More commonly known as the flu, influenza is a respiratory illness that can be caused by different types of influenza viruses. It should not be confused with the “stomach flu,” which causes abdominal pain, vomiting, and diarrhea.
Cystic fibrosis is a genetic disease – and it’s one that can lead to a lifetime of health woes. This disease causes a buildup of mucus in the lungs, pancreas, and digestive system, along with other organs.
COPD is the name for a group of diseases that affect the airflow into our lungs. It encompasses a variety of diseases, but the three most common sub-groups are chronic bronchitis, emphysema, and refractory asthma. All of these diseases are different, but have a lot of things in common, including the fact that they will all continue to get worse over time and are incurable. There are things that you can do to mitigate the damage from COPD, but you cannot reverse damage once it has occurred. If you or someone you love has recently been diagnosed with COPD, you probably have a lot of questions. Here are some facts your doctor may not have told you.
Do you know what chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is? Are you aware of how it can affect the body, causing persistent breathing problems? Fortunately, if you start a search online, you can learn all about COPD. If you have questions about COPD, you aren’t alone. This life-altering respiratory disease can carry complications and many […]
Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is an inflammatory lung disease, which is characterized by increasing shortness of breath. COPD affects an estimated 32 million Americans, which makes it the third leading cause of death in this country.
When a cancer moves from its place of origin to a new location in the body, it’s known as metastatic cancer. For a patient or family whose loved one has just received this diagnosis, it can be devastating and hard to understand. At the most basic level, cancer develops when cells grow in an uncontrolled, abnormal way. They don’t function like normal cells. Rather, they interfere with the normal functioning of the body. Cancer develops as a result of a mutation in a person’s DNA. Often, the mutation is a result of the normal process of aging, but it can also be due to unhealthy habits like smoking or exposure to harmful fumes or gases. A cancer typically metastasizes, or grows into a different location, in the later stages of the disease.