Respiratory diseases

These include diseases of the lung, pleural cavity, bronchial tubes, trachea, and upper respiratory tract and of the nerves and muscles of breathing. Respiratory diseases range from mild and self-limiting, such as the common cold, to threatening, such as bacterial pneumonia, pulmonary embolism, tuberculosis, damage to lungs due to cigarette smoke (chronic obstructive airways disease) and lung cancer.

Symptoms: loss of weight, loss of appetite, night sweat, chest pain, shortness of breath, haemoptysis (coughing up blood), cough (dry or wet).

Diagnosis & Treatment: see your doctor for a clinical examination and special investigations e.g. ECG, lung function and chest X-ray.