Lungs and Airways
Learn about your lungs and airways
Healthy lungs allow you to breathe easily, without discomfort or pain. They supply oxygen to your bloodstream to keep the rest of your body healthy. When your lungs are healthy, you're more likely to be able to do the activities you love and have a good quality of life.
But some people have problems with their lungs from smoking, disease, or infection. When your lungs are unhealthy, your entire body and activity level can suffer. It's important to know how to deal with certain lung conditions so you can stay active and do the things you enjoy.
Our topics can help you learn more about lung and airway conditions and treatments. To start, explore these lung and airway topics:
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Chest X-Ray -
Coughs, Age 12 and Older -
Pneumonia -
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) -
Tuberculosis -
Bronchitis: Should I Take Antibiotics?
7 Reasons You May Need a COVID-19 Viral Test Acute Bronchitis Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome (ARDS) Allergy Shots for Asthma Alpha-1 Antitrypsin Deficiency Genetic Testing Altitude Sickness Anthrax Antibody Test for COVID-19 Asbestos and Lung Cancer Assess Your Tobacco Use Assessing Your Asthma Knowledge Asthma Action Plan Asthma Action Plan: Red Zone Asthma Action Plan: Yellow Zone Asthma and GERD Asthma and Vocal Cord Problems Asthma and Wheezing Asthma Attack Asthma Diary Asthma Diary Template Asthma During Pregnancy Asthma in Children Asthma in Children: Knowing How Bad an Attack Is Asthma in Older Adults: Managing Treatment Asthma in Teens and Adults Asthma Treatment Goals Asthma Triggers Asthma Zones Asthma: Controlling Cockroaches Asthma: Educating Yourself and Your Child Asthma: How to Overcome Treatment Obstacles Asthma: Overcoming Obstacles to Taking Medicines Asthma: Overuse of Quick-Relief Medicines Asthma: Peak Expiratory Flow and Personal Best Asthma: Symptoms of Difficulty Breathing Asthma: Ways to Take Inhaled Medicines Asthma's Impact on Your Child's Life Automated Ambulatory Blood Pressure Monitoring Avian Influenza (Bird Flu) Avoiding Smoking Triggers Barking Coughs in Children Belly-Breathing (Diaphragmatic Breathing) Black Lung Disease Breathing Smoke or Fumes Broken Rib Bronchiectasis Bronchiolitis Bullectomy for COPD Cal's Story: Learning to Exercise When You Have COPD Carbon Monoxide Poisoning Causes of Hyperventilation Chest Problems Child Safety: Air Pollution Choking Rescue for Babies Choking Rescue Procedure: Heimlich Maneuver Chronic Illness: Help for Caregivers Chronic Lung Disease in Infants Classification of Asthma Colds Collapsed Lung (Pneumothorax) Committing to Quitting: Your Quit-Tobacco Plan Common Questions About the Flu Vaccine Comparing Nicotine Replacement Methods Comparing Stop-Smoking Medicines Conserving Energy When You Have COPD or Other Chronic Conditions Continuous Positive Airway Pressure (CPAP) Therapy for Obstructive Sleep Apnea COPD (Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease) COPD Action Plan COPD and Alpha-1 Antitrypsin (AAT) Deficiency COPD and Sex COPD Flare-Ups COPD: Handling a Flare-Up COPD: Lung Volume Reduction Surgery COPD's Effect on the Lungs Coping With Cravings When You're Quitting Tobacco Coronavirus (COVID-19) Coronavirus (COVID-19) Symptom Checker Cough Symptoms in Children Coughs, Age 11 and Younger Coughs, Age 12 and Older COVID-19 or Flu? How to Tell COVID-19: Advice if You're Planning a Pregnancy, Pregnant, Recently Pregnant, or Breastfeeding COVID-19: Caring for Someone Who Is Sick COVID-19: People Who Are at High Risk for Serious Illness COVID-19: Pushing Back Against Stigma Croup Cystic Fibrosis Cystic Fibrosis Carrier Screening Deciding to Get the COVID-19 Vaccine Difference Between the Flu and a Cold Dry Coughs Enterovirus D68 (EV-D68) Environmental Illness Exercise-Induced Asthma Flu Complications Flu: Signs of Bacterial Infection Forced Expiratory Volume and Forced Vital Capacity Fran's Story: Finding Support When You Have COPD Guidelines for Lung Cancer Screening Hantavirus Cardiopulmonary Syndrome (HCPS) Heart Failure: Avoiding Colds and Flu Heart Failure: Tips for Easier Breathing Heimlich Maneuver for Adults and Children Older Than 1 Year Hiccups Hospital-Acquired Pneumonia (Nosocomial Pneumonia) How Asthma Develops in Children Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy for Carbon Monoxide Poisoning Hyperventilation Influenza (Seasonal Flu) Inhaled Corticosteroids for Asthma Inhaled Quick-Relief Medicines for Asthma Interactive Tool: Are You Ready to Quit Smoking? Interactive Tool: How Does Smoking Affect Your Lifespan? Interactive Tool: How Much Is Smoking Costing You? Legionnaires' Disease and Pontiac Fever Linda's Story: Quitting Smoking Lowers My Risk Living With More Than One Health Problem Long COVID Lung Cancer Lung Cancer and Other Lung Problems From Smoking Lung Function in COPD Lung Surgery for Lung Cancer Lung Transplant for Cystic Fibrosis Making It Easier to Wear a Mask to Help Prevent Infections Making Positive Changes in Your Life After Quitting Smoking Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus Aureus (MRSA) Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS) Monitoring Asthma Treatment Monitoring During Anesthesia Monoclonal Antibody Treatment for COVID-19 Mpox Multisystem Inflammatory Syndrome in Children (MIS-C) My Asthma Action Plan My Reasons to Quit Smoking Nancy's Story: Quitting Smoking Takes More Than Willpower Nate's Story: Sick of Smoking Near-Drowning Ned's Story: Quitting Smoking Object Stuck in a Child's Airway Object Stuck in the Throat Occupational Asthma Omalizumab for Asthma Oral Breathing Devices for Sleep Apnea and Snoring Oral Breathing Devices for Snoring Organ Transplant Oxygen Therapy Oxygen Treatment for Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) Physical Therapy Pleural Effusion Pleurisy Pneumococcal Conjugate Vaccine: What You Need to Know Pneumocystis Pneumonia and AIDS Pneumonia Pressure Injuries From Scuba Diving Preventing Choking Productive Coughs Pulmonary (Lung) Nodules Pulmonary Embolism Pulmonary Fibrosis Pulmonary Hypertension Pulmonary Rehabilitation Quick Tips: 10 Things to Do if You Have COVID-19 Quick Tips: 9 Things to Do if You've Been Exposed to COVID-19 Quick Tips: What to Do When You Crave Nicotine Quit-Smoking Programs Quitting Smoking Quitting Smoking and Avoiding Smoke During Pregnancy Quitting Smoking Journal Quitting Smoking: How Family and Friends Can Help Quitting Smoking: How Support Groups Can Help Quitting Smoking: Temptations and Cravings Quitting Smoking: Your Social Life Radon Recommitting to Staying Tobacco-Free Relieving a Cough Respiratory Problems, Age 11 and Younger Respiratory Problems, Age 12 and Older Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV) Infection Risks of Smoking Cigars and Pipes Sarah's Story: Dealing With the Emotions From COPD Sarcoidosis Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) Sleep Apnea Sleep Apnea: Fiber-Optic Pharyngoscopy Smallpox Smoking and Coronary Artery Disease Smoking Fewer Cigarettes Smoking to Relieve Tension or Improve Mood Smoking: Choosing a Good Time to Quit Smoking: Health Risk for Family Members Smoking: Problems With Pregnancy Snoring and Obstructive Sleep Apnea Spinal Cord Injury: Abdominal Thrust Assist (Assisted Cough) Spinal Cord Injury: Breathing Practice Spinal Cord Injury: Costophrenic Assist (Assisted Cough) Spinal Cord Injury: Self-Assisted Cough Stages of Sleep Apnea Steroid Medicine for Asthma: Myths and Facts Steroid-Induced Osteoporosis Swallowed or Inhaled Objects Tests for Lung Infections Tips for Reducing Indoor Pollutants in Your Home Tobacco Use Disorder Tobacco Use in Teens Tonsillectomy and Adenoidectomy for Obstructive Sleep Apnea and Snoring Tracheostomy for Obstructive Sleep Apnea Track Your Tobacco Use Traveling With Oxygen Tuberculosis (TB) Tuberculosis (TB) Screening Types of Chest Injuries Understanding Virtual Care (Telemedicine) Using a Pulse Oximeter Using Vaporizers and Humidifiers Uvulopalatopharyngoplasty for Obstructive Sleep Apnea Uvulopalatopharyngoplasty for Snoring Vaccine to Prevent COVID-19 Vaccines to Prevent the Flu Valley Fever Whooping Cough (Pertussis) Younger-Looking and Healthier Body After Quitting Smoking
Angiogram Angiogram of the Lung Arterial Blood Gases (ABG) Test Bronchoscopy Carbon Dioxide (CO2) Test Carbon Monoxide (CO) Test Challenge Tests for Asthma Chest X-Ray Cold Agglutinins Test Computed Tomography (CT) Scan of the Body Home Lung Function Test Lactic Acid Dehydrogenase (LDH) Test Lung Biopsy Lung Cancer Screening: Low-Dose Spiral CT Scan Lung Function Tests Lung Scan Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) Mediastinoscopy Nicotine Tests Rapid Sputum Tests for Tuberculosis (TB) Sleep Studies Sputum Culture Sputum Cytology Thoracentesis Tuberculin Skin Test Viral Test for COVID-19
Advance Care Planning: Should I Receive CPR and Life Support? Allergies: Should I Take Allergy Shots? Allergies: Should I Take Shots for Insect Sting Allergies? Bronchitis: Should I Take Antibiotics? Flu Vaccines: Should I Get a Flu Vaccine? Lung Cancer: Should I Have Screening? Quitting Smoking: Should I Use Medicine? Sleep Apnea: Should I Have a Sleep Study? Sleep Apnea: Should I Have Surgery?
Allergies: Avoiding Indoor Triggers Allergies: Avoiding Outdoor Triggers Asthma: Identifying Your Triggers Asthma: Measuring Peak Flow Asthma: Taking Charge of Your Asthma Asthma: Using an Asthma Action Plan Breathing Exercises: Using a Manual Incentive Spirometer Breathing Problems: Helping a Child Use a Metered-Dose Inhaler and Mask Spacer Breathing Problems: Using a Dry Powder Inhaler Breathing Problems: Using a Metered-Dose Inhaler COPD: Avoiding Weight Loss COPD: Avoiding Your Triggers COPD: Clearing Your Lungs COPD: Keeping Your Diet Healthy COPD: Using Exercise to Feel Better Croup: Managing a Croup Attack Cystic Fibrosis: Helping Your Child Cough Up Mucus Lung Problems: Learning to Breathe Easier Oxygen Therapy: Using Oxygen at Home Preventing Choking in Small Children Quitting Smoking: Coping With Cravings and Withdrawal Quitting Smoking: Dealing With Weight Gain Quitting Smoking: Getting Support Quitting Smoking: Helping Someone Quit Quitting Smoking: Preventing Slips or Relapses
Current as of: November 14, 2022
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