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What are the Different Types of Respiratory Illness?

Mary Elizabeth
Mary Elizabeth
Mary Elizabeth
Mary Elizabeth

Respiratory means “of, having to do with, used in, or impacting breathing, and comes from the Latin word meaning “to breathe.” A respiratory illness is a disease that affects the respiratory system. They may also be called “respiratory diseases.”

One group of illnesses that fits in the category respiratory illness is the group that could be referred to as lung diseases. Lung diseases include a variety of issues, some of which are contagious and others of which are not. In any case, lung diseases can make breathing difficulty. As a group, lung diseases are the third leading cause of death in the United States.

The human respiratory system. There are many different respiratory illnesses.
The human respiratory system. There are many different respiratory illnesses.

Among the lung disease subcategory of respiratory illnesses are Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome (ARDS), respiratory failure caused by fluid build-up in the lungs; asthma, a chronic condition in which the airways can become constricted; Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD), a group of diseases in which airflow is blocked, including bronchitis, an inflammation of the bronchial tube lining, and emphysema, a condition in which the bronchioles are destroyed; either of the two types of lung cancer, small cell lung cancer or non-small cell lung cancer; pneumonia, a lung inflammation that can be caused by bacteria, fungi, parasites, or viruses; tuberculosis, an infectious disease that ranges from symptomless to fatal; and whooping cough, a severe infection characterized by a cough with a distinctive breath after it. Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS), a contagious respiratory illness of the lungs that was fatal to ten percent of the people who contracted it, appeared first in November of 2002 in China, spread through the world in six weeks, and became virtually unknown after 2004.

The respiratory and abdominal organs.
The respiratory and abdominal organs.

Another group of illnesses that fits the category of respiratory illness are upper respiratory tract infections (URIs). These include infections of the nose, throat, and sinuses, most of them caused by viruses. The ones caused by bacterial infection may require specific therapy. Illnesses of the nose include rhinitis and nasopharyngitis, another name for the “common cold.” Infections of the throat and the uvula and tonsils are called pharyngitis. Laryngitis is an infection of the larynx, while sinusitis is an infection of the sinuses and tracheitis is inflammation of the trachea. Epiglottitis, one of the most serious, is an infection of the upper part of the larynx and the supraglottis.

Mary Elizabeth
Mary Elizabeth

Mary Elizabeth is passionate about reading, writing, and research, and has a penchant for correcting misinformation on the Internet. In addition to contributing articles to TheHealthBoard about art, literature, and music, Mary Elizabeth is a teacher, composer, and author. She has a B.A. from the University of Chicago’s writing program and an M.A. from the University of Vermont, and she has written books, study guides, and teacher materials on language and literature, as well as music composition content for Sibelius Software.

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Mary Elizabeth
Mary Elizabeth

Mary Elizabeth is passionate about reading, writing, and research, and has a penchant for correcting misinformation on the Internet. In addition to contributing articles to TheHealthBoard about art, literature, and music, Mary Elizabeth is a teacher, composer, and author. She has a B.A. from the University of Chicago’s writing program and an M.A. from the University of Vermont, and she has written books, study guides, and teacher materials on language and literature, as well as music composition content for Sibelius Software.

Learn more...

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    • The human respiratory system. There are many different respiratory illnesses.
      By: pixelcaos
      The human respiratory system. There are many different respiratory illnesses.
    • The respiratory and abdominal organs.
      By: adimas
      The respiratory and abdominal organs.
    • Laryngitis is inflammation of the larynx.
      By: Alila Medical Media
      Laryngitis is inflammation of the larynx.
    • Tracheitis is inflammation of the trachea.
      By: Artem Furman
      Tracheitis is inflammation of the trachea.
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      Persistent coughing may be a symptom of lung cancer.
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      A bag valve mask may be used to help an individual who can no longer sufficiently breathe on his own.
    • The respiratory system is made up of the mouth, throat, nose, sinuses, bronchial tubes, and lungs.
      By: decade3d
      The respiratory system is made up of the mouth, throat, nose, sinuses, bronchial tubes, and lungs.
    • Emphysema is a common cause of acute respiratory failure.
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      Emphysema is a common cause of acute respiratory failure.