Lung Disease

Lung disease is a general term for health conditions that affect your airways (tubes leading into your lungs) or tissue that makes up your lungs. Common lung diseases include asthma and COPD (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease). Cardiovascular diseases that affect your lungs — like pulmonary hypertension and pulmonary embolism — are also sometimes considered lung diseases.

Most lung diseases are long-term (chronic). You may be born with one (like cystic fibrosis) or you might develop one later in life (like COPD). A few lung diseases, like infections, are short-term and can be cured.

Types of lung disease

Examples of lung diseases include:

• Asthma, a condition that causes inflammation and narrows your airways
• Bronchiectasis, a condition where your airways widen and form pouches
• COPD (including emphysema), airway damage that makes it hard to breathe
• Cystic fibrosis, a pancreatic disease that affects your lungs
• Infections, like pneumonia and tuberculosis
• Pulmonary fibrosis and other types of interstitial lung disease, conditions that damage your lung tissue and can get worse over time
• Lung cancers, like non-small cell lung cancer, small cell lung cancer and mesothelioma
• Lymphangioleiomyomatosis (LAM), a disease that causes cysts in your lungs

Symptoms of lung disease

Symptoms of lung diseases can include:

• Cough
• Shortness of breath (dyspnea)
• Wheezing or whistling noises from your chest
• Tiredness (fatigue)
• Chest pain
• Coughing up blood
• Frequent respiratory infections
• Clubbed fingers
• Bluish or grayish skin, lips or nails (cyanosis)

Symptoms might come on quickly or get worse over time. Most symptoms of lung disease are caused by narrowing of or blockages in your airways or air sacs (alveoli).

Lung disease causes

Some causes of lung disease include:

• Smoking
• Germs, like viruses, bacteria and fungi
• Connective tissue and inflammatory diseases, like rheumatoid arthritis (RA), lupus, scleroderma and sarcoidosis
• Inhaling harmful substances, like asbestos and radon
• Allergic reactions to something you inhale (hypersensitivity pneumonitis)
• Certain medications or treatments
• Genetic changes — either that you’re born with or that you acquire as you get older

Complications of lung disease

Swelling and blockages of your respiratory tract from lung diseases can lead to life-threatening complications. These include:

• Collapsed lung (pneumothorax)
• Fluid around your lungs (pleural effusion)
• High levels of carbon dioxide in your blood (hypercapnia)
• Low levels of oxygen in your blood (hypoxemia) or tissues (hypoxia)
• Pneumonia
• Pulmonary hypertension
• Respiratory failure
• Right-sided heart failure (cor pulmonale)

How doctors diagnose lung disease

Depending on your symptoms and health history, your provider might use some of these tests to diagnose lung disease:

• Pulmonary function tests: Providers can use spirometry and other tests to see how well your lungs are working.
• Pulse oximetry: This test uses a device on your finger to measure oxygen levels in your blood.
• Imaging tests: Chest X-rays and CT scans can look for lung changes and damage.
• Blood tests: Blood tests can check your overall health. Your provider might also order special types of blood tests, like an arterial blood gas test or genetic testing.
• Bronchoscopy: Your provider can use this procedure to look inside your airways and take tissue and fluid samples for biopsy.
• Electrocardiogram (ECG or EKG): This test checks heart function and rules out heart disease as the cause of your symptoms.
• Exercise testing: Your provider uses this to determine if the oxygen level in your blood drops when you exercise.
• Biopsy: Your provider might test a small amount of tissue to diagnose certain lung diseases, like cancer or pulmonary fibrosis.

Treatments for lung disease

Treatment depends on what type of lung disease you have. Some options could include:

• Corticosteroids: Drugs like prednisone can help reduce inflammation in your airways.
• Inhaled medications: Bronchodilators and inhaled steroids can reduce inflammation and open your airways.
• Oxygen therapy: Your provider will prescribe extra oxygen if you don’t have enough getting to your blood or tissues.
• Smoking cessation programs: If you smoke, quitting can sometimes slow down the progression of some lung diseases.
• Anti-fibrotic and cytotoxic drugs: Medications that can slow down lung scarring caused by certain types of lung disease.
• Biologic drugs: Medications like rituximab are sometimes used to treat autoimmune diseases and other causes of lung disease.
• Clinical trials: Clinical trials are tests of new treatments to see if they’re safe and effective. Your provider might recommend one if a new treatment could be a good fit.
• Positive airway pressure: Your provider might have you use a BiPAP machine to help you breathe.
• Pulmonary rehabilitation: An exercise and education program can strengthen your lungs and help you manage certain lung diseases.

When should I see my healthcare provider?

Talk to your provider if you have symptoms like shortness of breath or a nagging cough, especially if it’s gotten worse over time. Early detection and treatment reduce your risk of complications and help you feel better sooner. Go to the emergency room if you have severe symptoms, like chest pain or difficulty breathing.

Can you prevent lung disease?

There aren’t many ways to directly prevent lung disease. But you might be able to reduce your risk by taking steps to protect your lung health:

• Don’t smoke or vape. Smoking causes or makes worse many lung and airway diseases. Vaping liquids often have many of the same ingredients as cigarettes.
• Avoid pollutants that can damage your airways. Wear a mask, ventilate the area and take other precautions if you must be exposed to fumes, dust, allergens or other inhaled substances during your job or hobbies.
• Prevent infections. Washing your hands often and getting vaccinated against respiratory illnesses can help prevent you from getting infections in your lungs.
• Manage ongoing health conditions. Talk to your provider about how to prevent lung damage if you have a condition that puts you at risk.