Pulmonary tuberculosis (TB) is a bacterial infection of the lungs caused by the organism Mycobacterium tuberculosis. TB is an airborne disease, meaning it spreads from person to person through tiny droplets in the air. Although tuberculosis is most often found in the lungs, it can develop in other parts of the body, as well. It’s […]
View ArticleAccording to the American Cancer Society, lung cancer, by far, is the leading cause of cancer deaths among men and women, alike. In fact, every year, more people die of lung cancer than from colon, breast and prostate cancers combined.[1] Because lung cancer is so prevalent, lung cancer screening was developed to detect lung cancer […]
View ArticleBronchioloalveolar carcinoma (BAC) is a term which, as of July 2016, is no longer in use, but was once used to describe a certain subtype of lung adenocarcinoma (cancer that starts in the glandular cells of the lungs). Because some oncologists (cancer doctors) still use the term, this article will focus on the history and […]
View ArticleDyspnea – the medical term for shortness of breath – can be either acute, occurring suddenly, or chronic, persisting over a long period of time. It is an extremely common symptom, occurring in 1 out of every 4 people who visit their doctor’s office. Despite its commonality, the quality of dyspnea seems to vary from […]
View ArticleLung adenocarcinoma is a type of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) that occurs when abnormal lung cells chaotically multiply to form a tumor. Untreated, these tumor cells can metastasize (spread) to other parts of the body including the lymph nodes around and in-between the lungs, the liver, brain, bones and adrenal glands.[1] Lung Adenocarcinoma vs […]
View ArticleSupplemental oxygen therapy can be delivered in three ways: via oxygen concentrator, compressed oxygen gas or liquid oxygen. Many oxygen concentrators contain an oxygen sensor, while oxygen tanks work by using an oxygen regulator. The difference between these two is explained in the following text. Oxygen Concentrators The least expensive and most effective way to […]
View ArticleChest fluoroscopy is a type of imaging test that uses a fluoroscope (a special type of X-ray machine), which allows your health care provider to see live images of the inside of your body. It’s a kind of X-ray movie, but uses more radiation that your standard chest X-ray so your health care provider will […]
View ArticleGenentech’s Esbriet (pirfenidone) was approved by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in 2014 to treat idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF), a fatal disease characterized by progressive scarring (fibrosis) of lung tissue. This is great news for people with IPF, as prior to the development of Esbriet and nintedanib (Ofev), another new drug approved to treat […]
View ArticleOzone (O3) therapy is a type of alternative medicine that claims to increase the amount of oxygen in the body through the introduction of ozone. Although O3 has many damaging effects, some researchers believe it has many therapeutic effects, as well. So why isn’t ozone therapy more widely utilized? Is it because we frequently equate […]
View ArticleCentral sleep apnea (CSA) is a type of sleep disorder that causes your breathing to repeatedly stop and start during sleep. It’s associated with significant complications, including frequent nighttime awakenings, excessive daytime sleepiness and an increased risk of problems associated with the heart and circulatory system.[1] Causes of CSA Breathing is controlled by the autonomic […]
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