It is a type of disease affecting the lungs and the other parts of the respiratory system. Respiratory diseases comprise chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), asthma, lung fibrosis, pneumonia, and lung cancer and it is often referred to as lung failure and pulmonary disease. We have a Primary Care & Internal Medicine, Seabrook, TX and you can visit here for your checkup.
COPD
COPD or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease is a progressive disease that makes difficulty in breathing. Progressive means that the condition is getting worse over time. COPD can also be stopped. Cigarette smoking is the leading cause of COPD. Most of the people, who have COPD, smoke, or used to smoke. However, about 25% of the people who have never smoked have COPD. Long-term experience with other lung irritants such as air pollution, dust, or chemical fumes may also lead to COPD. According to research, in the United States, COPD is the fourth disease from the top which causes death and about 16 million people are diagnosed with this disease.
Causes
There are many causes which can lead to the chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Some of the causes are discussed below:
- Cigarette smoking is the major cause of COPD.
- Cigar, Pipe, and some other tobacco that is inhaled by the people are also the major causes.
Symptoms
In the beginning, COPD may have no symptoms but as the disease is getting worse over the time, the symptoms become more severe. Some symptoms include:
- Shortness of breath
- Chest tightness
- Swelling in legs and ankles
Asthma
Asthma is a disease described by repeated attacks of difficulty in breathing and wheezing that differ in intensity and frequency from person to person. In individuals, they can occur from hour to hour and from day today. Asthma affects all age groups but mostly begins in childhood. When the symptoms of asthma in any person get worse then the person’s airways swell, tighten and fill with mucus; and then the Asthma attack occurs.
You can get our services of Primary Care & Internal Medicine, Seabrook, TX in case of any emergency.
Causes
There are some causes which may lead to Asthma and we will mention the causes here:
- Common cold
- Air pollutants like smoke
- Cold air
- Exercise
- Stress or anxiety
Symptoms
In the childhood, symptoms of asthma start and this disease is most common in children. Symptoms of asthma include:
- Coughing
- Pain in chest
- Shortness in breathing
- Wheezing
When you should go to your doctor?
You should go to your doctor for checkup when you see some signs of asthma like:
- Fast breathing
- When the color of the face, lips, or nails of finger become light
- When you feel difficulty in walking and talking due to difficulty in breathing
Differences or links between Asthma and COPD
Asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) both are the diseases of lungs and in these diseases, airways become swell and there is difficulty in breathing. If a person has asthma, the swelling is often caused by something with which he/she is allergic, such as pollen or mold, or through exercise. COPD is the name assigned to the group of lung diseases including chronic bronchitis and emphysema.
