are due to the occupation of the individual, like those of working in an environment where they are constantly exposed to harmful substances like dust, smoke, etc.
Examples of these types of disorders are:-
1. Silicosis
2. Asbestosis
3. Coal workers’ Pneumoconiosis
4. Farmers’ lung or allergic alveolitis

Causes:
1. Chronic exposure to dust of different kinds of industries like that of cement industry.

Symptoms:
1. Dry, scratchy throat
2. Runny nose
3. Cough
4. Sneezes
5. Chest pain
6. Shortness of breath

Treatment- Incurable

Prevention:
1. Masks should be worn at workplaces.
2. Regular health check-ups.
3. Brief holiday from duty at short intervals.

8. COPD

COPD is a Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease. It is characterized by lung inflammation which results in obstructed airways.

Causes:
1. Long term exposure of particulate matter
2. Cigarette smoke
3. Chronic bronchitis
4. Emphysema

Symptoms:
1. Difficulty in breathing
2. Cough
3. Mucus production
4. Wheezing
5. Lack of energy

Treatment:
1. Oxygen therapy
2. Surgery of lung
3. Lung transplantation
4. Lifestyle changes like quitting smoking
5. Inhaled bronchodilators
6. Corticosteroids
7. Antibiotics and antivirals

Prevention:
1. Smoking should be avoided.
2. Polluted areas should be avoided.
3. Regular exercise
4. Eat healthily
5. Vaccines

Ways to keep the Respiratory System Healthy

1. Regular exercise
2. Healthy diet
3. The habit of wearing a mask whenever out
4. Cleaning hands before putting it in nose or eyes
5. Avoid pollution
6. Quit smoking
7. Keeping home clean

Fig: Tips to keep Lungs Healthy

Summary

In this article, we discussed different disorders of the respiratory system. Some of the disorders that we discussed here are bronchitis, asthma, pneumonia, emphysema, etc. In bronchitis, there is inflammation of the bronchi. In asthma, there is an allergic attack of breathlessness. Pneumonia is characterized by the inflammation of the alveoli of the lung. In emphysema, there is inflation or abnormal distension of the bronchiole or alveolar sac, resulting in loss of their elasticity. Different disorders of the respiratory system involve different treatments. We can prevent some of these disorders by covering the nose with a mask, washing hands before putting them into the nose and eyes, avoiding the pollution area, doing respiratory exercises, etc.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q.1. What is the most common respiratory disease?
Ans: Common respiratory diseases are asthma, pneumonia, bronchitis, etc.

Q.2. What are some ways to keep the respiratory system healthy?
Ans: Ways to keep the respiratory system healthy:-
1. Stop smoking
2. Avoid the polluted area
3. Wear a mask
4. Regular exercise
5. Maintain a healthy diet

Q.3. What are examples of chronic respiratory diseases?
Ans: Examples of chronic respiratory diseases are asthma, COPD, occupational respiratory disorders, etc.

Q.4. How does asthma affect the lungs?
Ans: There is inflammation in the inside walls of the airways of the lungs due to the secretion of excess mucus, which may clog the bronchi and bronchioles, causing an allergic attack of breathlessness. Due to inflammation, bronchioles get narrowed, which restricts the air supply.

Q.5. What are examples of occupational diseases?
Ans: Some of the examples of occupational diseases are silicosis, asbestosis, etc.

Study About Mechanism Of Respiration Here

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