Write short notes on:
Respiratory diseases

Respiratory disorders:
Asthma:
1. It is a respiratory disease. It is a condition in which a person's air passage becomes inflamed, narrow, swells and produces more mucus, which makes difficult to breathe.
2. The disease is caused due to pollens, dust particles, cold or smoking etc. It causes difficulty in breathing, chest pain, coughing and wheezing. The best remedy to prevent asthma is to live away from allergens.
3. Asthma can be managed with rescue inhalers to treat symptoms that is, bronchodilators. Antibiotics are required to cure it.
Bronchitis:
1. This disease involves inflammation of the lining of bronchial tubes which carry air to and away from the lungs.
2. Symptoms include - swelling on the internal lining of bronchioles that causes constant coughing. Bronchitis may be acute or chronic.
3. It may also be due to chemicals in the smoke of tobacco.
Emphysema:
1. It is caused due to heavy smoking and air pollution.
2. Smoking causes continuous stimulation in the lungs which destroys the alveolar walls.
3. This results in increased air space but decreases in the respiratory surface in the lungs.
4. Lung elasticity is also reduced due to the increased amount of connective tissues. It causes difficulty in expiration.
5. Avoiding smoking, use of antibiotics and bronchial-dilators are helpful to get relief.
Pneumonia:
1. It is an infectious disease which is caused by the infection of Streptococcus pneumoniae bacteria.
2. The lung alveoli get filled with dead cells (WBC) and fluid because of infection.
3. The patient faces breathing problems.
4. It is more common during childhood and old age.
5. Antibiotics and bronchodilators are beneficial in curing.
Cancer of Lung:
1. Its main cause is smoking.
2. The chemicals present in the smoke of cigarettes are carcinogens.
3. The smoke may cause irregular cell divisions in bronchioles and slowly cause benign cancer.
Silicosis and Asbestosis:
1. These diseases are due to air pollution.
2. Mainly, they occur in persons who are working at mines and factories of silica and asbestos.
3. The particles of silica or asbestos enter into the lungs and cause fibrosis in the upper part of the lungs.
4. These diseases are not curable, hence prevention is better.