Lung Disease and Respiratory System
Diseases, pollutants and genetics can affect your respiratory health. The simple cold - which is caused by more than 200 different viruses - inflames the upper respiratory tract, resulting in a cough, runny nose and sneezing. A more severe cough combined with mucus is a sign of bronchitis, where the membranes lining the bronchial tubes become inflamed. The inflammatory lung disease asthma affects more than 20 million people, making airways constrict when exposed to irritants like dust, pet dander and cigarette smoke. Pneumonia, another inflammation of the lungs, can occur because of a bacterial or viral infection. People suffering from cystic fibrosis, an inherited lung disease, frequently battle bacterial infections and airways clogged with thick and sticky mucus.
Recently Answered
- Q Should I talk to my doctor about my brown lung disease symptoms?
-
It is important to talk to your doctor about any concerns you have about your health. If you have been having shortness of breath, wheezing, coughing or asthma-like symptoms, brown lung disease could be one of many causes. Exposure to dust from products... Full Answer
1 Answer
A
- Q How does brown lung disease affect the body?
-
Brown lung disease causes the airways to tighten and interrupts normal lung function. This condition will become progressive if exposure to cotton, hemp, or flax dust continues. Coughing, wheezing, shortness of breath and the other symptoms of this... Full Answer
1 Answer
A
- Q Can brown lung disease be life-threatening?
-
Yes, brown lung disease can be life-threatening, but very rarely. Between 1979 and 1999, less than 20 people per year died from brown lung disease. Several years recorded deaths in the single digits. Full Answer
1 Answer
A
- Q Can brown lung disease be prevented?
-
Yes. Any kind of extended exposure to cotton, hemp, or flax dust at processing plants greatly increases your risk. Therefore, avoiding jobs that require you to handle unprocessed cotton, hemp, and flax almost completely eliminates your risk. If you have... Full Answer
1 Answer
A
- Q Are there alternative treatments for brown lung disease?
-
No alternative treatments for brown lung disease are known. The symptoms of brown lung disease will often go away when you remove yourself from exposure to cotton, hemp, or flax dust. However, your doctor may also prescribe you a medication that opens up... Full Answer
1 Answer
A
- Q Does brown lung disease affect children differently than adults?
-
Children who are exposed to cotton, hemp, or flax dust for prolonged periods can also develop brown lung disease. Luckily, these asthma-like symptoms will often correct themselves when the dust is no longer present. It is important to control or... Full Answer
1 Answer
A
- Q What are the symptoms of brown lung disease?
-
The symptoms of brown lung disease, also know as byssinosis or cotton dust inhalation, may be coughing, wheezing, chest tightness, or shortness of breath. The symptoms are similar to those of a mild to severe asthma attack. Depending on how far along the... Full Answer
1 Answer
A
- Q What increases my risk for brown lung disease?
-
Any kind of extended exposure to cotton, hemp, or flax dust at processing plants greatly increases your risk. Avoiding jobs that require you to handle unprocessed cotton, hemp, and flax greatly decreases your risk. If you have such a job, controlling... Full Answer
1 Answer
A
- Q What do I need to know about caring for someone with brown lung disease?
-
You should know that their asthma-like symptoms could very likely be reversed or eliminated by choosing a new line of work. If your loved one is exposed to cotton, flax, or hemp dust on a regular basis then they are most likely to experience symptoms... Full Answer
1 Answer
A
- Q How do medications treat brown lung disease?
-
The symptoms of brown lung disease will often go away when you remove yourself from exposure to cotton, hemp, or flax dust. However, your doctor may also prescribe you a medication that opens up airways, depending on the severity of your symptoms.... Full Answer
1 Answer
A
