Disorder of the respiratory system

About the lungs and the respiratory system

Every person in the world realizes that breathing is vital for the well being of every person. Since it is done automatically, each person breathes in and out some 20,000 every day. An interesting fact is that by the time a person reaches the age of 70, he or she will breathe in and out some 600 million times. When breathing is considered, the respiratory system is essential part of the process. Nose, throat, voice box, windpipe and the lungs are all part of that system. The air comes through the nostrils and then it ends up in the nose. When the air is there, it is warmed and humidified. The hairs in the nose also play a part and their purpose is to filter dust and other particles from the nasal passageways. The other way the air comes into the body is through the mouth. At the end of both the mouth and the nose is the pharynx and it is a part of the digestive system. There are people who are not aware of that fact and do not know that both food and air go through it. However, the bottom of the pharynx is divided into two parts, one for food and the other for air.

Problems of the lungs and the respiratory system

There are a lot of diseases that can happen to the respiratory system. In addition to this, the lungs are quite prone to the pollution in the air and therefore suffer from various disorders. People should know that there are several problems of the respiratory system that occur quite often.

Asthma is one such problem. According to certain researches, there are at this moment more than 20 million people in the United States who suffer from asthma. Asthma is a common problem which makes the airways to tighten and narrow. One of the most common triggers of this disorder is cigarette smoke. In order to deal with this problem, people need to create an asthma management plan first.

Bronchiolitis is another problem of the respiratory system that occurs often. People need not mistake it for bronchitis, because bronchiolitis is a condition where the bronchioles are inflamed. It is the children and the infants who are mostly affected by it. A person who suffers from it will most likely experience wheezing and severe problems with breathing.

Apart from these two problems, people may also suffer from chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, common cold, cystic fibrosis, lung cancer, pneumonia, pulmonary hypertension and several respiratory diseases of newborns.