Lung abnormalities: ‘Never ignore breathing difficulties’

Muscat: Take a deep breath, and think about the amazing activities your lungs perform every moment. Modern medical science has made great strides in treating lung diseases. However, there is more room for creating greater awareness on lung abnormalities, diagnosis, and treatments in the COVID-19 era.

‘‘Never take your lungs for granted, don’t ignore breathlessness or breathing difficulties ─ mild or severe ─ as it could be due to a series of underlying health problems, says Dr Nasser Hamed Al-Busaidi, Senior Consultant Respiratory & Internal Medicine (visiting) at Al Hayat International Hospital.

‘‘Though patients are not fully aware of lung disorders, COPD (Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease), severe asthma and bronchiectasis are known conditions. Remember, lungs are always exposed to our surroundings and the atmosphere, and of course exposed to germs.

‘‘For many, breathlessness is a feeling of total collapse, and a painful and heavy feeling in the chest may be an early sign of potential lung disorder. But there is no cause for panic about breathlessness. What is needed is a practical approach to understand your lungs better. It is always important to look at the hidden causes of the abnormal situation. More precisely, if you are suffering from shortness of breath, chest pain, fatigue, persistent cough and fever, you must seek immediate medical attention, and reveal the difficulties to the doctor,’’ says Dr Al-Busaidi, who is also the Chairman of Internal Medicine Programme at Oman Medical Specialty Board (OMSB), President of the Oman Respiratory Society and Senior Consultant in Pulmonology and Head of the Department of Respiratory Medicine at Royal Hospital.

‘‘These days, people are more health-conscious and are aware of severe conditions such as pneumonia, cystic fibrosis, lung cancer, and pulmonary vascular diseases. In a nutshell, one must ensure that his/her respiratory system functions normally at all times. Even if you don’t have a history of respiratory illness caused by smoking or any other occupational lung diseases, regular check-ups will help you protect the lungs,’’ says Dr Al-Busaidi.

 ‘‘Most of the people approach the doctor late, and often after the problem reaches the stage of a major respiratory disorder ─ at uncontrollable levels. Though experts had been expressing concerns over potential pulmonary fibrosis (lung scarring) conditions in the COVID-19 era, such cases are yet to be officially reported. Nevertheless, the possibilities of lung abnormalities could not be ruled out if the lung infection is severe. One should not hide the real symptoms of lung disorders from the doctor. Protecting the health of lung tissue is crucial as the scarred lung is often an irreversible condition, but timely detection and treatment will do wonders and slow down or stop the progression of scars. Those patients with severe lung infection and pneumonia are more vulnerable to complications. Negligence and delay in treatments can cause permanent lung damage,’’ points out Dr Al-Busaidi.

On wearing face coverings, Dr Al-Busaidi said, despite the pandemic, we need to continue our everyday activities such as shopping and visiting friends and relatives. One should continue wearing masks unless it is medically exempted as protecting extremely vulnerable people is always a challenge, everywhere.

‘‘Knowing the ABC of your lungs will help you protect them. It is an irrefutable fact that oxygen is the fuel of our life. We all know our lungs absorb oxygen from the air we breathe in and transfer the same into the bloodstream. Lungs release the waste gas called carbon dioxide when we breathe out. Lungs are highly efficient and sophisticated organs of the human respiratory system. The system also contains tubes leading from the mouth and nose to the lungs and various other structures in the chest that allow air to move in and out of the lungs.

"What's more, even in human voice production, the lungs play the role of an activator. Healthy lungs perform the role of an activator satisfactorily. When you inhale or exhale air becomes the key source of power for the vibration of vocal cords.  When vocal cords vibrate, air passes through the cords from the lungs and produces the sound of one’s voice. Yes, it’s an amazing story of life and breath," Dr Al-Busaidi added.