Although many questions about emphysema remain unanswered, one thing is clear – quitting smoking can prevent the occurrence of emphysema and slow the disease. Other changes to your environment, such as avoiding smog, may also help prevent the development of emphysema or keep it from getting worse. Researchers continue to investigate the causes of and […]
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The best way to prevent emphysema is never to smoke cigarettes. If you do smoke, quit now. There are many excellent smoking cessation methods available today. If you have emphysema but stop smoking before too much of your lungs has been damaged, the disease may progress more slowly. Research continues to try to find answers
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Here are definitions of medical terms related to bronchoscopy. biopsy: A procedure to remove a small piece of tissue from part of the body for examination under a microscope. “Biopsy” can also mean the tissue sample itself. bronchial tubes, bronchi: The tubes that carry air from the throat (trachea) into the lungs. The larger bronchial tubes branch
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Here are some reliable sources that can provide more information on bronchoscopy. American Lung Association http://www.lungusa.org 1-800-LUNG-USA A good site for easy-to-understand information about many different lung diseases. It doesn’t have any information on bronchoscopy itself, though. After getting a diagnosis, come here to find out more about treatment and prevention. The Virtual Hospital, a
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Before the bronchoscopy (usually a day or two before), the doctor will usually test your blood and urine. You may also need to have a chest x-ray or CT scan. A CT scan is a painless, sophisticated x-ray procedure that uses a computer to provide images of soft tissue, bone, and blood vessels. Tell your
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Most people are awake during this procedure. You will have medicine to help you relax and to numb your throat. The bronchoscopy itself usually takes about 20 minutes. This is what usually happens during bronchoscopy: First, you’ll take medicine to help you relax. A nurse will start an IV (intravenous) needle in your arm. The
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Bronchoscopy does not usually cause any complications. For the first day or so, you might have these symptoms: Mild fever (less than 101 degrees F, 38.3 degrees C) Hoarseness Coughing up small amounts of blood (less than a tablespoon) You can take acetaminophen (such as Tylenol) or ibuprofen (such as Advil) for these symptoms. Avoid
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Bronchitis is an inflammation of the bronchial tubes, or bronchi, that bring air into the lungs. Inflammation is a chemical reaction in the body that produces redness, swelling, and pain. Bronchitis can be caused by: Viruses Bacteria Smoking Breathing in certain kinds of irritating chemicals When the cells lining the bronchi are irritated, the tiny
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Here are some frequently asked questions related to bronchoscopy. Q: Does bronchoscopy hurt? A: No one’s going to say bronchoscopy is particularly comfortable, but it shouldn’t hurt. If you’re worried, work out a hand signal with your doctor ahead of time. You can raise your hand to tell him or her to stop putting in the
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Smoking is the leading cause of chronic bronchitis. The substances in cigarette and other forms of tobacco smoking cause irritation of the bronchial tubes. While smoking is the leading cause of bronchitis, environmental pollution and some kinds of occupational exposures to chemicals have also been shown to lead to chronic bronchitis. Of course, if you
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Here is a summary of the important facts and information related to bronchoscopy. Bronchoscopy lets the doctor see inside your airways, using a thin tube called a bronchoscope. The tube uses fiberoptics or a tiny video camera to produce images of the airways. Doctors perform bronchoscopies to help diagnose diseases or remove something blocking the airways. If
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The symptoms of chronic bronchitis include: Coughing and/or coughing up sputum with chest pain Yellow or green phlegm Shortness of breath Increased cough How Is The Diagnosis Made? Chronic bronchitis is diagnosed if these symptoms have lasted for at least three consecutive months during two consecutive years, or for six months in one year. In
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