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Apr 14, 2017 · In order to survive, all of your cells need oxygen. The complx process of getting your body the oxygen it needs is a collaborative effort among your gut, brain, bones, lungs, blood, and heart. As you unconsciously breathe in, the air around you enters through your nose and mouth, then begins on its roller coaster ride.
- Oxygen Injected Into The Blood Via Microparticles May Soon Rescue Patients From Hypoxemia
“We have created a complex fluid that stores O2 gas within...
- Oxygen Injected Into The Blood Via Microparticles May Soon Rescue Patients From Hypoxemia
- Overview
- Anatomy and function
- Common conditions
- Treatments
- When to see a doctor
- The bottom line
The respiratory system is responsible for the exchange of carbon dioxide and oxygen in the human body. This system also helps remove metabolic waste products and keep pH levels in check.
The major parts of the respiratory system include the upper respiratory tract and the lower respiratory tract.
The entire respiratory system contains two tracts: the upper respiratory tract and the lower respiratory tract. As the names imply, the upper respiratory tract consists of everything above the vocal folds, and the lower respiratory tract includes everything below the vocal folds.
These two tracts work together to perform respiration, or the process of exchanging carbon dioxide and oxygen between your body and the atmosphere.
Upper respiratory tract conditions
•Allergies. There are multiple types of allergies, including food allergies, seasonal allergies, and even skin allergies, that can affect the upper respiratory tract. Some allergies cause mild symptoms, such as runny nose, congestion, or itchy throat. More serious allergies can lead to anaphylaxis and closing of the airways. •Common cold. The common cold is an upper respiratory tract infection that can be triggered by over 200 viruses. Symptoms of the common cold include runny or stuffy nose, congestion, pressure in the sinuses, sore throat, and more. •Laryngitis. Laryngitis is a condition that happens when the larynx or vocal cords become inflamed. This condition can be caused by irritation, infection, or overuse. The most common symptoms are losing your voice and throat irritation. •Pharyngitis. Also known as a sore throat, pharyngitis is inflammation of the pharynx caused by bacterial or viral infections. A sore, scratchy, dry throat is the primary symptom of pharyngitis. This may also be accompanied by cold or flu symptoms such as runny nose, coughing, or wheezing. •Sinusitis. Sinusitis can be both acute and chronic. This condition is characterized by swollen, inflamed membranes in the nasal cavity and sinuses. Symptoms include congestion, sinus pressure, mucus drainage, and more.
Lower respiratory tract conditions
•Asthma. Asthma is a chronic inflammatory condition that affects the airways. This inflammation causes the airways to narrow, which in turn causes difficulty breathing. Asthma symptoms may include shortness of breath, coughing, and wheezing. If these symptoms become severe enough, they can become an asthma attack. •Bronchitis. Bronchitis is a condition characterized by inflammation of the bronchial tubes. Symptoms of this condition usually feel like cold symptoms at first, and then turn into a mucus-producing cough. Bronchitis can be either acute (less than 10 days) or chronic (several weeks and recurring). •Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). COPD is an umbrella term for a group of chronic, progressive lung diseases, the most common being bronchitis and emphysema. Over time, these conditions can lead to the deterioration of the airways and lungs. If not treated, they can cause other chronic respiratory illnesses. Symptoms of COPD include: •shortness of breath •chest tightness •wheezing •coughing •frequent respiratory infections •Emphysema. Emphysema is a condition that damages the alveoli of the lungs and causes a decrease in the amount of circulating oxygen. Emphysema is a chronic, untreatable condition. The most common symptoms are exhaustion, weight loss, and increased heart rate. •Lung cancer. Lung cancer is a type of cancer located in the lungs. Lung cancer differs depending on where the cancer is located, such as in the alveoli or airways. Symptoms of lung cancer include shortness of breath and wheezing, accompanied by chest pain, lingering cough with blood, and unexplained weight loss. •Pneumonia. Pneumonia is an infection that causes the alveoli to become inflamed with pus and fluid. SARS, or severe acute respiratory syndrome, and COVID-19 both cause pneumonia-like symptoms, which are both caused by the coronavirus. This family of viruses has been linked to other severe respiratory infections. If left untreated, pneumonia can be fatal. Symptoms include shortness of breath, chest pain, coughing with mucus, and more. There are other conditions and illnesses that can affect the respiratory system, but the most common conditions are listed above.
Bacterial infections
Bacterial infections that lead to respiratory conditions require antibiotics for treatment. Antibiotics can be taken as pills, capsules, or liquids. When you take antibiotics, they’re effective immediately. Even if you begin to feel better, you should always take the full course of antibiotics prescribed to you. Bacterial infections can include: •laryngitis •pharyngitis •sinusitis •bronchitis •pneumonia
Viral infections
Unlike bacterial infections, there’s generally no treatment for viral respiratory diseases. Instead, you must wait for your body to fight off the viral infection on its own. Over-the-counter (OTC) medications can provide some relief from symptoms and allow your body to rest. The common cold and viral laryngitis, pharyngitis, sinusitis, bronchitis, or pneumonia can take upward of multiple weeks to fully recover from.
Chronic conditions
Some respiratory system conditions are chronic and untreatable. For these conditions, the focus is on managing the symptoms of the illness. •For mild allergies, OTC allergy medications can help reduce symptoms. •For asthma, an inhaler and lifestyle changes can help reduce symptoms and flare-ups. •For COPD, treatments involve medications and machines that can help the lungs breathe easier. •For lung cancer, surgery, radiation, and chemotherapy are all treatment options.
If you’re experiencing any of the symptoms of bacterial, viral, or chronic respiratory infections, visit your doctor. They can check for signs in your nose and mouth, listen for sounds in your airways, and run multiple diagnostic tests to determine if you have any kind of respiratory illness.
The human respiratory system is responsible for helping provide oxygen to cells, remove carbon dioxide from the body, and balance the pH of the blood.
The upper respiratory tract and the lower respiratory tract both play a crucial role in the exchange of oxygen and carbon dioxide.
When viruses and bacteria enter the body, they can cause illnesses and conditions that lead to inflammation of the respiratory tracts.
If you’re concerned that you have a respiratory illness, visit your doctor right away for a formal diagnosis and treatment.
Oct 22, 2024 · The upper limit to oxygen consumption is not conferred by the ability of muscles to do work, but rather by the limited ability of the respiratory system to provide or utilize oxygen at a higher rate. Muscle can do more work, but beyond the aerobic scope they must revert to anaerobic metabolism, with the result that waste products, mainly lactic acid , accumulate and limit the duration of work.
The body's circulation is an essential link between the atmosphere, which contains oxygen, and the cells of the body, which consume oxygen. For example, the delivery of oxygen to the muscle cells throughout the body depends not only on the lungs but also on the ability of the blood to carry oxygen and on the ability of the circulation to transport blood to muscle.
Apr 24, 2017 · The respiratory system is the gateway that allows oxygen to enter your body. The mouth, nose, trachea, lungs and diaphragm all participate in oxygen absorption. Oxygen enters the body in the mouth and nose, passes through the larynx and the trachea. The trachea splits into two bronchial tubes, which lead to smaller tubes that lead to 600 ...
As shown in Figure 13.4.3, oxygen in inhaled air diffuses into a pulmonary capillary from the alveolus. Carbon dioxide in the blood diffuses in the opposite direction. The carbon dioxide can then be exhaled from the body. Figure 13.4.3 A single alveolus is a tiny structure that is specialized for gas exchange between inhaled air and the blood ...
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Oxygen forms about 21% of the air around us. In your body, oxygen forms a vital role in the production of energy in most cells. But if gases can only efficiently diffuse across tiny distances, how does oxygen reach the cells deep inside your body? Enda Butler tracks the surprisingly complex journey of oxygen through your body.
