GoodRx Guide
Respiratory Center: Your GoodRx Guide
What are respiratory diseases?
Respiratory diseases are health problems that affect your lungs and airways (the respiratory system). There are many different types, including:
Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), such as emphysema and chronic bronchitis
Respiratory diseases can affect your lungs in many different ways. They can:
Make it hard for air to flow in and out of the tubes in your lungs
Damage the tissue in your lungs, causing scarring and inflammation
Damage the blood vessels in your lungs
Some respiratory diseases are treatable, like pneumonia or a pulmonary embolism. But other types of respiratory diseases are more ongoing (chronic). This means they can cause long-term health problems and usually don’t have a cure.
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What does the respiratory system do?
Your respiratory system is made of many different organs and body parts. Its number one job is to bring fresh oxygen into your body.
The main parts of your respiratory system are:
Sinuses
Nose
Mouth
Throat
Windpipe (trachea)
Lungs (bronchi, bronchioles, and air sacs)
When you breathe in through your nose and mouth, air circulates through your lungs. This brings oxygen into your body. But your respiratory system does other important things, too, such as:
Getting rid of carbon dioxide (a waste product)
Regulating the temperature and humidity of air that you breathe in
Fighting off germs that could cause infection
Allowing you to speak, cough, sneeze, and smell
Causes of respiratory disease
It depends. Sometimes, respiratory problems have a clear cause — like when a bacteria or virus causes pneumonia, or specific genetic changes lead to cystic fibrosis.
But other times it’s not so easy to pinpoint the cause. This is true for many respiratory diseases, like lung cancer and asthma. In these cases, respiratory disease might be caused by a combination of your:
Genetics (family history)
Environment
Life experiences
Lifestyle choices
One thing we do know: Some people have a higher risk of getting lung disease than others. This includes people who:
Smoke
Are exposed to air pollution or other environmental toxins
Are exposed to chemicals, radon gas, or dust at work, school, or home
Have a lot of lung infections during childhood
And no matter what the cause, in the United States lung disease is a major health concern. Close to 1 in 10 people live with a long-term respiratory condition like COPD.
Symptoms
Respiratory diseases can cause many different symptoms. It all depends on your health, your age, and what type of respiratory disease you have.
Common symptoms include:
Feeling tired
Having trouble breathing
Wheezing
Feeling like it’s hard to catch your breath
Having trouble breathing easily when walking or exercising
Cough that doesn’t go away
Chest pain, especially when breathing or coughing
Coughing up blood or mucus (phlegm)
If you’ve noticed any of these symptoms, talk with your healthcare provider as soon as possible. If you do have a respiratory problem, finding out as early as possible can help you get the treatment you need — and in some cases, even save your life.
Related Health Conditions
Diagnosis
A healthcare provider diagnoses respiratory diseases. If you’re having symptoms, check in with your doctor. They can help figure out what type of respiratory disease you have — or if it’s something else entirely.
In addition to an interview and physical exam, your healthcare provider may suggest medical tests that can help with diagnosis. These might include:
If you’re seeing a primary care provider, they might also send you to a pulmonologist. A pulmonologist is a doctor with special training in how to diagnose and treat respiratory disorders.
Keep in mind: Some types of respiratory diseases, like pneumonia, can be diagnosed in a few hours. But other times, it can take longer to figure out what’s going on — especially if you have symptoms that could have many different causes.
Treating respiratory diseases
Treatment depends on your symptoms, your other medical problems, and what type of respiratory disease you have.
Some treatments are designed to help you breathe more easily, get more oxygen, and help your lungs work better. Other treatments may keep your condition from getting worse, or even offer a cure. Examples include:
Medications
Inhalers
For some people, making healthy choices can also go a long way in managing or treating lung disease. This may include:
Getting regular exercise
Eating nutritious foods
Avoiding symptom triggers
Reducing stress
Getting enough sleep at night
Taking good care of your other health conditions, like diabetes or heart failure
And remember: When it comes to respiratory disease, treatment isn’t one size fits all. Be sure to talk with your healthcare provider before making any changes to your diet or lifestyle.
Preventing respiratory disease
Your respiratory system works hard for you every day. Though you can’t always prevent respiratory disease, there are many things you can do to keep your lungs as healthy as possible:
Avoid smoking. Smoking tobacco or marijuana can damage your lungs, and put you at risk for respiratory diseases. If you smoke, cutting down or stopping is one of the best things you can do to prevent respiratory diseases.
Improve your indoor air quality. Exposure to indoor air pollution like smoke, chemicals, and radon are all linked to respiratory diseases.
Keep an eye on outdoor pollution. Air pollution and wildfire smoke can sometimes make outdoor air unhealthy to breathe. Check outdoor air quality before spending time outdoors, and wear a mask if needed.
Take care of your physical health. Eating nutritious foods and getting regular exercise can keep your lungs strong and healthy.
Stay up to date on vaccinations. Vaccines can protect your respiratory system from a severe case of the flu, COVID-19, or pneumonia.
Frequently asked questions
Your heart and respiratory system are closely connected. With every beat of your heart, blood is pushed through your lungs, and through the blood vessels in your body. This keeps the blood moving along to deliver oxygen and take away carbon dioxide.
Your heart and respiratory system rely on each other’s health. If your heart isn’t doing well, it can make it tough for your lungs to work properly. Similarly, if your lungs are hurt or sick, this can put a strain on your heart.
Your respiratory rate is how fast you breathe in and out. For adults at rest, a normal respiratory rate is anywhere from 12 to 20 times per minute. Sometimes, your respiratory rate can become slower or faster.
For example: If you’re exercising or excited, your body might need more oxygen. This can make your respiratory rate go up. On the other hand, if you’re relaxed or asleep your respiratory rate might go down. When it comes to respiratory diseases, a higher respiratory rate can be caused by many different things — like an infection, an asthma flare-up, or fluid in the lungs.
Most respiratory diseases aren’t contagious. But there’s one big exception: respiratory infections. Infections are caused by germs like bacteria or viruses that can spread from one person to another. Other respiratory diseases, like lung cancer, COPD, or pulmonary hypertension, aren’t passed from person to person.
It’s hard to say. It depends on what type of infection you have, how much of your respiratory system is affected, and your overall health. Some people feel better in less than a week, while other people might take a month or more to fully recover.
Respiratory arrest is when a person stops breathing completely but still has a pulse. It’s different from cardiac arrest, which means that the heart has stopped pumping. But a respiratory arrest can lead to a cardiac arrest.
Respiratory arrest happens when the brain isn’t sending the right signals to help you breathe. It can also happen if the muscles and nerves in your chest and lungs aren’t working correctly. Some types of drug overdoses can cause respiratory arrest, too.
No matter what the cause, respiratory arrest is an emergency. If you’re with someone who stops breathing, you should call 911 right away.
References
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American Lung Association. (n.d.). Lung procedures, tests, and treatments.
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American Lung Association. (2023). Chest tube procedure.
American Lung Association. (2023). Endobronchial valve (EBV) therapy.
American Lung Association. (2023). Lobectomy.
American Lung Association. (2023). Methacholine challenge test.
American Lung Association. (2023). Our impact.
American Lung Association. (2023). Prevent COPD exacerbations or flare ups.
MedlinePlus. (2022). Lung disease.
MedlinePlus. (2022). Pulmonary edema.
MedlinePlus. (2023). Collapsed lung (pneumothorax).
MedlinePlus. (2023). Rapid shallow breathing.
Office on Women’s Health. (2021). Lung disease. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
World Health Organization. (n.d.). Chronic respiratory diseases.
