Have you taken a good care of your lungs? Do you know how important it is to have healthy lungs? Or are you even aware of the risks involved when you have an unhealthy lung? If your answer is a no, then you are in big trouble. You just don’t know it but you can quite possibly be a victim of lung diseases.
How can you breathe without your lungs? What is the significance of your lungs to your respiratory system? Your lungs are among the most important organs you need to survive. Lungs are, after all, the organ accountable for breathing. So, if you have exposed your lungs to hazardous practice and chemicals, expect to have poor and endangered lungs. Plus, your respiratory system may also be malfunctioning.
Like any other organ of your body, your lungs also has its limitations. If you have a good breathing ability, that’s a sign of healthy lungs. However, when you are suffering from lung infections, diseases and illnesses, you most definitely are suffering from poor and unhealthy lungs. When it comes to lung diseases, illnesses and infections, there are just too many that we must be aware of. One of which is fungal lung infection. What is fungal infection then? Are there any other types of fungal infection? What is the best way to avoid this fungal lung infection? If you want the answers to your questions, read on.
Fungal lung infections are obviously caused by fungal attack. How does this fungal infection occur? There are so many ways to acquire fungal lung infection. One mode of fungal acquisition is by inhaling fungal spores. Since fungus exists in every corner of the universe, you can acquire fungal infection with just a single breath. Of course, you will automatically get sick the moment you breathe fungal spores. Another mode of fungal acquisition is through fungal transmission. What is this all about? There are times that fungal infections begin in another part of your body. Without you knowing it, it slowly spreads and attacks your respiratory system.
Furthermore, fungal lung infection has three major types. The three types of fungal lung infection are Blastomycosis, Histoplasmosis and Coccidiomycosis.
Histoplasmosis
This type of fungal infection is caused by the Histoplasma capsulatum fungus. Breathing in this fungus might reach your lung alveoli, causing you to get sick. This type of infection is a little tricky because you don’t automatically experience symptoms right after acquiring the fungus. It would take almost 14 days after contamination before the symptoms such as fatigue, chest pain and dyspnea will occur.
Blastomycosis
This type of infection can still be acquired by breathing. Breathing the Blastomycosis dermatitidis fungus from wood and soil can cause this. Some of the risky activities such as logging, hunting and camping can cause acquisition of this fungus. Although Blastomycosis is very unusual, chest pain, fatigue, fever and shortness of breath are some of its symptoms which you need to pay attention to.
Coccidiomycosis
This is another type of fungal infection that is caused by breathing in the fungus. In this case, it will be breathing in the Coccidioides immitis fungus, which is found in the desert regions. The usual symptoms of Coccidiomycosis are fever, chills, chest pain and coughing up blood in the sputum. When you are exposed to this fungus frequently, you will experience weight loss as well loss of appetite.
Fungal lung infections are scary when you are not taking good care of your health. This infection could lead to a higher risk and can even cause death when not treated. If you want to live longer, guard yourself against this infection by living a healthy lifestyle.