6 Warning Signs You May Have a Lung Disease

People often ignore health issues, attributing symptoms to growing older or being out of shape. It can be easy to ignore what seem like fairly harmless symptoms, not knowing that they’re telltale signs that you have a lung disease.

Chronic lung diseases respond best to treatment when they are caught early. The longer the disease has had to progress, the more difficult it’ll be to treat and the poorer the outcome will be for the patient. Based on information from the American Lung Association, we’ve listed six of the most common symptoms of many lung diseases. If you experience any of these, get them checked out.

Chronic Cough

If you’ve had a cough for more than a month then it’s medically considered a chronic cough. Nearly all lung diseases have a chronic cough as one of its main symptoms. It’s a warning sign that something is not right with your lungs.

Shortness of Breath

Most people (unless they are very fit) will get out of breath when doing any physical exercise or exerting themselves, but if you start to find you’re out of breath in situations that are strange for you, or doing things that are not physically demanding then you need to see your doctor.

Over-production of Mucus

Mucus is the body’s natural defense against infections and irritants in the airways. If you have the flu or a cold then producing a lot of sputum or mucus is common, but if you are regularly producing lots of mucus then there is a build up of the substance on your lungs, which could indicate a chronic lung disease.

Learn more about diseases associated with scleroderma, specifically pulmonary diseases including fibrosis.

Wheezing 

Wheezing or breathing noisily is a sign that something could be blocking the airways in the lungs or something’s making them too narrow.

Coughing Up Blood

Coughing up blood could be a sign of an infection of the upper respiratory system or the lungs. Either way, it’s a clear signal that something is wrong and should not be ignored.

Chest Pain

Any unexplained chest pain or a feeling of tightness in the chest when you breathe in and out should be investigated by your doctor if it persists for more than a few weeks.

Here are some scleroderma-related conditions you should look out for according to the Scleroderma Foundation.

Scleroderma News is strictly a news and information website about the disease. It does not provide medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. This content is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have read on this website.