How we breathe

Today I am sharing some information about how breathing works.

When you inhale, the diaphragm contracts and moves downward, making more space in the chest. This lowers pressure in the lungs, so air flows in.

When you exhale, the diaphragm relaxes and moves upward. The chest space becomes smaller, pressure increases, and air is pushed out.

There is also gas exchange this happens in the alveoli. Oxygen from inhaled air passes through thin alveolar walls into the bloodstream. At the same time, carbon dioxide moves from the blood into the alveoli so it can be breathed out.

Why does it matter, well out respiratory system works closely with the circulatory system. The lungs supply oxygen to the blood, and the heart pumps that oxygen-rich blood around the body. Without oxygen, cells cannot efficiently release energy from food.

There are some common respiratory conditions such as:

Asthma

Bronchitis

Pneumonia

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease

Lung infections

Allergies affecting the airways

Then of course there is cancer and not just lung cancer but others. The cancers that affect the respiratory system are the following:

Lung cancer – the most common respiratory-system cancer; it starts in the lung tissue and can make breathing difficult.

Tracheal cancer – affects the windpipe, which carries air to and from the lungs.

Bronchial cancer – affects the bronchi, the large airways that branch into the lungs.

Laryngeal cancer – affects the voice box and can impact breathing, speaking, and swallowing.

Throat/pharyngeal cancer – can affect the upper airway and may interfere with breathing and swallowing.

Mesothelioma – a cancer of the lining around the lungs, often linked to asbestos exposure.

Metastatic cancer in the lungs – cancer that starts elsewhere in the body but spreads to the lungs.