Lung Medical Reference

For some illnesses that affect your lungs, you might be able to get all the care you need from your regular doctor. But if your cough, shortness of breath, or other symptoms don't improve, you might need see a pulmonologist. Find out what diseases they can diagnose and treat.

Find out more about the symptoms, causes, and treatments for atelectasis, a condition that can lead to a collapsed lung.

Find out about the different types of humidifiers, how to use them safely, and how to clean and store them.

Learn what to expect if your doctor tells you that you have one of the four main types of cystic lung disease, a condition that causes cysts to grow in your lungs.

If you find yourself wheezing or have a cough you can't seem to shake, you could have a lung disease that's related to the type of work you do. Learn the early warning signs so you can get the treatment you need, and find out ways to prevent the disease from taking hold.

A lung abscess is a pus-filled cavity in the lung that is caused by an infection. Learn what causes it, how to spot symptoms, and how doctors treat it.

If you need oxygen therapy, you have several options to choose from. Find out which ones may be right for you.

If you have a breathing condition such as COPD or asthma, it can be hard to eat. Here are easy ways to make mealtimes easier and more enjoyable so you get the nutrition you need.

Learn what you can do to prevent pneumonia and keep yourself and your family healthy.

Bronchiectasis can literally take your breath away and put a big ding in your quality of life. But with proper care and treatment, you can manage this chronic disease.

Here are a few lung tests your doctor can do to figure out what’s behind your breathing trouble.

When you get pneumonia -- whether it was caused by a bacteria, virus, or fungus -- there's a chance it could lead to other medical troubles. Find out what kinds of complications pneumonia can lead to and the types of treatment you may need.

Most people get silicosis from a workplace where they inhale large amounts of silica dust. Learn more about the causes, risk factors, symptoms, treatments, and how to prevent this lung disease.

Learn about the causes, symptoms, and treatment of a lung disease that can be triggered by breathing in particles in dust such as fungus, molds, bacteria, proteins, and chemicals.

Home remedies can ease bronchitis symptoms. Here are the ones most likely to bring relief and help you get better faster.

Black lung disease is a job-related illness caused by inhaling coal dust over a long period of time. The condition mainly affects coal miners and is also known as coal workers’ pneumoconiosis (CWP).

An endobronchial ultrasound can help diagnose lung cancer, infections, and inflammation. Learn what to expect if your doctor recommends this procedure.

Learn about the symptoms for bacterial, viral, and fungal pneumonia, and find out what you need to do get better.

Childhood interstitial lung disease (chILD) is a rare disorder that affects babies, children, and teens. Get an overview of what it is and its causes, diagnosis, and treatment.

Both emphysema and chronic bronchitis can cause breathing problems, so it can be hard to tell them apart. Learn the key differences between the two.

Even when you're managing your COPD well, you could still end up in the hospital with a bad exacerbation. You can't change the severity of your disease, but you can take steps to lower your odds in other ways.

Respiratory failure is a serious problem that can be mean your body's not getting the oxygen it needs. Learn the types, causes, symptoms, and treatments of acute and chronic respiratory failure.

If you don’t feel well, how you’re breathing can sometimes help your doctor figure out what’s going on. Find out more about the different types of breathing patterns and respiration rates like dyspnea, bradypnea, tachypnea, and Kussmaul breathing.

Do you know the sounds your lungs can make and what they might mean? Find out more about wheezing, crackling, stridor, and more.

This simple gadget helps you exercise your lungs so you can breathe deeply if you’ve had surgery or have a medical condition.