A study of Common Lung Diseases in India reveals that Lung Diseases have the potential to become the biggest cause of death in India by 2020. In the Indian context, a country with the second largest population in the world (over 1.2 billion people), and a diversity whichcovers almost all the known terrains and climate, the risk is one of the highest. The present numbers indicate that more than 100 million people suffer from Lung Diseases in India. Some of the Common Lung Diseases have been discussed in this article.
Lung Cancer
Lung Cancer has the highest mortality rate among all forms of cancer. Lung Cancer in Indiahas reached a status ofspecial concern as the rate of new cases has grown to 15-20% annually. It is especiallyworse in India as Lung Cancer is usually detected only at the advance stages. €Regular Lung Checkup is still to find its proper place ofimportance in India. Patients usually wait for the symptoms to worsen before going to the doctor. This has to change for a decrease in the mortality rate of Lung Cancer.€ said Dr. HimanshuGarg, Lung Specialist in Gurgaon. Another major concern is that the average age for Lung Cancer in India is early 50s against the world average of mid 60s.
Lung Cancer occurs on the growth, followed by the expansion of a lung tumor in the tissues of the lung. The most common symptoms of Lung Cancer include coughing blood, breathlessness, weight-loss and chest pain. Smoking cigarettes is the leadingcause of Lung Cancer, accounting fora whopping 90% of the cases.The other commoncauses are exposure to radon gas, asbestos, air pollution, and genetic inheritances.
Asthma
Asthma is a chronic inflammatory disorder of the airways which leads to recurring episodes of wheezing, breathlessness and chest pain. The inflammation of the airways causes limitation in breathing,resulting in the breathlessness. Early morning and late nights are the most probabletime periods for asthmatic attacks. Although prevalence rates of 2%-4% in India are low compared to the global scenario, it is still a major cause of worry. Additionally, there is no dedicated health program in India to tackle Asthma. Asthma is not completely curable but can be controlled with medication and appropriate lifestyle.
There are several reasons for asthma which include environmental factors, hygiene hypothesis (decreased exposure to non pathogenic viruses and bacteria during childhood), genetic inheritances, and medical conditions. It is important to treat asthma at the earliest by a Lung Specialist. Untreated asthma is a leading cause of death in India.
COPD (Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease)
COPD is a type of obstructive Lung Disease which decreases the flow of air. Shortness of breath and productive cough are the most common symptoms of COPD. India, being a fast growing nation, provides ideal conditions for the growth of COPD. Fast changing environments are one of the key causes of the disease. Apart from that, smoking, air pollution, occupational hazards, and genetic inheritances are also some of the reasons for COPD.
Pneumonia
Pneumonia is the inflammation of the lung, mostly in the alveoli. Caused due to infection, Pneumonia is the leading cause of death of children in India, killing 1.6 million children under the age of 5 years every year. Since it is contagious, Pneumonia is additionally dangerous. Although the most common causes are infections due to viruses and bacteria, other agents like hypersensitivity reaction and drugs also have a hand.The symptoms include cough and nasal discharge accompanied byfever. Immediate consultation with a Pulmonologistis very important as the patient maybe required to be admitted.
The above are the top 4 Lung Diseases in India. When it comes to organs as vital as the lungs, prevention is way better than cure. However, treatment at the early stages ensuresfast recovery or sufficient control over its increase. If any of the above symptoms persist for more than a week, rushing to a Lung Specialist should be the immediate next step. We no longer live in times when a common cold always gets cured without medical attention. Common cold and fever are often indications of more serious ailments like the above.