What Are the Top 10 Lung Diseases?

Symptoms of lung disease vary depending on the condition and may include:

• Cough
  • Cough with phlegm
  • Dry cough
  • Coughing up blood
  • Chronic cough
• Difficulty breathing
• Shortness of breath
• Wheezing 
• Chest tightness/soreness
• Sharp chest pain that is worse when you take a breath
• Difficulty inhaling deeply
• Excess phlegm, mucus, or sputum production
• Frequent bronchitis or other lung infections
• Fever
• Weakness
• Fatigue
• Weight loss
• Loss of appetite
• Cold or flu symptoms
  • Stuffy nose
  • Sore throat
  • Headache
• Body aches
• Swollen lymph nodes

The cause of lung disease varies depending on the condition. 

• Asthma
  • It is unknown how a person gets asthma, but it’s usually caused by an immune system response to a substance in the lungs
  • People with asthma often have triggers for symptoms 
• Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)
  • Smoking tobacco (the main cause)
  • Inhaling secondhand smoke
  • Exposure to air pollutants in the home and workplace
  • A history of respiratory infections 
  • Genetic factors, such as alpha-1 deficiency
• Bronchiectasis
  • Primary bacterial or viral infections
  • Bronchial obstruction
  • Foreign body aspiration
  • Cystic fibrosis or Young syndrome
  • Primary ciliary dyskinesia
  • Allergic bronchopulmonary aspergillosis (ABPA)
  • Immunodeficiency states, both genetic and acquired, such as HIV/AIDS
  • Congenital anatomic defects 
  • Connective-tissue disorders
  • Alpha1-antitrypsin (AAT) deficiency
  • Autoimmune diseases 
  • Idiopathic inflammatory disorders
  • Autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease (ADPKD)
  • Traction from other processes
  • Toxic gas exposure 
• Bronchitis
  • Acute bronchitis: caused by viruses such as the common cold, influenza, or whooping cough; sometimes caused by bacteria
  • Chronic bronchitis: caused by smoking or breathing in toxic fumes or gases
• Pulmonary fibrosis
  • Certain medications
  • Radiation
  • Exposure to triggers
  • Autoimmune problems
  • Workplace exposures
• Sarcoidosis
  • It is unknown how a person gets sarcoidosis; may be a genetic component, or bacteria, viruses, or chemicals may trigger the disease
• Lung cancer
  • Smoking (main cause of all types of lung cancer) 
  • Secondhand smoke exposure
  • Workplace exposure to asbestos, diesel exhaust, or other chemicals 
  • Air pollution
  • Exposure to radon
  • Genetic changes
• Pneumonia
  • Bacteria
  • Viruses
  • Fungi
• Pulmonary edema
  • Congestive heart failure 
  • Certain medicines
  • High altitude exposure
  • Kidney failure
  • Narrowed arteries that bring blood to the kidneys
  • Lung damage caused by poisonous gas or severe infection
  • Major injury 
• Influenza
  • Influenza virus

A variety of tests may be ordered to diagnose you with a lung condition such as asthma, COPD, bronchitis, lung cancer, and others. These tests may include one or more of the following:

• Pulmonary function tests
  • Spirometry    
  • Peak expiratory flow (PEF)    
  • Bronchoprovocation tests    
  • Fractional exhaled nitric oxide (FeNO) tests    
  • Provocation (Trigger) Tests
• Allergy skin or blood tests, in patients who have a history of allergies
• Chest X-ray
• Arterial blood gas test to measure oxygen levels in the blood
• Bronchoscopy
• Lung tissue biopsy via bronchoscopy 
• Sputum culture
• Blood tests 
  • Immunoglobulin levels
  • Alpha1-antitrypsin (AAT) levels
  • Aspergillus precipitins 
  • Total IgE levels
  • Vitamin D levels
• Autoimmune screening tests
• Computed tomography (CT) scan of the chest
• Positron emission tomography (PET) scan
• Electrocardiogram (ECG or EKG) of the heart

Treatment for lung disease varies depending on the condition. 

• Asthma
  • Quick-relief medications bronchodilators 
  • Long-term asthma control medications 
  • Biologics
  • Oral corticosteroids
  • Immunotherapy, useful when asthma is triggered by an allergy
• Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)
  • Quitting smoking
  • Avoiding secondhand tobacco smoke
  • Avoiding air pollutants at home and at work
  • Pulmonary rehabilitation
  • Medications to treat symptoms 
  • Supplemental oxygen
• Bronchiectasis
  • Antibiotics 
  • Bronchodilators
  • Corticosteroids
  • Chest physiotherapy 
  • Pulmonary rehabilitation
  • Dietary supplementation
  • Oxygen (reserved for hypoxemic patients with severe disease)
  • Hospitalization for severe exacerbations
  • Surgical therapies
• Bronchitis
  • Acute bronchitis
    • Home remedies
      • Rest
      • Drinking plenty of liquids
      • Sucking on lozenges, cough drops, or hard candy
      • Over-the-counter (OTC) cough and cold medicines and pain-relievers
      • Inhaling warm, moist air
      • Don’t smoke and avoid secondhand smoke
  • Chronic bronchitis 
    • Prescription inhalers or steroids
    • Oxygen 
    • Pulmonary rehab 
• Pulmonary fibrosis
  • Supplemental oxygen 
  • Pulmonary rehabilitation 
  • Medications
  • Lung transplantation 
• Sarcoidosis
  • Mild cases may not need treatment
  • Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) 
  • Corticosteroids 
  • Other medications
  • Rehabilitation programs
  • Oxygen therapy and/or lung transplantation in severe cases
• Lung cancer
  • Surgery 
  • Photodynamic therapy (PDT)
  • Laser therapy
  • Radiation therapy
  • Radiofrequency ablation (RFA) 
  • Lymph node removal
  • Chemotherapy 
  • Targeted therapy
  • Immunotherapy 
  • Participation in clinical trials
• Pneumonia
  • Antibiotics, if the cause is bacterial
  • Antivirals, if the cause is viral
  • Home treatment such as:
    • Getting a lot of rest
    • Drinking plenty of fluids 
    • Fever reducers 
    • Inhaling steam
    • Don’t smoke and avoid secondhand smoke or any other lung irritants
• Pulmonary edema
  • Oxygen 
  • Ventilator
  • Medications such as diuretics and other medicines that strengthen the heart muscle, control the heartbeat, or relieve pressure on the heart
• Influenza
  • Home remedies
  • Antiviral medications