Essay: Asthma, Lung Cancer and Sinusitis

Asthma
This is a common illness that causes the person to cough, wheeze, the chest can become tight and they may experience difficulties in breathing.  It can develop at any age and for people who developed it in childhood they may grow out of it in their teens.  If managed properly it doesn’t affect the quality of life.
Causes
It is not fully known why someone can develop asthma, but there are a number factors and for some people it may be a combination of reasons, such as:
• There’s a family history of asthma, eczema or any allergies – for example, evidence shows that if one or both parents have asthma, you are more likely to have it.
• You have eczema or an allergy, such as hay fever (an allergy to pollen).
• You had bronchiolitis (a common childhood lung infection) as a child.
• You were born prematurely, especially if you needed a ventilator to help you breathe after birth.
• Your birth weight was low because you didn’t grow at a normal rate in the womb (this can be caused by various factors).
• Your mother smoked while she was pregnant.
• One or both parents smoked whilst you were a child.
• Spent prolonged periods around people who smoke.
• Exposed to certain substances at work (known as occupational asthma).
• Hormones can affect asthma symptoms, some women first develop asthma before and after the menopause. (asthmauk.net)
Asthma is a result of the bronchi becoming inflamed and sensitive, when the sufferer comes into contact with a certain substance or particles that irritates the lungs this causes the airways to narrow, the muscles tighten and phlegm to be produced.
There are a number of irritants (triggers) that can cause this:
• House dust mites
• Animal fur
• Pollen
• Cigarette smoke
• Exercise
• Weather conditions
• Medication
• Viral infections (NHS.Choice.net)
Occupational asthma – This type of asthma is a consequence of the substances you may be exposed to at work, the risk increases if you are exposed on a regular basis.  The most common substances are:
• Isocyanates (chemicals often found in spray paint)
• Flour and grain dust
• Colophony (a substance often found in solder fumes)
• Latex
• Animals
• Wood dust (NHS.Choice.net)
Signs & Symptoms
The symptoms can be from very mild to severe.  In most cases it is only mild and you can lead a ‘normal’ live.  In some cases the symptoms are severe and will need medical treatment.  The symptoms can be worse during the night or first thing in the morning.  The common symptoms are:
• Wheezing
• Coughing
• Shortness of breath
• Tightness in the chest (asthma.uk.net)
In some cases the symptoms can get severely worse and this is referred to as an ‘asthma attack’, for some people they can be prone to these attacks and they can come on unexpectedly.  They can develop slowly and it can take a few days before the full blown attack happens.
The symptoms are the same as above but are more intense and the usual form of relief may not work, and in these cases medical treatment will need to be sought.
If asthma is managed properly, you take the prescribed medication regularly and manage your exposure to the triggers then the symptoms will be very mild and in some cases you may be symptom free.
Lung Cancer
One of the more common types of cancer and usually affects older people, the cause is usually known, and the most common is smoking.
Causes
There are two main types of lung cancer:
• Small-cell lung cancer – named this because the cells are small.  Usual cause is smoking and rare for non-smokers to develop this form.  This type spreads fast.
• Non-small-cell lung cancer – the most common type, three types squamous cell carcinoma (affects airways), adenocarcinoma (developed in mucus producing cells), large cell carcinoma (found in large, rounded cells).
Lung cancer normally starts in the lining of the airway into the lungs the bronchi.  It is a result of some cells becoming abnormal and as they reproduce they produce more abnormal cells, which then form together into a lump/tumour.  In some cases the lump isn’t cancerous.  There are a number of causes the main one being smoking.
Smoking – This is the main cause.  Smoked produced from tobacco contains over 60 toxic substances that are cancer producing toxins.  Cigarette smoke isn’t the only culprit the following products also increase the risk of developing lung cancer:
• Cigars
• Pipe tobacco
• Snuff (a powdered form of tobacco)
• Chewing tobacco
• Smoking cannabis – Cannabis contains substances that are cancer producing toxins.  Most cannabis smokers mix the cannabis with tobacco, inhale more deeply and hold the smoke in their lungs for longer.   (NHS.Choices.net)
Passive smoking – Regular exposure to someone else’s cigarette smoke increases the risk of lung cancer.  Sharing a home with a smoker increases the risk by 25%.
Radon – This a natural radioactive gas which can leak out of soils and rocks in the form of uranium, usually safe outdoors, but can be found in some buildings where the amount can build up.  If breathed in regularly can cause lung cancer, especially if the person smokes.
Pollution and occupational exposure – Chemicals and substances used in certain workplaces can slightly increases the risk of developing lung cancer, these being:
• Arsenic
• Asbestos
• Beryllium
• Cadmium
• Coal and coke fumes
• Silica
• Nickel (NHS Choices.net)
Living in built-up areas increases the exposure to car fumes especially diesel fumes which can increase the risk of developing lung cancer.
Symptoms
At the start most people will have no symptoms, as the cancer develops the main signs are:
• Cough up blood
• Feel short of breath
• Have pain in your chest or shoulder
• Lose weight unexpectedly
• Feel tired
Less common symptoms include:
• Swelling of your face or neck
• A hoarse voice
• Broadening or thickening of the tips of your fingers (called clubbing)
(Bupa.net)
Sinusitis
An inflammation of the linings of the sinuses (air-filled gaps within the bones of the face, surrounding the nasal area).
Causes
The sinuses produce mucus which normally drains into the nasal cavity via small drainage channels.  When the lining of the sinuses becomes inflamed and swollen this can cause the sinuses and the nasal opening to become blocked.  Air is then trapped within the nasal/sinus cavity which causes the pressure to build up resulting in pain.  This is normally a result of a viral infection (cold).
There a number of types of sinusitis:
Acute sinusitis – a sudden onset of cold-like symptoms such as a runny nose, stuffy nose and facial pain, normally lasts about a week.
Chronic sinusitis – a condition characterised by sinus inflammation symptoms lasting more than 12 weeks.
Recurrent sinusitis – several attacks within a year. (Boots webmd.net)
Signs & Symptoms
The pain can occur in different areas around the nasal cavity, depending on which sinuses are blocked.  The symptoms include:
Acute Sinusitis:
• Facial pain/pressure
• Nasal stuffiness
• Nasal discharge
• Loss of smell
• Cough/congestion
May also include:
• Fever
• Bad breath
• Fatigue
• Dental pain
Chronic Sinusitis
• Facial congestion/fullness
• A nasal obstruction/blockage
• Puss in the nasal cavity
• Nasal discharge/discoloured postnasal drainage
May also include:
• Headaches
• Bad breath
• Fever
• Fatigue
• Dental pain
Other symptoms include
• A blocked or stuffy nose
• Loss of the sense of smell or a reduced sense of smell
• Green or yellow mucus, which can drain down the back of the nose into the throat
• A fever, particularly in acute sinusitis
(Boots webmd.net)