Lung Health Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

1. Is smoking bad for my health?

Smoking harms nearly every organ in your body, with tobacco damaging your blood vessels. The chemicals in cigarettes can cause headaches, gum disease, and even affect your reproductive system preventing pregnancy. 

2. How do I stop smoking?

Find a good reason to stop smoking. This will keep you motivated. Consider going to counseling for extra support.

3. How can I check my lung health?

You can complete lung function tests, also known as pulmonary function tests (PFTs). These are a collection of tests that test the function of your lungs to see if they are working properly. The main test is known as spirometry, which measures how much air a person breathes out and how fast.

4. What are lung cancer symptoms?

There can be many symptoms such as shortness of breath, coughing blood, chest pain, weight loss, and fatigue. Infections can occur in the form of bronchitis and pneumonia within the lungs.

5. What are common lung diseases?

Some common lung diseases include asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), lung cancer, pneumonia, and COVID-19. Not all of these can be cured, but they can be treated.

6. What is asthma?

Asthma is a lung disease that prevents air flow in and out of lungs. Your airways become more narrow, they swell, and produce extra mucus making it harder to breathe. Unfortunately, asthma is chronic but the symptoms can be treated.

7. What is COPD?

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a lung disease that obstructs breathing and gets worse over time. Typical symptoms include:

• Inflammation of bronchial tubes
• Difficult breathing
• Increase in sleepiness
• Loss of elasticity in the air sacs of lungs

COPD is a disease with no cure. It is vital to get diagnosed early and seek treatment or lifestyle changes. 

8. Can lung health be restored?

While most lung diseases cannot be cured, they can be treated. This can lead to restored lung health. If you are a smoker, you can restore your lung health a little bit if you stop smoking.

9. How is lung cancer treated?

Typical treatments for lung cancer can include:

• Surgery: Doctors remove the tumor and nearby lymph nodes during an operation.
• Chemotherapy: Drugs are used to kill cancer cells, either before or after surgery, or sometimes as the main treatment.
• Radiation Therapy: High-energy rays are directed at the cancer to kill the cells.
• Targeted Therapy: Specific drugs are used to target certain abnormalities in cancer cells.
• Immunotherapy: Drugs help the body's immune system fight cancer cells.
• Clinical Trials: New treatments or combinations of treatments are tested in trials.

The treatment chosen depends on the type and stage of lung cancer, the patient's health, and what they prefer. Patients should talk to their doctor or healthcare team to decide what's best for them.