Lesson 3: Issues Related to the Respiratory System

What are the 4 respiratory reflexes?

1. Coughing

2. Sneezing

3. Hiccupping

4. Yawning

What is Coughing and why do we do it?

• A face-moving wave of air due to a huge contraction of the abdominal muscles

• Carries up lumps of mucus 

• Throat clearing is the same but controlled 

• Your body is trying to protect you from things

What is the purpose of sneezing?

• Clearing small irritations from the upper respiratory system 

• Allergies (dander gets inside your nose and you start to sneeze)

• Your body is trying to protect you from things 

What is hiccupping?

• Involuntary and rapid inspiration due to a fast contraction of the diaphragm followed by a rapid closure of the glottis by the epiglottis 

• Sound comes from the epiglottis snapping shut 

• Your diaphragm loses control, contracting whenever it wants (not listening to your brain) and starts to (muscle) spasm.

How do you cure hiccupping?

To cure: hold your breath long enough for your respiratory system and diaphragm to reset. Take deep breaths while forcibly thinking in and out.

What is yawning?

• Several theories - no conclusive explanation 

• Possibly a response to a build-up of CO2 due to slow shallow breathing 

• Literally a large breath of air

• You yawn more when you are tired because your body is trying to force more in and force the CO2 out. And the circulatory system with push more stuff through. 

What is Pneumonia?

• A disease that causes inflammation of the sacs in one or both lungs; it is usually caused by a viral infection or a bacterial infection 

• When the Alveoli fill with thick fluid it makes gas exchange difficult 

• Symptoms include cough, fever, shaking chills, and shortness of breath, ranging from mild to severe. 

• It is caused by having another issue in the respiratory tract (not an initial disease). 

What are the 2 types of pneumonia and what do they affect?

• Lobular pneumonia: affects the lobe of the lung  

• Bronchial pneumonia: affects patches throughout both lungs

What is Asthma?

• A lung disease that causes chronic inflammation of the lungs and overproduction of mucus in the lungs

• Airways are inflamed due to irritation, and bronchioles constrict due to muscle spasms. 

• The inflammation narrows the air passages of the bronchi and bronchioles, thus reducing airflow.

• Asthma symptoms can include dry cough, wheezing, chest tightness, shortness of breath, and ultimately difficulty in breathing

• Asthma can’t be cured but its symptoms can be controlled with a hand-held inhaler

What is Tuberculosis?

• Tuberculosis (TB) is a serious illness that mainly affects the lungs

• The germs that cause tuberculosis are a type of bacteria that causes cavities in the lungs which can lead to tissue death.

• TB can spread when a person with the illness coughs, sneezes or sings. This can put tiny droplets of germs into the air. A person can then breathe in the droplets and the germs enter the lungs.

• Can spread quickly when large crowds

• Antibiotics can treat TB

• Symptoms include low fever, tiredness, cough, and chest pain.

What is Emphysema?

• A chronic respiratory disease that affects the ability of the lungs to expel air and the walls of the alveoli lose their elasticity

• Alveoli burst and fuse into enlarged air spaces. The surface area for gas exchange is reduced. 

• Serious respiratory disease and is another form of COPD with the most common cause being smoking 

• Those who suffer from this have trouble exhaling air from their lungs 

• It is a long-term lung condition that causes shortness of breath, over time, the condition damages the thin walls of the air sacs in the lungs called the alveoli. In healthy lungs, these sacs stretch and fill with air when you breathe in. The elastic sacs are damaged in emphysema, making it hard for air to move out of your lungs. 

What are Asbestos-Related Diseases?

• Asbestosis is a chronic lung disease caused by inhaling asbestos fibres. Prolonged exposure to these fibres can cause lung tissue scarring and shortness of breathe

• Asbestosis symptoms can range from mild to severe and usually don’t appear until many years after initial exposure

• Asbestos can cause Lung cancer