What is Healthy Lung Month?
October is Healthy Lung Month, where numerous organizations have come together to educate the public about the importance of protecting our lungs from general mistreatment, bronchitis, mold, air pollution, and smoking. This month, MDPro is celebrating spirometry and how advancements in technology have become beneficial to the medical field.
What is Respiratory Therapy?
Respiratory therapy is a treatment method for patients suffering from respiratory or lung diseases. Specialists provide diagnostic and therapeutic services while working closely with a doctor to monitor or diagnose a condition. By using their knowledge of respiratory conditions, advanced equipment, and skills, a respiratory therapist can help treat patients.
What is Spirometry?
A spirometer is a device used to test how well your lungs are functioning. It does this by measuring the volume and velocity of air entering and leaving the lungs. By using Spirometry experts are able to diagnose asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, and other respiratory conditions. Experts can also use a spirometer to regularly monitor the condition of the lungs and check whether certain treatments help improve breathing.
What are the benefits of Spirometry?
Spirometry can be beneficial in the following ways:
- Ruling out many lung diseases
- Assessing the effect of current medications and whether or not they need to be adjusted
- Assessing the progress of the disease treatment
- Checking lung function before someone goes through a surgery
- Measuring if chemicals in the work environment are affecting the lung function
- Finding the cause of shortness of breath and other lung-related conditions, diseases, and issues
What conditions benefit from Spirometry?
Asthma is a condition in which your airways narrow and swell and may produce extra mucus.
Emphysema is a lung condition that causes shortness of breath. In people with emphysema, the air sacs in the lungs (alveoli) are damaged.
Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a chronic inflammatory lung disease that causes obstructed airflow from the lungs.
Chronic bronchitis is inflammation (swelling) and irritation of the bronchial tubes. These tubes are the airways that carry air to and from the air sacs in your lungs.
Cystic fibrosis (CF) is an inherited disorder that causes severe damage to the lungs, digestive system, and other organs in the body.
Lung cancer is a type of cancer that begins in the lungs and generally occurs in people who smoke.
Pneumonia is an infection that inflames the air sacs in one or both lungs. The air sacs may fill with fluid or pus (purulent material), causing cough with phlegm or pus, fever, chills, and difficulty breathing.
Pulmonary fibrosis is a lung disease that occurs when lung tissue becomes damaged and scarred.
Respiratory therapy devices like spirometers are beyond important when it comes to lung health, diagnosis, and treatment. With the advancement of medical technology, experts can now help provide better care for our lungs so that our lungs can take care of us better.
Farwell, Richard. “Spirometer: 7 Benefits of Respiratory Therapy Devices.” Depisteo, Depisteo, 17 Apr. 2019, depisteo.com/blog/respiratory-therapy-devices/.
“HEALTHY LUNG MONTH – October 2020.” National Today, 2020, nationaltoday.com/healthy-lung-month/.
“Spirometry.” Mayo Clinic, Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research, 17 Aug. 2017, www.mayoclinic.org/tests-procedures/spirometry/about/pac-20385201.
