It is baseless to expect the appearance of the symptoms of lung disease abruptly. Usually, it takes time and develops mildly. But the people often mislead it as the signs of improper activity and aging. Hence, they start to adjust or try out on new things in life or daily activities for eliminating the symptoms rather than seeking medical help.
When the conditions become life-threatening they rush to the doctor and it is already late! As ‘prevention is better than cure’ it is beneficial to have an idea of the signs and symptoms of lung disease. So, you can visit the doctor to seek proper and effective treatment on time.
Here, in this blog we compile such common symptoms and the major lung diseases you can avoid. Read on to know them.
Various major lung diseases
Lung disease is the disorder affecting your lungs and make them deficit from enough oxygen. Some most common types of lung diseases are:
Asthma- This disease affects the airways and bronchial tubes which are responsible for carrying the air out and in from lungs. Asthma makes the airways swollen, inflamed and high sensitive. At that time the lungs can overreact to several irritants including chemical sprays, mould, air pollution and smoke.
COPD (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease)- It refers to 2 conditions at a time- emphysema and chronic bronchitis which make breathing quite difficult. The symptom worsens down periodically if you don’t seek treatment on time.
Lung cancer- This infection allows the unusual or malignant lung cells to develop and multiply uncontrollably. Such cancerous cells typically invade the nearby tissues spreading the infection to other body parts. 2 types of lung cancer are there: non-small cell and small cell. Mostly, lung cancer is non-small cell that spreads at slower rate than the small cell.
Symptoms you must look for
These are the symptoms you must look for as they indicate lung disease:
Breathlessness
Breathlessness is the primary sign of lung disease. However, most people relate it with unfit, aging and obesity. You may face it sometimes as this is the natural response of body when it needs more energy and oxygen for exerting physical effort in some activities. But, you have frequent sessions of breathlessness then you should take it into account. Consult with the doctor and find the reason behind your unexplained breathing shortness. There may be an infection in the lungs.
Persistent cough
Coughing is quite natural and most people have multiple episodes of cough which linger with time. But it has the ability to warn about certain lung diseases. Persistent cough will last for a couple of weeks and it will continue to annoy you. Not only it will affect your sleep at night but it will also make you completely exhausted.
A number of reasons are there for persistent cough. Yet, it mostly indicates lung diseases like lung cancer. Usually, cough differs from a person to another and it can be both productive or moist and dry. While having moist cough; make sure that the mucus is white or colourless. If it is blood-smeared, greenish or yellowish then rush to the doctor immediately.
In the meantime, note the features, type and duration of your cough. It will help the doctor to diagnose the conditions you have.
Weight loss
Drastic loss of weight is a serious matter and one should not neglect it. Sometimes, it can indicate major respiratory disease like COPD or lung cancer. Weight loss can happen because of loss of appetite, decreased mood, breathlessness, nausea and difficulty in swallowing. Doctor consultation is best if you lose a few kilos recently.
Fatigue
Fatigue is the most typical indication of lung disease. At several stages of life, we feel tired and it naturally subsides down after having good sleep at night. But if you have persistent bouts of fatigue then it is not going to mitigate with proper rest or sleep.
It affects the normal activity of the individual including memory loss and poor concentration. Even you will become more emotional than ever. When you have such feeling get checked up by the doctor as early as possible.
Wheezing
Wheezing refers to the high-pitched sound of whistle during breathing. Mostly, it is common during exhaling because of narrowed airways and inflammation. This symptom clearly indicates COPD and asthma but it often aggravates by other substances such as bacterial or viral respiratory infection.
You will experience this condition when there is restriction in airflow because of blockage or narrowing down of air passage connecting the lungs. So, you should visit the doctor for an early diagnosis.
Chest infections
Chest infection is lung infection. When there is any infection in tiny air sacs (alveoli) of lungs, it refers to pneumonia. If the infection is in largest airways or bronchi then it develops bronchitis.
With this condition, the aiways swell up and secrete more pus or mucus to block the passage making breathing quite hard. Often viruses or bacteria lead to chest infections. Very rarely, fungus can cause chest infections.
Mucus production
Also known as phlegm or sputum, mucus secretes by the airways just to defense against irritants, allergens and infections in wind passage. Often it takes place because of chronic respiratory conditions like Bronchitis and COPD. Although, a little amount is considered as normal yet an increase in the amount of production is a matter of concern. In fact, you may need to visit the doctor as well.
Coughing up blood
In case you have frothy blood-smeared mucus (sputum or phlegm) then there is something definitely wrong with the upper respiratory tract or lungs. Blood which comes out from respiratory tract or lungs are bubbly due to content of mucus and air. Irrespective from where the blood appears, it is a major health problem and you must discuss about it with the doctor.
Chronic chest pain
Chronic chest pain associates to several conditions. It can lead to any cardiac condition along heart attack. Sometimes, it also indicates lung disease. You must address chest pain if it is persistent for about a month or worsens down during exhaling and inhaling.
When to visit a doctor?
You should visit the doctor or a cardiologist when you:
- Experience breathing shortness
- Feel pain during breathing
- Get a fever
- Are coughing a lot with mucus (yellow or green in colour)
- Cough and there is blood in mucus
- Seek treatment but it won’t help
What you need to do?
At the time of appointment, the doctor will ask about symptom history. This will help the doctor to assess the problem easily and conclude the diagnosis. So, since you start getting any symptoms notice whether they have changed or modified with time.
Accordingly the doctor will carry out physical examination by listening to the chest using a stethoscope. You need to put on comfortable and loose clothing for doctor’s appointment. Depending on the symptoms, doctor will determine if you need further testing.
Book a lung function test now if you experience any unusual symptoms and want to have a diagnosis.
