Every year, thousands of Americans succumb to treatable respiratory illnesses simply because the treatment came too late or they weren’t able to see their physicians sooner. Even symptoms as simple as coughing should be treated seriously as they may be signs of another, more serious illness.

1. Dr. Lisa Marie Cannon
Rampant respiratory illnesses and their symptoms
Every year, thousands of Americans succumb to treatable respiratory illnesses simply because the
treatment came too late or they weren’t able to see their physicians sooner. Even symptoms as simple as
coughing should be treated seriously as they may be signs of another, more serious illness.
Image source: acaai.org
First, lung diseases can either affect the trachea, which is where air passes through to reach the lungs, the
air sacs that are mostly lung tissues, the blood vessels, or the pleura, the thin lining surrounding the
chest wall. Here are a few of the major respiratory illnesses and their symptoms.

2. Image source: healthline.com
Asthma: Asthma occurs when the airways are persistently inflamed, causing spasms, wheezing, and
shortness of breath. It can be triggered by external factors like airborne substances or respiratory
infections.
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease: COPD is defined as the inability to exhale properly. Its
symptoms include wheezing, tightness in the chest, chronic coughing which contains mucus, and
shortness of breath.
Emphysema: Emphysema is when air is trapped inside the lungs when it’s damaged. Its symptoms
include frequent lung infections, reduced appetite and weight loss, sleeping problems, wheezing, large
quantities of mucus when coughing, as well as anxiety and depression.
Cystic Fibrosis: Another illness caused by frequent lung infections is cystic fibrosis. This illness causes
poor clearance of mucus from the bronchi, restricting airflow. Symptoms of cystic fibrosis include
constant cases of coughing, wheezing, and bouts of pneumonia or sinusitis, difficulty in breathing,
increased appetite but little weight gain, and bulky, smelly, greasy bowel movements.
Dr. Lisa M. Cannon (http://www.slideshare.net/lisamariecannon) is a New Jersey-based physician who
specializes in pulmonary disease, critical care, and sleep medicine. For more information about pulmonary
diseases and her practice, visit this blog (http://drlisamariecannon.blogspot.com/).