What are the most common failures of the respiratory system?
The world saw the most heart-wrenching situation in the past two years- the era of COVID PANDEMIC. Our respiratory health needs utmost attention as a huge population was impacted by this widespread pandemic. People are facing respiratory failure due to various reasons. Let’s dive into the information regarding Respiratory failures and their causes, and side effects. You must consult a respiratory specialist in South Delhi if you are facing any trouble breathing.
What is Respiratory Failure?
This is a condition in which the blood in our body doesn’t receive sufficient oxygen or has too much carbon dioxide. Sometimes, they can even have both problems.
In the breathing process, the lungs take too much oxygen. The oxygen then passes into the blood that is carried into the organs. Oxygen-rich blood is required for the functioning of your heart, brain, and various other organs.
Another important task performed is the removal of Carbon dioxide from the blood and breathing it out. Having too much blood can be harmful to your organs.
What are the causes of respiratory failure?
Any condition that affects your breathing can cause a breathing failure. These conditions can also be harmful to muscles, nerves, bones, or tissues that help in breathing. They can even affect the lungs directly. These conditions include:
- The diseases that can affect the lungs like COPD, Pneumonia, Pulmonary embolism, and COVID-19.
- The conditions affect the nerves and muscles controlling the breathing process. Like myotrophic lateral sclerosis, spinal cord injuries, muscular dystrophy, and stroke.
- Damage to the tissues and ribs that are present around the lungs. Any injury to the chest can cause this damage.
- There can be inhalation injuries that are caused by inhaling smoke from fires or harmful fumes.
What are the major symptoms of respiratory failure?
The symptoms of respiratory failure are completely dependent on the cause as well as the level of oxygen and carbon dioxide in your blood. When the oxygen level in the blood is less, it can cause shortness of breath. The indication of less blood is the appearance of bluish color in the skin colour, lips, and even the fingernails. However, the rapid breathing and confusion are due to the high carbon dioxide level present.
Some people might even face respiratory failure or becomes very sleepy or even lose consciousness. They may have an irregular heartbeat called arrhythmia.
How can a doctor diagnose respiratory failure?
Your respiratory specialist can diagnose the respiratory failure based on various things:
- The medical history one has
- Listening to your lungs for any type of abnormal sounds.
- Looking for bluish color in the skin.
- One can also get various diagnostic tests like:
- Pulse Oximetry
- Arterial blood gas test.
Once you are diagnosed with respiratory failure, the best doctor in South Delhi
looks for the reason behind it. The tests generally include a chest X-ray.
What are various treatments for respiratory failure?
The treatments for the respiratory failures are dependent on:
- Whether it is short-term or long-term.
- The severity of the situation
- Reasons behind its cause.
The treatment involves getting oxygen to your lungs and other parts of the body and removing carbon dioxide from the body. The treatments generally include:
- Oxygen therapy This is done through a nasal cannula or any mask that can easily fit over the nose or mouth.
- Tracheostomy It is a surgical hole that is made through the front of your neck to the windpipe.
- Ventilator The machine that blows air into your lungs. It helps in carrying carbon dioxide out of the lung.
- Fluids These are often intravenous to improve the flow of blood throughout the body.
- Medicines These help in easing the discomfort.
It is utmost important to take care of your respiratory system. The diagnosis of any underlying problem of respiratory failure is quite a challenging task. You must visit the best respiratory specialist in South Delhi. Dr. Satya Ranjan Sahu is dedicated and well-known for his work. The patients are well-looked by the respiratory therapists for the administration of oxygen or chest therapy.
To get an appointment-
Call Us: +91-8447375725
or visit http://drsatyaranjansahu.com/
