Lung Disease Types

An obstructive lung disease is characterized by the affected person facing problems in breathing air out of lungs or exhaling. When a person suffers from what is known as a restrictive lung disease, the lungs lose the ability to expand fully during inhaling. Interstitial lung diseases are among the many types of restrictive lung diseases, in which the lungs suffer from both scarring and inflammation or either of the two.

Types of Interstitial Lung Diseases

• Acute interstitial pneumonia (Hamman-Rich syndrome, idiopathic ARDS)
• Alveolar proteinosis, pulmonary phospholipoproteinosis
• Asbestosis
• Bronchiolitis obliterans
• Berylliosis
• Black lung disease (coal worker's pneumoconiosis)
• BOOP (bronchiolitis obliterans organizing pneumonia)
• Chronic eosinophilic pneumonia (CEP)
• Connective-tissue disease-associated interstitial lung disease
• Desquamative interstitial pneumonia (DIP)
• Eosinophilic granuloma (a.k.a. Langerhan's cell histiocytosis)
• Farmer's lung
• Familial pulmonary fibrosis
• Hard-metal pneumoconiosis
• Hypersensitivity pneumonitis
• Interstitial lung fibrosis
• Idiopathic pulmonary hemosiderosis
• Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF)
• Lupus lung, systemic lupus erythematosus
• Lymphocytic interstitial pneumonia (LIP)
• Lymphangioleiomyomatosis
• Nonspecific interstitial pneumonia (NSIP)
• Pulmonary fibrosis
• Pigeon breeder's disease
• Pneumoconiosis Polymyositis, dermatomyositis
• Pulmonary alveolar microlithiasis
• Pulmonary eosinophilic granuloma (EG), histiocytosis X (HX), or Langerhans cell granulomatosis
• Respiratory bronchiolitis and respiratory bronchiolitis-associated interstitial lung disease (RB-ILD)
• Rheumatoid lung disease
• Scleroderma lung disease
• Silicosis
• Smoker's bronchiolitis
• Sarcoidosis disease
• Usual interstitial pneumonia (UIP)
• Wegener's granulomatosis

Types of Obstructive Lung Diseases

• Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)
• Emphysema
• Bronchitis
• Bronchiectasis
• Cystic Fibrosis
• Asthma

Symptoms
Cough, shortness of breath (dyspnea) and wheezing are the most common symptoms which show up when a person is suffering from any kind of lung disease. Although rare but incidents of stridor (a whistling sound when breathing (usually heard on inspiration) usually indicate obstruction of the trachea or the larynx. Various lung disease may also lead to coughing up of blood (condition known as hemoptysis), skin color taking on a bluish color (due to lack of oxygen in the blood) and most commonly chest pain. Lung diseases when left unattended or untreated may manifest themselves through other parts of the body. Famous example is finger clubbing (a deformity of the fingers and fingernails). Other signs and symptoms of lung diseases include trouble in breathing and feeling as if the intake of air is not enough. General feeling of tiredness may seem to linger at all times along with hoarseness, decrease in ability to exercise, chills, shaking, fast heartbeat and a cough that keeps on recurring.

Treatment
Treatment depends upon the lung disease type and the overall health of the person. However, the treatment methods which are in common use include immune suppressants and corticosteroids, nebuliser treatments, inhalers, intravenous and long term antibiotics, supplemental vitamins, painkillers, supplemental oxygen therapy, non-invasive positive pressure ventilation (NIV), chest physiotherapy and pulmonary rehabilitation and transplantation.

The symptoms which have been cited are the ones which are common to all types of lung disease. However, there might be more specific symptoms according to a particular type. Whatever the case might be, lung diseases must not be overlooked or assumed to be some mild medical disorders. Taking proper preventive steps and care for our lungs only adds to the years of our life. After all, these organs are the ones which are primarily responsible for supplying the life giving 'oxygen' to every part of our body.