- Acute Flaccid Myelitis
- Alzheimer’s Disease
- Arteriovenous Malformations
- Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder
- Back Pain
- Brain Aneurysm
- Brain Tumors
- Carpal Tunnel Syndrome
- Childhood Brain Tumors
- Delirium
- Dementia
- Hemorrhagic Stroke
- Ischemic Stroke
- Memory
- Meningitis
- Mild Cognitive Impairment
- Movement Disorders
- Multiple Sclerosis
- Neuroblastoma
- Neuromuscular Disorders
- Parkinson’s Disease
- Polio and Post-Polio Syndrome
- Speech and Language Problems in Children
- Stroke
- Transient Ischemic Attack
- Tremor
- Walking Problems
- West Nile Virus
- A1C
- Blood Glucose
- Diabetes
- Diabetes and Pregnancy
- Diabetes Complications
- Diabetes in Children and Teens
- Diabetes Medicines
- Diabetes Type 1
- Diabetes Type 2
- Diabetic Diet
- Diabetic Eye Problems
- Diabetic Foot
- Diabetic Heart Disease
- Diabetic Kidney Problems
- Diabetic Nerve Problems
- How to Prevent Diabetes
- Hyperglycemia
- Metabolic Syndrome
- Prediabetes
- Abortion
- Breast Cancer
- Breast Diseases
- Breast Reconstruction
- Breastfeeding
- Cervical Cancer
- Cervical Cancer Screening
- Cesarean Delivery
- Childbirth
- Ectopic Pregnancy
- Endometriosis
- Female Infertility
- Health Problems in Pregnancy
- High Blood Pressure in Pregnancy
- HIV and Pregnancy
- Hormone Replacement Therapy
- HPV
- Hysterectomy
- Infections and Pregnancy
- Mammography
- Mastectomy
- Menopause
- Menstruation
- Miscarriage
- Ovarian Cancer
- Ovarian Cysts
- Ovarian Disorders
- Pelvic Floor Disorders
- Pelvic Inflammatory Disease
- Pelvic Pain
- Period Pain
- Polycystic Ovary Syndrome
- Pregnancy
- Pregnancy and Drug Use
- Pregnancy and Opioids
- Premenstrual Syndrome
- Prenatal Care
- Prenatal Testing
- Primary Ovarian Insufficiency
- Sexual Problems in Women
- Stillbirth
- Teenage Pregnancy
- Trichomoniasis
- Tubal Ligation
- Uterine Cancer
- Uterine Diseases
- Uterine Fibroids
- Vaginal Bleeding
- Vaginal Cancer
- Vaginal Diseases
- Vaginitis
- Vulvar Cancer
- Vulvar Disorders
- Yeast Infections
- Alcohol
- Calcium
- Child Nutrition
- Cholesterol
- Cholesterol Levels: What You Need to Know
- Cholesterol Medicines
- DASH Eating Plan
- Eating Disorders
- Food Allergy
- HDL: The “Good” Cholesterol
- High Cholesterol in Children and Teens
- How to Lower Cholesterol
- How to Lower Cholesterol with Diet
- Infant and Newborn Nutrition
- LDL: The “Bad” Cholesterol
- Malabsorption Syndromes
- Nutrition for Older Adults
- Pregnancy and Nutrition
- Toddler Nutrition
- Triglycerides
- VLDL Cholesterol
- Alpha-1 Antitrypsin Deficiency
- Ataxia Telangiectasia
- Brain Malformations
- Cerebral Palsy
- Charcot-Marie-Tooth Disease
- Chiari Malformation
- Cleft Lip and Palate
- Color Blindness
- Congenital Heart Defects
- Craniofacial Abnormalities
- Cystic Fibrosis
- Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome
- Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders
- Friedreich Ataxia
- Genetic Counseling
- Hemophilia
- Huntington’s Disease
- Hydrocephalus
- Muscular Dystrophy
- Neural Tube Defects
- Neurofibromatosis
- Newborn Screening
- Osteogenesis Imperfecta
- Prader-Willi Syndrome
- Pregnancy and Medicines
- Rett Syndrome
- Sickle Cell Disease
- Spina Bifida
- Spinal Muscular Atrophy
- Tay-Sachs Disease
- Tourette Syndrome
- Tuberous Sclerosis
- Usher Syndrome
- Acute Lymphocytic Leukemia
- Allergy
- Animal Bites
- Ankylosing Spondylitis
- Aplastic Anemia
- Asthma
- Asthma in Children
- Childhood Leukemia
- Childhood Vaccines
- Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia
- COVID-19 Vaccines
- Cryptosporidiosis
- Eosinophilic Disorders
- Eosinophilic Esophagitis
- Giant Cell Arteritis
- Hay Fever
- HIV
- HIV and Infections
- HIV in Women
- Hodgkin Lymphoma
- Infectious Diseases
- Infectious Mononucleosis
- Juvenile Arthritis
- Kawasaki Disease
- Lymphedema
- Lymphoma
- Multiple Myeloma
- Pemphigus
- Pneumocystis Infections
- Rheumatoid Arthritis
- Scleroderma
- Sjogren’s Syndrome
- Tonsillitis
- Vaccines
- Viral Infections
- Adhesions
- Ankle Injuries and Disorders
- Arm Injuries and Disorders
- Back Injuries
- Brachial Plexus Injuries
- Burns
- Chest Injuries and Disorders
- Concussion
- CPR
- Dislocated Shoulder
- Dislocations
- Elbow Injuries and Disorders
- Eye Injuries
- Facial Injuries and Disorders
- Finger Injuries and Disorders
- Foot Injuries and Disorders
- Fractures
- Hand Injuries and Disorders
- Heel Injuries and Disorders
- Hip Injuries and Disorders
- Inhalation Injuries
- Insect Bites and Stings
- Jaw Injuries and Disorders
- Knee Injuries and Disorders
- Leg Injuries and Disorders
- Mosquito Bites
- Neck Injuries and Disorders
- Rotator Cuff Injuries
- Shoulder Injuries and Disorders
- Spinal Cord Injuries
- Sprains and Strains
- Tick Bites
- Toe Injuries and Disorders
- Traumatic Brain Injury
- Wrist Injuries and Disorders
- Acute Bronchitis
- Bird Flu
- Chronic Bronchitis
- COPD
- COVID-19 (Coronavirus Disease 2019)
- Croup
- E-Cigarettes
- Fistulas
- Flu
- Granulomatosis with Polyangiitis
- H1N1 Flu (Swine Flu)
- Legionnaires’ Disease
- Lung Cancer
- Mesothelioma
- Pneumonia
- Pulmonary Hypertension
- Respiratory Syncytial Virus Infections
- Sleep Apnea
- Smoking
- Tuberculosis
- Whooping Cough
- Anatomy
- Assisted Reproductive Technology
- Birth Control
- Chlamydia Infections
- Circumcision
- Erectile Dysfunction
- Genital Herpes
- Genital Warts
- Gonorrhea
- Herpes Simplex
- Infertility
- Male Infertility
- Penis Disorders
- Prostate Cancer
- Prostate Cancer Screening
- Prostate Diseases
- Reproductive Hazards
- Sexual Health
- Sexual Problems in Men
- Sexually Transmitted Diseases
- Syphilis
- Testicular Cancer
- Testicular Disorders
- Vasectomy
- Abdominal Pain
- Bad Breath
- Bleeding
- Breathing Problems
- Bruises
- Chest Pain
- Choking
- Chronic Pain
- Constipation
- Cough
- Diarrhea
- Dizziness and Vertigo
- Edema
- Fainting
- Fever
- Frostbite
- Gas
- Gastrointestinal Bleeding
- Headache
- Heartburn
- Heat Illness
- Hives
- Hypothermia
- Indigestion
- Itching
- Jaundice
- Nausea and Vomiting
- Pain
- Rare Diseases
- Raynaud’s Disease
- Sciatica
- Speech and Communication Disorders
- Stuttering
Lung Diseases
Summary
When you breathe, your lungs take in oxygen from the air and deliver it to the bloodstream. The cells in your body need oxygen to work and grow. During a normal day, you breathe nearly 25,000 times. People with lung disease have difficulty breathing. Millions of people in the U.S. have lung disease. If all types of lung disease are lumped together, it is the number three killer in the United States.
The term lung disease refers to many disorders affecting the lungs, such as asthma, COPD, infections like influenza, pneumonia and tuberculosis, lung cancer, and many other breathing problems. Some lung diseases can lead to respiratory failure.
Dept. of Health and Human Services Office on Women’s Health
National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute
Children
- Adenovirus (For Parents) Nemours Foundation
- Meconium Aspiration Nemours Foundation
- Pulmonary Function Testing in Children American Thoracic Society
- Respiratory Distress Syndrome (RDS) National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute
- Transient Tachypnea of the Newborn (TTN) Nemours Foundation
- What Are Newborn Breathing Conditions? National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute
- Your Lungs and Respiratory System Nemours Foundation
Specifics
- Adenoviruses Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
- Anti-GBM (Goodpasture’s) Disease National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases
- Coughing up Blood Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research
- Histoplasmosis Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
- Hyperinflated Lungs: What Does It Mean? Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research
- Lung Nodules: Overview National Jewish Health
- Pulmonary Edema Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research
- What Is Primary Ciliary Dyskinesia? National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute
Encyclopedia
- Aging changes in the lungs Medical Encyclopedia
- Arterial stick Medical Encyclopedia
- Breathing Medical Encyclopedia
- Bronchoscopic culture Medical Encyclopedia
- Bronchoscopy Medical Encyclopedia
- Chest CT Medical Encyclopedia
- Chest x-ray Medical Encyclopedia
- CO2 blood test Medical Encyclopedia
- Coal worker’s pneumoconiosis Medical Encyclopedia
- Drug-induced pulmonary disease Medical Encyclopedia
- Empyema Medical Encyclopedia
- Gas exchange Medical Encyclopedia
- Goodpasture syndrome Medical Encyclopedia
- Histoplasmosis – acute (primary) pulmonary Medical Encyclopedia
- Lactic acidosis Medical Encyclopedia
- LDH isoenzyme blood test Medical Encyclopedia
- Lung diffusion testing Medical Encyclopedia
- Lung gallium scan Medical Encyclopedia
- Lung needle biopsy Medical Encyclopedia
- Lung plethysmography Medical Encyclopedia
- Lung problems and volcanic smog Medical Encyclopedia
- Lung surgery Medical Encyclopedia
- Lung surgery – discharge Medical Encyclopedia
- Meconium aspiration syndrome Medical Encyclopedia
- Open lung biopsy Medical Encyclopedia
- Oxygen safety Medical Encyclopedia
- Oxygen therapy – infants Medical Encyclopedia
- Pneumomediastinum Medical Encyclopedia
- Pulmonary actinomycosis Medical Encyclopedia
- Pulmonary alveolar proteinosis Medical Encyclopedia
- Pulmonary aspergilloma Medical Encyclopedia
- Pulmonary nocardiosis Medical Encyclopedia
- Pulmonary ventilation/perfusion scan Medical Encyclopedia
- Rapid shallow breathing Medical Encyclopedia
- Respiratory acidosis Medical Encyclopedia
- Respiratory alkalosis Medical Encyclopedia
- Rheumatoid lung disease Medical Encyclopedia
- Simple pulmonary eosinophilia Medical Encyclopedia
- Sputum fungal smear Medical Encyclopedia
- Sputum Gram stain Medical Encyclopedia
- Swan-Ganz – right heart catheterization Medical Encyclopedia
- Transient tachypnea – newborn Medical Encyclopedia
- Using oxygen at home Medical Encyclopedia
- Using oxygen at home – what to ask your doctor Medical Encyclopedia
- Wheezing Medical Encyclopedia
Patient Handouts
- Alveolar abnormalities Medical Encyclopedia
- Blood gases Medical Encyclopedia
- Breath sounds Medical Encyclopedia
- Chemical pneumonitis Medical Encyclopedia
- Chest tube insertion Medical Encyclopedia
- Coughing up blood Medical Encyclopedia
- Lung disease Medical Encyclopedia
- Lung PET scan Medical Encyclopedia
- Pulmonary edema Medical Encyclopedia
- Pulmonary function tests Medical Encyclopedia
- Solitary pulmonary nodule Medical Encyclopedia
Find an Expert
- American Lung Association American Lung Association
- Lung HelpLine and Tobacco QuitLine American Lung Association
- National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute
- National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases
Genetics
- Birt-Hogg-Dubé syndrome: MedlinePlus Genetics National Library of Medicine
- Lymphangioleiomyomatosis: MedlinePlus Genetics National Library of Medicine
- Primary ciliary dyskinesia: MedlinePlus Genetics National Library of Medicine
Living With
- Breathing and Relaxation National Jewish Health
- Oxygen Therapy: MedlinePlus Health Topic National Library of Medicine
- Pulmonary Rehabilitation: MedlinePlus Health Topic National Library of Medicine
- Understanding Exercise, Diet and Lung Disease National Jewish Health
- What Is a Ventilator? National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute
Diagnosis and Tests
- Bronchoscopy and Bronchoalveolar Lavage (BAL) National Library of Medicine
- Lactate Dehydrogenase (LDH) Isoenzymes Test National Library of Medicine
- Lung Function Tests National Library of Medicine
- Needle Biopsy of the Lung Radiological Society of North America
- Pulse Oximetry National Library of Medicine
- Spirometry Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research
- Spirometry American Lung Association
- Tests for Lung Disease National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute
- Warning Signs of Lung Disease American Lung Association
Treatments and Therapies
- Chest tube insertion – series — Normal anatomy Medical Encyclopedia
- Chest Tube Thoracostomy American Thoracic Society
- Long-Term Control Medications for Lung Diseases National Jewish Health
- Lung Disease Treatments National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute
- Pulmonary lobectomy – series — Normal anatomy Medical Encyclopedia
- Quick-Relief Medications for Lung Disease Symptoms National Jewish Health
Clinical Trials
- ClinicalTrials.gov: Lung Diseases National Institutes of Health
- ClinicalTrials.gov: Respiratory Distress Syndrome, Adult National Institutes of Health
NIH MedlinePlus Magazine
Reference Desk
- How the Lungs Work National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute
Related Issues
- Inhaled Marijuana and the Lungs American Thoracic Society
- Lung Disease Including Asthma and Adult Vaccination Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
- Mold Allergy: Proper Humidifier Care National Jewish Health
- Particle Pollution Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Start Here
- Lung Disease Department of Health and Human Services, Office on Women’s Health
- Lungs and Respiratory System Nemours Foundation
Statistics and Research
- Lung Diseases National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences
Teenagers
- Lungs and Respiratory System Nemours Foundation
Prevention and Risk Factors
- Protect Yourself: Respirators Occupational Safety and Health Administration
Journal Articles
Women
- What Is LAM (Lymphangioleiomyomatosis)? National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute
Videos and Tutorials
- Your Lung Operation American College of Surgeons