If you notice any sudden difficulties in breathing or shortness of breath, talk to your doctor right away. This could be a sign of lung disease and not the normal process of aging. There are several natural body changes that happen as you get older that may cause a decline in lung capacity.
Muscles like the diaphragm can get weaker. Lung tissue that helps keep your airways open can lose elasticity, which means your airways can get a little smaller. Also your rib cage bones can change and get smaller which leaves less room for your lungs to expand. A decrease in lung function is a normal part of the aging process but there are steps you can take to stay as healthy as possible.
Staying active, avoiding tobacco smoke and stay up to date on vaccinations are just a few ways you can protect and even strengthen your lungs. Following all of these simple tips will help you continue to breathe well throughout your lifetime. Normally, these sacs are elastic or stretchy.
When you breathe in, each air sac fills up with air, like a small balloon. When you breathe out, the air sacs deflate, and the air goes out. In emphysema, the walls between many of the air sacs in the lungs are damaged.
This causes the air sacs to lose their shape and become floppy. The damage also can destroy the walls of the air sacs, leading to fewer and larger air sacs instead of many tiny ones. This makes it harder for your lungs to move oxygen in and carbon dioxide out of your body.
The cause of emphysema is usually long-term exposure to irritants that damage your lungs and the airways. In the United States, cigarette smoke is the main cause. Pipe, cigar, and other types of tobacco smoke can also cause emphysema, especially if you inhale them. Exposure to other inhaled irritants can contribute to emphysema. These include secondhand smoke , air pollution , and chemical fumes or dusts from the environment or workplace.
Rarely, a genetic condition called alpha-1 antitrypsin deficiency can play a role in causing emphysema. At first, you may have no symptoms or only mild symptoms. As the disease gets worse, your symptoms usually become more severe. They can include. Some people with emphysema get frequent respiratory infections such as colds and the flu. In severe cases, emphysema can cause weight loss, weakness in your lower muscles, and swelling in your ankles, feet, or legs.
There is no cure for emphysema. However, treatments can help with symptoms, slow the progress of the disease, and improve your ability to stay active. You can increase you lung capacity with regular exercise. If stretched out, the total surface area of lungs would be about the same size as half a tennis court. There are about million lung sacs alveoli in your lungs.
If you stretched all of them out, they would be about the size of four and a half wheelers parked next to each other. Your lungs are important for talking and singing. Above your trachea wind pipe is your larynx your voice box , which contains your vocal cords. Call your doctor today to discuss the symptoms and arrange for care. If you cannot reach your doctor or you don't have one, seek care today. If it is evening, watch the symptoms and seek care in the morning.
If the symptoms get worse, seek care sooner. Seek Care Now Based on your answers, you may need care right away. Call your doctor now to discuss the symptoms and arrange for care. If you cannot reach your doctor or you don't have one, seek care in the next hour. You do not need to call an ambulance unless: You cannot travel safely either by driving yourself or by having someone else drive you.
You are in an area where heavy traffic or other problems may slow you down. Respiratory Problems, Age 12 and Older. Respiratory Problems, Age 11 and Younger. Home Treatment Home treatment may help you control your breathing and stop hyperventilation.
Breathing techniques Breathe through pursed lips, as if you are whistling, or pinch one nostril and breathe through your nose. It is harder to hyperventilate when you breathe through your nose or pursed lips, because you can't move as much air. Slow your breathing to 1 breath every 5 seconds, or slow enough that symptoms gradually go away.
Try belly-breathing, which fills your lungs fully, slows your breathing rate, and helps you relax. Place one hand on your belly just below the ribs.
Place the other hand on your chest. You can do this while standing, but it may be more comfortable while you are lying on the floor with your knees bent. Take a deep breath through your nose. As you inhale, let your belly push your hand out. Keep your chest still. As you exhale through pursed lips, feel your hand go down.
Use the hand on your belly to help you push all the air out. Take your time exhaling. Repeat these steps 3 to 10 times. Take your time with each breath. Using a paper bag Use a paper bag to control your breathing. Take 6 to 12 easy, natural breaths, with a small paper bag held over your mouth and nose. Then remove the bag from your nose and mouth and take easy, natural breaths. Next, try belly-breathing diaphragmatic breathing.
Alternate these techniques until your hyperventilation stops. If hyperventilation continues for longer than 30 minutes, call your doctor immediately. Do not use a paper bag if: You have any heart or lung problems, such as coronary artery disease, asthma , chronic obstructive pulmonary disease COPD, emphysema , or a history of deep vein thrombosis , stroke , or pulmonary embolism.
Rapid breathing occurs at a high altitude [above ft m ]. Breathing faster than normal is a natural response to an increased altitude. Follow these precautions when using the bag method: Do not use a plastic bag.
Do not breathe continuously into a paper bag. Take 6 to 12 natural breaths, with a paper bag held over your mouth and nose, then remove the bag from your nose and mouth. Do not hold the bag for the person who is hyperventilating. Allow the person to hold the bag over his or her own mouth and nose. Symptoms to watch for during home treatment Call your doctor if any of the following occur during home treatment: Symptoms do not improve with home treatment measures.
Symptoms become more severe or frequent. Prevention You may be able to avoid hyperventilation: Breathe through your nose. It is harder to hyperventilate when your mouth is closed, because you can't move as much air through your nose.
Loosen your clothing. Tight belts and waistbands, girdles, bras, and skintight jeans can all restrict breathing and cause shallow, upper-chest breathing. Learn belly-breathing diaphragmatic breathing techniques, and practice them when you are not hyperventilating so that you can use the techniques when you need them.
People who hyperventilate usually take shallow breaths, filling only their upper chest when they inhale. Try different relaxation techniques and see what works best for you. For more information, see the topic Stress Management. Talk to friends, family members, or a counselor to help you relieve anxiety.
Keep a journal to help you focus on your problems and find workable solutions. Eat a healthy mix of foods. Watch out for caffeine: drink less coffee, tea, and soda, and do not eat as much chocolate. For more information, see the topic Healthy Eating. Regular aerobic exercise forces you to take full breaths and helps you to reduce anxiety that contributes to hyperventilation.
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