COP I N G W I TH C H R O N IC

D IS O R D E R IN L A T E L IF E
E A ND JO INT PR OB L E M S
ET AB O LIC D IS O RD E RS 2. BON
1. M
4. RES P IR AT O RY PR OB L EM
C AR DIO VA SCU L AR P RO B LEM
3.
MEMBERS
 DORIMON, STEPHANIE
 BEA MARIEL ENRIQUEZ
 GIANNE GALABAY
 RODELLE GONZALES
 FE GUILLERMO
 SURAINE VEE GUITORES
 JEMIMA NOVE JAPITANA
METABOLIC DISORDER
• A METABOLIC DISORDER OCCURS WHEN THE METABOLISM PROCESS FAILS AND CAUSES THE
BODY TO HAVE EITHER TOO MUCH OR TOO LITTLE OF THE ESSENTIAL SUBSTANCES NEEDED
TO STAY HEALTHY.

• OUR BODIES ARE VERY SENSITIVE TO ERRORS IN METABOLISM. THE BODY MUST HAVE AMINO
ACIDS AND MANY TYPES OF PROTEINS TO PERFORM ALL OF ITS FUNCTIONS. FOR EXAMPLE,
THE BRAIN NEEDS CALCIUM, POTASSIUM, AND SODIUM TO GENERATE ELECTRICAL IMPULSES,
AND LIPIDS (FATS AND OILS) TO MAINTAIN A HEALTHY NERVOUS SYSTEM.
METABOLIC DISORDERS CAN TAKE MANY FORMS. THIS INCLUDES:

• A MISSING ENZYME OR VITAMIN THAT’S NECESSARY FOR AN IMPORTANT CHEMICAL REACTION

• ABNORMAL CHEMICAL REACTIONS THAT HINDER METABOLIC PROCESSES
• A DISEASE IN THE LIVER, PANCREAS, ENDOCRINE GLANDS, OR OTHER ORGANS INVOLVED IN
METABOLISM

• NUTRITIONAL DEFICIENCIES
WHAT CAUSES METABOLIC DISORDERS?

• YOU CAN DEVELOP A METABOLIC DISORDER IF CERTAIN ORGANS — FOR INSTANCE, THE
PANCREAS OR THE LIVER — STOP FUNCTIONING PROPERLY. THESE KINDS OF DISORDERS CAN
BE A RESULT OF GENETICS, A DEFICIENCY IN A CERTAIN HORMONE OR ENZYME, CONSUMING
TOO MUCH OF CERTAIN FOODS, OR A NUMBER OF OTHER FACTORS.
TYPES OF METABOLIC DISORDERS

• DIABETES IS THE MOST COMMON METABOLIC DISEASE. THERE ARE TWO TYPES OF DIABETES:
• TYPE 1, THE CAUSE OF WHICH IS UNKNOWN, ALTHOUGH THERE CAN BE A GENETIC FACTOR.
• TYPE 2, WHICH CAN BE ACQUIRED, OR POTENTIALLY CAUSED BY GENETIC FACTORS AS WELL.
 BONE AND JOINT PROBLEMS
OSTEOARTHRITIS
OSTEOARTHRITIS (OA) IS THE MOST COMMON JOINT DISORDER. OA OCCURS WHEN THE CARTILAGE
BETWEEN TWO JOINTS WEARS DOWN SO THE BONES RUB TOGETHER, RESULTING IN SWELLING AND
STIFFNESS. SYMPTOMS USUALLY APPEAR IN MIDDLE AGE, AND ALMOST EVERYONE HAS SOME
SYMPTOMS BY THE AGE OF 70.
DIFFERENCE BETWEEN BONES AND JOINTS

• BONES ARE LIVING TISSUE MADE UP OF COLLAGEN AND CALCIUM PHOSPHATE, MAKING THEM
STRONG YET FLEXIBLE. THIS COMPOSITION PROVIDES SHAPE AND SUPPORT TO THE BODY.
ASIDE FROM CONTRIBUTING TO THE BODY’S MOVEMENT, BONES ALSO ACT AS A SHIELD FOR
SOFTER ORGANS, BEST DEMONSTRATED BY THE RIBS IN THE CHEST FOR THE HEART AND
LUNGS, AND THE SKULL PROTECTING THE BRAIN. BONES ALSO SERVE AS STORAGE FOR
MINERALS AND HELP REGULATE BLOOD SUGAR LEVELS.
 
JOINTS ARE AREAS WHERE TWO OR MORE BONES MEET, COMPRISING SEVERAL TYPES OF
TISSUES, SUCH AS CARTILAGE, SYNOVIAL MEMBRANE, LIGAMENTS, TENDONS, AND MENISCUS,
AS WELL AS A FLUID THAT ENABLES MOBILITY IN THE JOINT.
COMMON BONE DISORDERS
1. OSTEOPOROSIS

• THIS COMMON DISEASE OCCURS WHEN BONES BECOME WEAK DUE TO CHANGES IN BONE MINERAL DENSITY AND MASS, CAUSING A
HIGHER RISK FOR FRACTURES. OSTEOPOROSIS IS KNOWN AS A “SILENT” DISEASE AS THERE ARE NO OBVIOUS SYMPTOMS UNTIL A BONE
ACTUALLY BREAKS. THESE FRACTURES CAN OCCUR ANYWHERE, BUT TYPICALLY IN THE HIP, SPINE, AND WRIST.
 
ALTHOUGH ANYONE CAN DEVELOP THIS DISEASE, OSTEOPOROSIS IS MORE PREVALENT IN OLDER WOMEN. ASIDE FROM AGING,
ADDITIONAL RISK FACTORS INCLUDE BEING OF SMALL STATURE, FAMILY HISTORY, CERTAIN MEDICATIONS, AND HAVING LOW BONE
DENSITY.

 2. FRACTURE

• A FRACTURE IS A BREAK IN A BONE WHICH OCCURS WHEN IT IS PUT UNDER SUDDEN OR VERY STRONG PRESSURE OR FORCE. THIS
COVERS FALLS, A DIRECT IMPACT ON THE BODY, AND SPORTS-RELATED INJURIES.
 
PEOPLE AT HIGH RISK OF GETTING FRACTURES ARE THE ELDERLY, INDIVIDUALS WITH OSTEOPOROSIS AND ENDOCRINE OR INTESTINAL
DISORDERS, AND THOSE TAKING CORTICOSTEROIDS. THERE ARE SEVERAL TYPES OF FRACTURES BUT ARE USUALLY CLASSIFIED AS
CLOSED OR OPEN, AND INCOMPLETE OR COMPLETE.
• CLOSED/OPEN FRACTURES
• A CLOSED OR SIMPLE FRACTURE IS WHEN THE BROKEN BONE DOES NOT BREAK THE SKIN.
CONVERSELY, AN OPEN OR COMPOUND FRACTURE HAPPENS WHEN THE ENDS OF A FRACTURED
BONE TEAR THROUGH THE SKIN. OPEN FRACTURES THAT EXPOSE THE BONE AND OTHER TISSUES
PUT THE INJURED AT GREATER RISK OF INFECTION.

•  INCOMPLETE/COMPLETE FRACTURES
• INCOMPLETE FRACTURES ARE WHEN THE BONE CRACKS WITHOUT BREAKING COMPLETELY,
KEEPING IT IN ONE PIECE. COMPLETE FRACTURES, MEANWHILE, HAPPEN WHEN THE BONE IS
SNAPPED OR CRUSHED INTO TWO OR MORE PIECES.
 
BOTH TYPES HAVE A SLEW OF VARIATIONS, DEPENDING ON HOW THE BONE BREAKS AND ITS
CONDITION AFTER BREAKAGE.
• 3. SCOLIOSIS
• SCOLIOSIS IS AN ABNORMAL CURVATURE OF THE SPINE RESULTING IN AN S OR C SHAPE. THE DISORDER OFTEN OCCURS IN A
CHILD’S GROWTH SPURT BEFORE PUBERTY, WITH CASES USUALLY DIAGNOSED IN THE FIRST SEVEN YEARS. IN AROUND 80%
 OF SCOLIOSIS CASES, NO IDENTIFIABLE CAUSES ARE FOUND, THOUGH IT MAY HAPPEN DUE TO BIRTH DEFECTS,
NEUROLOGICAL ABNORMALITIES, AND GENETIC CONDITIONS.
 
SYMPTOMS OF SCOLIOSIS DEPEND ON THE SEVERITY OF THE CONDITION, INCLUDING HAVING ONE SHOULDER BLADE HIGHER
OR MORE PROTRUSIVE THAN THE OTHER, UNEVEN HIPS, A ROTATING SPINE, BREATHING PROBLEMS, AND BACK PAIN.
 4. PAGET’S DISEASE

• PAGET’S DISEASE IS A CHRONIC DISORDER THAT AFFECTS THE WAY THAT BONES BREAK DOWN AND REGROW. THIS RESULTS
IN EXCESSIVE BREAKDOWN AND REGROWTH, LEADING TO BONES THAT ARE BIGGER AND SOFTER THAN USUAL. PAGET’S
DISEASE MAY ALSO CAUSE BONES TO GROW MISSHAPEN AND MORE PRONE TO FRACTURING.
 
SYMPTOMS OF PAGET’S DISEASE RARELY MANIFEST, AND WHEN THEY DO, THEY CAN BE SIMILAR TO THAT OF ARTHRITIS.
THESE INCLUDE PAIN IN THE AFFECTED AREA, HEADACHES AND HEARING LOSS (IF THE DISORDER AFFECTS THE SKULL),
PRESSURE ON THE NERVES (IF THE SKULL OR SPINE IS AFFECTED), DAMAGE TO THE CARTILAGE IN THE JOINTS, INCREASED
HEAD SIZE, LIMB BOWING, AND SPINE CURVATURE.
 COMMON JOINT DISORDERS

• 1. OSTEOARTHRITIS
• ONE OF THE MOST COMMON JOINT DISORDERS, OSTEOARTHRITIS ARISES WHEN THE CARTILAGE BETWEEN TWO JOINTS IS WORN DOWN. THIS CAUSES THE
BONES IN THE JOINT TO RUB TOGETHER, CAUSING SWELLING AND STIFFNESS IN THE AREA.
 
SYMPTOMS TYPICALLY OCCUR WAY INTO ADULTHOOD, WITH THE AVERAGE PERSON OVER 60 DISPLAYING SOME OF THE SYMPTOMS. RISK FACTORS FOR THIS
DISORDER INCLUDE AGE, WEIGHT, FREQUENCY AND INTENSITY OF JOINT ACTIVITY, SPORTS THAT DIRECTLY AFFECT THE JOINT, AND FAMILY HISTORY.

•
 2. RHEUMATOID ARTHRITIS

• RHEUMATOID ARTHRITIS IS AN AUTOIMMUNE AND INFLAMMATORY DISEASE THAT CAUSES THE BODY’S IMMUNE SYSTEM TO ATTACK HEALTHY CELLS
MISTAKENLY, LEADING TO INFLAMMATION OR PAINFUL SWELLING IN THE AFFECTED AREA. IT CAN ATTACK MULTIPLE JOINTS AT ONCE, USUALLY THE HANDS,
WRISTS, AND KNEES, AND DAMAGE THE JOINT TISSUE, LEADING TO CHRONIC PAIN, LACK OF BALANCE OR INSTABILITY, AND DEFORMITIES.
 
SIGNS OF RHEUMATOID ARTHRITIS INCLUDE PAIN AND STIFFNESS IN MULTIPLE JOINTS, AS WELL AS TENDERNESS AND SWELLING. THESE WILL OCCUR
SYMMETRICALLY ON BOTH SIDES OF THE BODY, LIKE IN BOTH WRISTS OR BOTH KNEES. OTHER SYMPTOMS ARE WEIGHT LOSS, FEVER, FATIGUE, AND
WEAKNESS.
 
WHILE THE PRIMARY CAUSE OF THE DISORDER IS UNKNOWN, FACTORS LIKE AGE, GENDER, GENETICS, EXPOSURE TO SMOKING AT A YOUNG AGE, AND
OBESITY HAVE BEEN LINKED TO AN INCREASED RISK OF CONTRACTING IT.
• 3. GOUT
• GOUT IS A COMMON FORM OF INFLAMMATORY ARTHRITIS MARKED BY INTENSE PAIN AND CAUSED BY TOO MUCH URIC ACID IN THE BODY. URIC ACID
CRYSTALS BUILD UP IN THE JOINTS AND SURROUNDING TISSUES IN THE BODY. THIS DISORDER TYPICALLY AFFECTS ONE JOINT AT A TIME, USUALLY
THE ONE CONNECTING THE BIG TOE. OTHER COMMONLY AFFLICTED JOINTS ARE THE LESSER TOE JOINTS, ANKLES, AND KNEES.
 
SYMPTOMS LIKE INTENSE PAIN, SWELLING, REDNESS, AND HEAT ARE KNOWN TO GET WORSE (“FLARES”) OR DISAPPEAR (“REMISSION”) ENTIRELY.
REPEATED INSTANCES OF GOUT MAY LEAD TO GOUTY ARTHRITIS, A SEVERE FORM OF ARTHRITIS.
 
INCREASED RISK FACTORS INCLUDE GENDER, OBESITY, CERTAIN HEALTH CONDITIONS, USE OF CERTAIN MEDICATIONS LIKE DIURETICS, AN
INCREASED INTAKE OF ALCOHOL AND HIGH-FRUCTOSE FOOD AND DRINK, AND A PURINE-RICH DIET.
 4. BURSITIS

• THIS DISORDER IS CHARACTERIZED BY THE INFLAMMATION OF THE BURSA, THE SMALL FLUID-FILLED SAC THAT SERVES AS A CUSHION BETWEEN THE
BONE AND OTHER MOVING PARTS LIKE MUSCLES, TENDONS, JOINTS, OR SKIN. THE BURSA MAY TURN RED AND INCREASE IN FLUID CONTENT,
LEADING TO PAINFUL SWELLING.
 
BURSITIS IS CAUSED BY OVERUSE OR AN INCREASED ACTIVITY LEVEL INVOLVING THE JOINT. TRAUMA OR A COMPLICATION FROM RHEUMATOID
ARTHRITIS, GOUT, OR INFECTION MAY ALSO BE A CULPRIT, ALTHOUGH THERE ARE CASES OF BURSITIS WHERE NO CAUSE CAN BE DETERMINED.
 
SYMPTOMS INCLUDE PAIN AND TENDERNESS WHEN PRESSING AROUND THE JOINT, STIFFNESS AND ACHES WHEN MOVING THE AFFLICTED JOINT, AND
SWELLING, WARMTH, OR REDNESS OVER THE JOINT ITSELF.
TREATMENT AND PREVENTION

• TREATING VARIOUS BONE AND JOINT DISEASES WILL DEPEND ON THEIR NATURE. FRACTURES
WILL NEED EMERGENCY MEDICAL ATTENTION, AND IF THE INJURY IS SEVERE, IT MAY REQUIRE
SURGERY. OTHER DISORDERS MAY REQUIRE SURGERY AS WELL, OR MEDICATION FOR LESS
SEVERE OR CHRONIC AFFLICTIONS. BRACING, ORTHO VISITS, 
PHYSICAL MEDICAL REHABILITATION, AND LIFESTYLE AND BEHAVIORAL CHANGES ARE ALSO
RECOMMENDED.
 
IN MOST CASES, LIVING A HEALTHIER LIFESTYLE IS THE BEST ONE CAN DO TO PREVENT THE
ONSET OF THESE CONDITIONS. EATING A WELL-BALANCED DIET, ENGAGING IN REGULAR
EXERCISE, AND GETTING THE RECOMMENDED DOSES OF VITAMINS AND MINERALS CAN GO A
LONG WAY IN STRENGTHENING AND MAINTAINING ONE’S BONES AND JOINTS.
CARDIOVASCULAR PROBLEM
• CHAMBERS: THE HEART IS DIVIDED BY A SEPTUM INTO TWO HALVES. THE HALVES
ARE IN TURN DIVIDED INTO CHAMBERS. THE UPPER TWO CHAMBERS OF THE
HEART ARE CALLED ATRIA AND THE LOWER TWO CHAMBERS ARE CALLED
VENTRICLES.

• VALVES: ALLOW BLOOD TO FLOW IN ONE DIRECTION BETWEEN THE CHAMBERS OF

THE HEART. 
DISEASES OF THE HEART
• THE DISEASES AND CONDITIONS AFFECTING THE HEART ARE COLLECTIVELY
KNOWN AS HEART DISEASE.

• THE HEART CONSISTS OF A MUSCLE THAT PUMPS BLOOD, ARTERIES THAT SUPPLY
BLOOD TO THE HEART MUSCLE, AND VALVES THAT ENSURE THAT THE BLOOD
WITHIN THE HEART IS PUMPED IN THE CORRECT DIRECTION.

• PROBLEMS CAN ARISE IN ANY OF THESE AREAS. LIKE CARDIOVASCULAR DISEASE,

HEART DISEASE IS A TERM THAT'S SOMEWHAT LOOSE AND BROAD, AND IT'S OFTEN
USED THAT WAY.

• HEART DISEASE IS AN UMBRELLA TERM FOR A NUMBER OF DIFFERENT DISEASES

WHICH AFFECT THE HEART.
THE MOST COMMON HEART DISEASES ARE:
• CORONARY ARTERY DISEASE
• CORONARY HEART DISEASE
• ISCHAEMIC HEART DISEASE
• CARDIOVASCULAR DISEASE
• PULMONARY HEART DISEASE
• HEREDITARY HEART DISEASE
• HYPERTENSIVE HEART DISEASE
• INFLAMMATORY HEART DISEASE
• VALVULAR HEART DISEASE.
• PERICARDIAL DISEASE
• CONGENITAL HEART DISEASE
• HEART FAILURE
• CORONARY ARTERY DISEASE (CAD): THESE ARE DISEASES OF THE ARTERIES THAT
SUPPLY THE HEART MUSCLE WITH BLOOD. CAD IS ONE OF THE MOST
COMMON FORMS OF HEART DISEASE AND THE LEADING CAUSE OF HEART
ATTACKS. IT GENERALLY MEANS THAT BLOOD FLOW THROUGH THE
CORONARY ARTERIES HAS BECOME OBSTRUCTED. THE MOST COMMON
CAUSE OF SUCH OBSTRUCTIONS IS A CONDITION CALLED
ATHEROSCLEROSIS, A LARGELY PREVENTABLE TYPE OF VASCULAR DISEASE.
CORONARY ARTERY DISEASE CAN LEAD TO OTHER HEART PROBLEMS, SUCH
AS CHEST PAIN (ANGINA) AND HEART ATTACK (MYOCARDIAL INFARCTION).
 CORONARY HEART DISEASE: A DISEASE OF THE HEART ITSELF CAUSED BY THE
ACCUMULATION OF ATHERMANOUS PLAQUES WITHIN THE WALLS OF THE ARTERIES
THAT SUPPLY THE MYOCARDIUM
• ISCHEMIC HEART DISEASE: ANOTHER DISEASE OF THE HEART ITSELF, CHARACTERIZED BY
REDUCED BLOOD SUPPLY TO THE ORGAN.
• CARDIOVASCULAR DISEASE: A SUB-UMBRELLA TERM FOR A NUMBER OF DISEASES THAT
THAT AFFECT THE HEART ITSELF AND/OR THE BLOOD VESSEL SYSTEM, ESPECIALLY
THE VEINS AND ARTERIES LEADING TO AND FROM THE HEART. CAUSES OF
CARDIOVASCULAR DISEASE INCLUDE DIABETES MELLITUS, HYPERTENSION AND
HYPERCHOLESTEROLEMIA.

• PULMONARY HEART DISEASE:

A FAILURE OF THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE HEART.
• HEREDITARY HEART DISEASE: HEART DISEASE CAUSED BY UNAVOIDABLE GENETIC
FACTORS

• HYPERTENSIVE HEART DISEASE: HEART DISEASE CAUSED BY HIGH BLOOD PRESSURE,

ESPECIALLY LOCALIZED HIGH BLOOD PRESSURE .
• INFLAMMATORY HEART DISEASE: HEART DISEASE THAT INVOLVES INFLAMMATION OF THE
HEART MUSCLE AND OR THE TISSUE SURROUNDING IT.
• VALVULAR HEART DISEASE: HEART DISEASE THAT AFFECTS THE VALVES OF THE HEART.
• PERICARDIAL DISEASE: THESE ARE DISEASES OF THE SAC THAT ENCASES THE HEART
(PERICARDIUM). PERICARDIAL DISORDERS INCLUDE INFLAMMATION (PERICARDITIS),
FLUID ACCUMULATION (PERICARDIAL EFFUSION) AND STIFFNESS (CONSTRICTIVE
PERICARDITIS). THESE CAN OCCUR ALONE OR TOGETHER. THE CAUSES OF
PERICARDIAL DISEASE VARY, AS DO THE PROBLEMS THEY MAY LEAD TO. FOR
INSTANCE, PERICARDITIS CAN OCCUR AFTER A HEART ATTACK AND, AS A RESULT,
LEAD TO PERICARDIAL EFFUSION OR CHEST PAIN.
• CONGENITAL HEART DISEASE: THESE ARE FORMS OF HEART DISEASE THAT DEVELOP
BEFORE BIRTH (CONGENITAL). CONGENITAL HEART DISEASE IS A BROAD TERM AND
INCLUDES A WIDE RANGE OF DISEASES AND CONDITIONS. THESE DISEASES CAN
AFFECT THE FORMATION OF THE HEART MUSCLE OR ITS CHAMBERS OR VALVES.
THEY INCLUDE SUCH CONDITIONS AS NARROWING OF A SECTION OF THE AORTA
(COARCTATION) OR HOLES IN THE HEART (ATRIAL OR VENTRICULAR SEPTAL
DEFECT). SOME CONGENITAL HEART DEFECTS MAY BE APPARENT RIGHT AT THE
TIME OF BIRTH, WHILE OTHERS MAY NOT BE DETECTED UNTIL LATER IN LIFE.
• HEART FAILURE: OFTEN CALLED CONGESTIVE HEART FAILURE, IS A CONDITION IN WHICH THE HEART
CAN'T PUMP ENOUGH BLOOD TO THE BODY'S ORGANS AND TISSUES. IT DOESN'T MEAN
THE HEART HAS FAILED AND CAN'T PUMP BLOOD AT ALL. WITH THIS LESS EFFECTIVE
PUMPING, VITAL ORGANS DON'T GET ENOUGH BLOOD, CAUSING SUCH SIGNS AND
SYMPTOMS AS SHORTNESS OF BREATH, FLUID RETENTION AND FATIGUE. CONGESTIVE
HEART FAILURE IS TECHNICALLY RESERVED FOR SITUATIONS IN WHICH HEART FAILURE
HAS LED TO FLUID BUILDUP IN THE BODY. NOT ALL HEART FAILURE IS CONGESTIVE, BUT
THE TERMS ARE OFTEN USED INTERCHANGEABLY. HEART FAILURE MAY DEVELOP
SUDDENLY OR OVER MANY YEARS. IT MAY OCCUR AS A RESULT OF OTHER
CARDIOVASCULAR CONDITIONS THAT HAVE DAMAGED OR WEAKENED THE HEART,
SUCH AS CORONARY ARTERY DISEASE OR CARDIOMYOPATHY
 RESPIRATORY PROBLEM
• RESPIRATORY DISEASES MAY BE CAUSED BY INFECTION, BY SMOKING TOBACCO, OR BY
BREATHING IN SECONDHAND TOBACCO SMOKE, RADON, ASBESTOS, OR OTHER FORMS OF AIR
POLLUTION. RESPIRATORY DISEASES INCLUDE ASTHMA, CHRONIC OBSTRUCTIVE PULMONARY
DISEASE (COPD), PULMONARY FIBROSIS, PNEUMONIA, AND LUNG CANCER.
COMMON RESPIRATORY DISEASE SYMPTOMS

1. DIFFICULTY BREATHING

• WHILE IT'S COMMON TO FEEL A SHORTNESS OF BREATH DURING EXERCISE, IF IT DOESN'T GO AWAY—OR IS PRESENT WHEN YOU AREN'T
EXERTING YOURSELF—YOU SHOULD BE CONCERNED. ANY DIFFICULTY BREATHING SHOULD BE EVALUATED BY A PHYSICIAN.
2. STUBBORN COUGH

• IF YOU'VE HAD A COUGH THAT HASN'T CLEARED UP AFTER A MONTH OR LONGER, IT'S CONSIDERED CHRONIC. IT MIGHT ALSO BE A SIGN OF
SOME KIND OF RESPIRATORY AILMENT. IT'S IMPORTANT TO TALK WITH A DOCTOR IF YOU HAVE A STUBBORN, CHRONIC COUGH.
3. BREATHING NOISILY

• IF YOU ARE WHEEZING OR BREATHING NOISILY, IT COULD BE AN INDICATION THAT YOUR AIRWAYS HAVE BECOME OBSTRUCTED. IT'S CRUCIAL
TO ADDRESS THIS ISSUE AS SOON AS THE FIRST SIGNS EMERGE.
4. LINGERING CHEST PAIN

• IF YOU ARE HAVING SUDDEN  AND SEVERE  CHEST PAIN, YOU SHOULD CONSIDER GOING TO THE ER RIGHT AWAY. HOWEVER, CHEST PAIN CAN
SOMETIMES BE MILD AND LINGERING. IF IT LASTS FOR MORE THAN A MONTH—AND GETS WORSE WHEN YOU COUGH OR TAKE A DEEP BREATH
—THIS IS DEFINITELY SOMETHING TO TELL YOUR DOCTOR ABOUT.
5. CHRONIC MUCUS

• MUCUS IS YOUR BODY'S NATURAL DEFENSE AGAINST INFECTION AND OTHER IRRITANTS. IF YOU'VE

BEEN COUGHING UP PHLEGM OR FEELING DRAINAGE IN YOUR CHEST FOR MORE THAN A MONTH,
THIS COULD BE A SIGN OF A RESPIRATORY ILLNESS.
6. COUGHING UP BLOOD

• THE BLOOD THAT ESCAPES IN A COUGH MAY COME FROM YOUR LUNGS OR RESPIRATORY TRACT.
NO MATTER THE CAUSE, COUGHING UP BLOOD IS SERIOUS AND YOU SHOULD SEE YOUR DOCTOR
RIGHT AWAY.
 COMMON RESPIRATORY DISEASES

• ASTHMA
THIS CHRONIC RESPIRATORY CONDITION CAUSES INFLAMMATION IN THE BODY'S AIRWAYS AND
CAN MAKE IT DIFFICULT TO BREATHE. WHILE ASTHMA USUALLY BEGINS DURING CHILDHOOD,
ADULTS CAN BE DIAGNOSED AT ANY TIME. INDIVIDUALS WHO HAVE ASTHMA MAY NEED TO USE
INHALERS TO HELP MANAGE THEIR SYMPTOMS.
PNEUMONIA

• THIS INFECTION OCCURS IN THE AIR SACS OF THE LUNGS. WHILE THE RECOVERY TIME IS
USUALLY ONE TO THREE WEEKS, PNEUMONIA CAN BE SERIOUS AND EVEN LIFE-THREATENING.
PEOPLE OVER THE AGE OF 65 ARE ENCOURAGED TO GET A PNEUMONIA VACCINE.
• COPD
CHRONIC OBSTRUCTIVE PULMONARY DISEASE, OR COPD, APPLIES TO SEVERAL DIFFERENT
RESPIRATORY DISEASES THAT CAUSE DIFFICULTY BREATHING. THIS INCLUDES CHRONIC
BRONCHITIS AND EMPHYSEMA. COPD CAN DEVELOP SLOWLY OVER A NUMBER OF YEARS AND IS
OFTEN MISTAKEN FOR NORMAL SIGNS OF AGING. THESE SYMPTOMS SHOULD NOT BE IGNORED AS
COPD IS THE THIRD LEADING CAUSE OF DEATH IN THE UNITED STATES, ACCORDING TO THE
AMERICAN LUNG ASSOCIATION. PEOPLE WHO SMOKE HAVE A HIGHER RISK OF COPD.

• LUNG CANCER
CANCER CAN DEVELOP IN ANY PART OF YOUR LUNGS AND CAN OFTEN TAKE SEVERAL YEARS FOR
SYMPTOMS TO APPEAR. LUNG CANCER IS THE DEADLIEST CANCER FOR BOTH MEN AND WOMEN.