Lung diseases are not what we think much about despite the fact that we are continuously breathing, taking around 16 breaths per minute. However, many things can affect our lung health, from allergies to cancers all these things can take a toll on our lung health.
Lung cancer
Lung diseases can be hard to live
with especially if you can’t diagnose them in a timely manner and lung cancer
is one such disease. This type of cancer originates in the lungs and can affect
the functioning of the lungs to a greater magnitude. Lung cancer is a common
lung health problem responsible for millions of cases worldwide.
Causes of
lung cancer
Some of the notable causes of lung
cancer are;
●
Smoking-
the primary and largest risk factor of lung cancer. Smoke from cigarettes contains
many toxic substances that are carcinogenic in nature. Other than cigarette
smoke, other tobacco-containing products can also increase your risk of lung
cancer.
●
Passive
smoking- if you don’t smoke cigarettes, you can still get exposed to cigarette
smoking as a result of passive smoking increasing your risk of lung cancer.
●
Occupational
exposure- there are several other chemical substances that you get exposed to
while working in different industries and occupations. This occupational
exposure to chemicals including asbestos, arsenic etc. can also increase your
risk of lung cancer.
●
Genetics-
your genetics can play a key role in determining your risk for lung cancer.
●
Radiation
therapy- people who have gone through radiation exposure previously are more
likely to develop lung cancer.
●
Radon gas
exposure- radon gas produced by the exposure of radon gas can also increase
your risk of lung cancer if your exposure exceeds the safe limit.
Symptoms of
lung cancer
The problem with lung cancer is
that many of its signs and symptoms can mimic cold and other respiratory
problems making it difficult to diagnose. I remember when a relative of mine
was suffering from lung cancer, he went to many top lungs doctors in Multan for the diagnosis.
Symptoms of the common symptoms of
lungs cancer are;
1-
Breathing trouble
People may experience breathing
difficulty from time to time along with shortness of breath. The diseases such
as the coronavirus have breathing difficulty as a major symptom. However,
prolonged breathing difficulty and constant shortness of breath could be an
indicator of an underlying health issue such as lung cancer.
2- Laboured
breathing
Another common symptom of lung
cancer could be laboured breathing. Laboured breathing is when it becomes
difficult to inhale and exhale the air. Laboured breathing is the warning sign
of lung cancer and needs to be immediately addressed if the condition persists
for a long time.
3- Chronic
cough
Cough is the natural response of
the body to spit out the troubling particles or mucous. Coughing clears your
pathways naturally and helps you to get rid of allergens and toxins. There are
many types of cough including wet and dry cough and a persistent cough could be
an indicator of a possible lung health trouble.
4- Blood
cough
While there are many different
types of cough and it usually occurs as a result of any respiratory tract
infection or disease. However, when there is a disease complication, people are
likely to experience a bloody cough such as in the case of tuberculosis. The
blood in the cough could come from the lungs or from the other parts of the
respiratory tract, indicating a lung health problem.
5- Mucous
production (chronic)
Mucous is a secretion of our body
that serves the purpose of lubricating your respiratory tract. Moreover, mucous
also acts as a filter that deters the entry of bacteria and other harmful
agents into your respiratory tract. The mucus production is regulated under
natural circumstances, however, an unregulated mucous production could signal a
lung health problem.
6- Chest
pain
Another common sign and symptom of
lung cancer is chest pain that is lasting for some time and becomes worse when
you breathe and cough.
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