Asthma is a disease of the lung airways. The airways get swollen and inflamed. They react easily to certain things, like viruses, smoke, or pollen. When the inflamed airways react, they get narrow. This makes it hard to breathe. About 20 million Americans have asthma. Nearly five million are children. Many children outgrow asthma in […]
Part 15 of Healthy Sleep Guide. In people who have sleep apnea (also referred to as sleep-disordered breathing), breathing briefly stops or becomes very shallow during sleep. This change is caused by intermittent blocking of the upper airway, usually when the soft tissue in the rear of the throat collapses and partially or completely closes […]
Exposure to asbestos usually occurs by breathing contaminated air in workplaces that make or use asbestos. Asbestos is also found in the air of buildings that are being torn down or renovated. Asbestos exposure can cause serious lung problems and cancer. This substance has been found at 83 of the 1,585 National Priorities List sites […]