Billions of people suffer from pneumonia each year. This type of lung infection remains one of the top reasons for both adults and children alike to be hospitalized. In 2017 alone, pneumonia accounted for 15% of deaths among children five years and under worldwide.

About a million adults in the US become hospitalized each year because of pneumonia. With COVID-19 being experienced on a global scale, the statistics for pneumonia-related hospitalizations and deaths are expected to rise.

But what exactly happens when you have pneumonia? Let’s take a look at what causes this lung infection, as well as its symptoms and treatment. Continue reading →

Asthma is one of the most common lung diseases in the world. It is estimated that at least 339 million people around the world suffer from asthma, and it is more prevalent among children. In the United States alone, one out of twelve children is diagnosed with asthma.

Asthma is a chronic inflammatory disease of the lungs. As the lungs’ airways become inflamed, the patient experiences difficulty in breathing, making physical activities cumbersome or, in some cases, even impossible to perform.

People with asthma are considered immuno-compromised and are at a larger risk for respiratory infections such as COVID-19 since many of asthma’s symptoms also worsen the symptoms of a virus in the body. Furthermore, an asthma attack closely resembles some of the signs of COVID-19. To better understand what asthma is, let’s take a look at the disease’s symptoms, causes, and how asthma attacks can be prevented. Continue reading →