Diseases & Conditions, Health

Respiratory Health

Kristen Dee
Jessica Van Mason, MD
Sumit Patel, MD
Ethan Rutledge, DO
September 19, 2024

Caring for Your Lungs

As our oxygen processing system, lungs and the overall respiratory system are critical to health and wellness. The respiratory system’s role is to move fresh air into our body while also removing waste gases. In addition, it regulates the air’s temperature and moisture levels, protects our body from harmful substances, and supports our sense of smell. Read on to learn more about how the respiratory system works, common illnesses, and how to keep your respiratory system healthy as you age, with guidance from local experts.

How the Respiratory System Works

The lungs are the most critical part of the respiratory system as the main organs. The respiratory system is also made up of airways including the mouth, nose, larynx, trachea, diaphragm, and bronchial tubes. The nose and mouth moisten and warm the air we inhale, and the air then fills the lungs’ air sacs, the alveoli, which are made up of tiny blood vessels called capillaries. These capillaries are connected to arteries and parts of the circulatory system that move blood around the body. As oxygen enters, carbon dioxide is exhaled in a process called gas exchange.

If you’ve ever noticed that you don’t have to think about breathing, you have your autonomic nervous system to thank. The autonomic nervous system monitors your body’s oxygen needs and listens for signals from your airways, joints, muscles, and the brain. Sensors in the airways detect irritants to your lungs (this causes coughing and sneezing), sensors in the brain detect carbon dioxide and oxygen levels, and sensors in your joints and muscles detect your movement, which may play a role in an increased breathing rate during physical activity.

These systems all work together to ensure you are breathing at the proper rate and have enough oxygen to survive.

Common Respiratory Illnesses

Despite trying to keep our respiratory systems healthy, conditions such as asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), as well as lung cancer, can impact respiratory health.

Asthma is inflammation and muscle tightening around the airways, which makes it harder to breathe. Symptoms can vary in severity from person to person. Common symptoms include a persistent cough that may worsen at night, wheezing, shortness of breath or difficulty breathing, and chest tightness. These symptoms may get worse at night, during sickness, when the weather changes, or if you come into contact with a trigger such as dust, fumes, pollen, or strong scents. Symptoms are often treated with an inhaler, which delivers medication directly to the lungs.

COPD, sometimes called emphysema or chronic bronchitis, is a lung disease that causes restricted airflow and breathing issues. Symptoms include a chronic cough, difficulty breathing, wheezing, and tiredness. These symptoms typically develop mid-life or later. Similar to asthma, COPD is often treated with an inhaler to prevent or reduce symptoms. If a respiratory infection develops, it will be treated with antibiotics or steroids.

B – Blood when you cough or spit
R – Recurring respiratory infections
E – Enduring cough that is new or different
A – Ache or pain in shoulder, back, or chest
T – Trouble breathing
H – Hoarseness or wheezing
E – Exhaustion, weakness, or loss of appetite

“Asthma and COPD treatments aim to control symptoms and improve quality of life,” says Dr. Jessica Van Mason of Chattanooga Allergy Clinic. “For asthma, inhaled corticosteroids are important because they reduce airway inflammation. Quick-relief inhalers, like albuterol, provide fast symptom relief. For long-term control, long-acting bronchodilators, or medicines that help open the airways, are often used in combination with corticosteroids. Other treatments include leukotriene modifiers and, for severe cases, biologics or injections that target the immune system. COPD treatment mainly uses long-acting bronchodilators. Inhaled corticosteroids are added for those with frequent exacerbations, an allergic phenotype, or asthma overlap. COPD care also includes pulmonary rehabilitation to strengthen breathing muscles, oxygen therapy for advanced stages, and quitting smoking to slow disease progression.”

Dr. Van Mason also notes that prevention is important. “Avoiding triggers and getting vaccines to prevent respiratory infections are important for both conditions. Personalized treatment plans and regular monitoring with your doctor can help ensure the best management,” she says.

In addition to asthma and COPD, lung cancer affects respiratory health and is currently the leading cause of cancer deaths worldwide. Smoking is the highest risk factor for developing lung cancer, followed by exposure to radon gas. Exposure to secondhand smoke, asbestos, radiation, and other factors also increase risk, along with genetics.

When looking for symptoms of lung cancer, remember the acronym B.R.E.A.T.H.E.

According to Dr. Ethan Rutledge at Blue Ridge Pulmonology, patients should have a conversation with their doctor to see if a lung cancer screening is the right option for them. “Until 2011, there was not good data to support lung cancer screenings. However, since the National Lung Screening Trial demonstrated 20% mortality reduction with annual LDCT chest compared to chest X-rays, low dose CT chest for high risk patients is now recommended,” he says. “Currently, the recommendation is to screen those between ages of 50-80 who either currently smoke or have quit within the last 15 years and have smoked the equivalent of 20 pack-years (1 pack/day for 20 years or more) with an annual low-dose CT chest.”

Dr. Rutledge adds, “Patients should discuss the risks, including possible false positives which may require invasive procedures or biopsies, along with benefits of screening with their doctor prior to screening. Lung cancers caught at an earlier stage are more treatable and have better survival rates.”

Keeping Your Respiratory System Healthy

There are ways to keep the respiratory system healthy as you age, as well as signs that indicate something may be wrong. You likely have healthy lungs if your breathing is natural and not forced or labored and you do not notice your own breathing. If you experience shortness of breath, persistent cough, chest pain, or any of the symptoms associated with B.R.E.A.T.H.E., these may be warning signs that something is wrong and you should visit the doctor.

“To maintain healthy respiratory systems as we age, we need to keep our lungs in top shape,” says Dr. Sumit Patel, a pulmonologist at CHI Memorial Lung Care Associates. “This would include physical activity such as regular aerobic exercise, like walking, jogging, or swimming. This improves lung capacity and function. Additionally, we should try our best to avoid, or at least minimize, exposure to smoking, vaping, and pollutants and allergens.

A diet high in antioxidants can fight inflammation and oxidative stress in the lungs. Stay up to date with vaccinations and practice good hygiene. Regular checkups with your primary care doctor are essential to catch early signs of respiratory issues and ensure timely management. For those with a history of smoking (active or past), it is important to ask your primary care doctor about annual lung cancer screenings to ensure adequate screening and early detections of potentially problematic lung lesions.”