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HomeKnowledge CenterWellness LibraryLungs and Airways
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:
Chest X-Ray
Coughs, Age 12 and Older
Pneumonia
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD)
Tuberculosis
Bronchitis: Should I Take Antibiotics?
Croup: Managing a Croup Attack
Health Topics
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)
Barking Coughs in Children
Belly-Breathing (Diaphragmatic Breathing)
Black Lung Disease
Breathing Smoke or Fumes
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 Prevention in Small Children
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)
Comforting a Child Who Has a Respiratory Illness
Committing to Quitting: Your Quit-Tobacco Plan
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: Prevention for People With Weakened Immune Systems
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 Vaccine Myths
Flu: Signs of Bacterial Infection
Forced Expiratory Volume and Forced Vital Capacity
Fractured Rib
Fran's Story: Finding Support When You Have COPD
Guidelines for Lung Cancer Screening
Hantavirus Pulmonary Syndrome (HPS)
Heart Failure: Avoiding Colds and Flu
Heart Failure: Tips for Easier Breathing
Heimlich Maneuver for Adults and Children Older Than 1 Year
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 Habits and Rituals
Smoking to Relieve Tension or Improve Mood
Smoking Triggers
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: Assisted Cough
Spinal Cord Injury: Breathing Practice
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 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
Medical Tests
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
Make a Wise Decision
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?
Take Action
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
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: October 6, 2021
Author: Healthwise Staff
Medical Review:Adam Husney MD - Family Medicine & Martin J. Gabica MD - Family Medicine
This information does not replace the advice of a doctor. Healthwise, Incorporated, disclaims any warranty or liability for your use of this information. Your use of this information means that you agree to the Terms of Use. Learn how we develop our content.
To learn more about Healthwise, visit Healthwise.org.
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