Video - Respiratory system: Lung conditions

The lungs are vital organs that play a central role in the body's respiratory system. They are responsible for taking in oxygen and expelling carbon dioxide. However, many lung conditions can affect their function and cause symptoms such as shortness of breath, chest pain, coughing, and wheezing.

Common lung conditions include cystic fibrosis, asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), and cancer. Cystic fibrosis is caused by a genetic defect that results in the overproduction of thick mucus in the respiratory tract. Its symptoms include difficulty breathing, wheezing, and a productive cough. Treatment involves proper hydration, chest physiotherapy, exercise, medications to open up the airway and fight off infections, and sometimes, lung transplants. Asthma is reversible episodes of bronchoconstriction in response to allergies or environmental triggers, causing difficulty breathing, wheezing, cough, and chest pain. Asthma attacks are treated with bronchodilators, and long-term management involves inhaled or oral medications.

Emphysema and chronic bronchitis are chronic obstructive pulmonary diseases that interfere with gas exchange. In emphysema, the damage involves the alveoli, while chronic bronchitis involves the bronchi. Both are caused by long-term exposure to inhaled toxins, like tobacco smoke. Treatment can involve medications, supplemental oxygen, and smoking cessation. Cancers of the respiratory tract may produce respiratory symptoms, like shortness of breath or productive cough, as well as systemic symptoms, like fatigue or unintended weight loss. Treatments vary among the types of cancers, but they all may involve medications, radiation therapy, or surgery.