HUMAN LUNGS
What are the lungs ?
Lungs are sacks of tissue located just below the rib cage and above the diaphragm. They are an important part of the respiratory system. and waste management for the body.
The lungs are a pair of organs in the chest that are primarily responsible for the exchange of oxygen and carbon dioxide between the air we breathe and the blood.
Facts you should know about the the lungs' Anatomy.
The lungs exchange oxygen and carbon dioxide between the air we breathe and the blood.
The tracheobronchial tree is the passage way from the mouth to the interior of the lung.
Gas exchange occurs in the alveoli deep in the lungs.
Breathing air in (inhalation) requires muscular effort.
Air is warmed, humidified, and cleaned by the nose and lungs.
Size
A person's lungs are not the same size. The right lung is a little wider than the left lung, but it is also shorter.
Typically, a man's lungs can hold more air than a woman's. At rest, a man's lungs can hold around 750 cubic centimeters (about 1.5 pints) of air, while a woman's can hold around 285 to 393 cc (0.6 to 0.8 pints) of air.
The lungs are over-engineered to accomplish the job that we ask them to do.
What is the structure of the Human respiratory system ?
The other half of the respiratory system involves blood circulation. Venous blood from the body is returned to the right side of the heart and then pumped out via the pulmonary artery. This artery splits in two for the left and right lungs and then continues to branch much like the tracheobronchial tree. These vessels branch into a fine network of very tiny tubes called capillaries.
The capillaries are situated adjacent to the alveoli and are so small that only one red blood cell at a time can pass through their openings. It is during this passage that gases are exchanged between the blood and the air in the nearby alveoli. After passing the alveoli, capillaries then join together to begin forming the pulmonary veins, which carry the blood back to the left side of the heart.
What is the process of the respiratory system ?
As energy is utilized by cells, one of the waste products is the gas carbon dioxide.
Oxygen-enriched red blood cells release oxygen to the cells of the body and then pick up the waste carbon dioxide.
This oxygen- deprived, dark blue blood is then delivered to the blood vessels of the lungs.
Carbon dioxide is released by the red cells, easily passes through the capillary wall into the space in the air sac of the adjacent alveoli, and is then eliminated with each breath out of the mouth (exhalation).
Oxygen present in the air sac easily passes into the capillaries and into the red blood cells.
The capillary network carrying this oxygen-rich, bright red blood flows to larger vessels and eventually empties into the left side of the heart where it is pumped to all the tissues of the body.
Thus, the cycle or circle of blood is complete; hence, the name circulation.
Diseases & cures
The lungs can have a wide range of problems that can stem from genetics, bad habits, an unhealthy diet and viruses. The most common lung related conditions I see are reactive airways or asthma, as well as smoking-related emphysema.
#Asthma: also called reactive airway disease before a diagnosis of asthma, is a lung disease where the air passageways in the lungs become inflamed and narrowed, making it hard to breath. In the United States, more than 25 million people, including 7 million children, have asthma.
#Lung cancer: is cancer that originates in the lungs. It is the No. 1 cause of deaths from cancer in the United States for both men and women. Symptoms of cancer include coughing up blood, a cough that doesn't go away, shortness of breath, wheezing, chest pain, headaches, hoarseness, weight loss and bone pain.
#Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD): is long-term lung disease that prevents a person from breathing properly due to excess mucus or the degeneration of the lungs. Chronic bronchitis and emphysema are considered COPD diseases. About 11.4 million people in the United States suffer from COPD, with about 80 to 90 percent of COPD deaths attributed to smoking.
#Lung infections: such as bronchitis or pneumonia, are usually caused by viruses, but can also be caused by fungal organisms or bacteria. Some severe or chronic lung infections can cause fluid in the lungs and other symptoms such as swollen lymph nodes, coughing up blood and a persistent fever.
#Being overweight can also affect the lungs: being overweight does adversely affect the lungs because it increases the work and energy expenditure to breath. In the most extreme form, it acts like a constricting process.
Promoting good lung health.
One of the best ways to promote good lung health is to avoid cigarette smoke because at least 70 out of the 7,000 chemicals in cigarette smoke damages the cells within the lungs. According to the Mayo Clinic, people who smoke have the greatest risk of lung cancer. The more a person smokes, the greater the risk. Those who smoke are 15 to 30 times more likely to get lung cancer.
practicing deep breathing exercises, staying hydrated and regular exercise to keep the lungs healthy. Parsons also recommends having homes tested for radon.
Radon is a naturally occurring radioactive gas produced by the breakdown of uranium in the ground. It typically leaks into a house through cracks in the foundation and walls. Radon is the main cause of lung cancer in nonsmokers, and the second-leading cause of the disease after smoking.
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