The lung is a paired organ that serves respiration in humans and air-breathing vertebrates. The efficiency of respiration is called lung volume. The lungs take in oxygen and excrete carbon dioxide. On either side of the human body, two lungs lie in the thoracic cavity, separated by the mediastinum. While the right lung has two lobes, the left lung has three. The lungs are in turn subdivided by the branched bronchi. The place of gas exchange, i.e. the conversion of inhaled oxygen into carbon dioxide occurs in the alveoli. They have a bubble-like structure and give the lungs a spongy appearance.
What is lung volume?
Lung volume is used to name various volumes of space in the lungs that are occupied by air during breathing. Lung volume is the name given to various volumes of space in the lungs occupied by air during breathing. These are determined by inhalation and exhalation, i.e. inspiration and expiration. Inspiration of the lungs is the phase of the respiratory cycle in which air enters the pathways of the lungs through active work of breathing. This is done by tensing the respiratory muscles. When breathing is particularly forceful, the auxiliary respiratory muscles are added. During inhalation, only a certain part of the possible volume of the lungs is filled. However, through exertion, more respiratory air can enter the lungs. This extra volume is called the inspiratory reserve volume. As a rule, this is around three liters. Expiration, on the other hand, is the phase of the respiratory cycle in which air leaves the lungs and is therefore exhaled. This occurs under resting conditions through the relaxation of the diaphragm, through the rib cage and through the elasticity of the lungs. Forced exhalation can take place with the aid of the entire respiratory musculature, the auxiliary respiratory musculature and the intercostal musculature. The latter has a herringbone-like skeletal musculature that forms between the chest wall and extends and stretches between the ribs. Along with the work of the diaphragm, it serves as the most important part of the entire respiratory musculature, raising and lowering ribs and making inhalation and exhalation possible in the first place. During expiration, the lungs are only partially emptied by the exhaled gas. The volume of gas that remains is called the end-expiratory lung volume. What remains is the expiratory reserve volume, which can also be exhaled by exertion. The remaining portion of air that cannot be exhaled is called the residual volume. The volume of air breathed at rest by the body is about half a liter. The respiratory time volume, in turn, is the volume that is breathed in a very specific period of time. This is measured in liters per minute, from which the respiratory frequency is derived, which is then multiplied by the respiratory volume. This is approximately 7.5 liters per minute when a person is at rest.
Function and task
In a healthy adult human, lung volume is about three liters. For athletes and competitive swimmers, it is eight liters, and for extreme divers, it can be as high as ten liters. In fact, athletic respiratory activity also improves lung volume, increases it, and allows the lungs and respiratory system to perform better. Other possibilities are breathing techniques used, for example, in meditative exercises or yoga. To test the lung volume itself, there are various ways (such as the candle or balloon test), but they allow only an approximate value. Also, through such means, a person gains an impression of his performance and endurance. Exercises also help to increase one’s lung volume. In the candle test, a candle is lit and placed about one meter away. If it is possible to blow out the candle from this distance, the lung volume is excellent. The balloon test can also be used to demonstrate lung volume by showing how bulging the balloon becomes when it is blown in once. This expiratory vital capacity is an indicator of lung volume. If the balloon is plump and larger than the patient’s own head, lung volume is fine. If the lung function is very low, this can sometimes be because bacteria have taken up residence in the lungs. These can be reduced by taking a hot shower. The hot steam flushes out the vessels, and breathing becomes easier again.Omega-3 fatty acids also improve lung performance and total lung volume increases.
Diseases and ailments
Diseases in the area of the lungs can become dangerous. Especially in old people, who are bedridden to boot, pneumonia often has a fatal effect. Asthma, for example, is a disease in which lung volume is severely restricted and requires various medical agents to stimulate it. Asthmatics often lose their breath during physical exertion. An inhaler may be able to counteract this. In so-called obstructive lung diseases, exhalation is impaired by a narrowing or obstruction of the airways. This slows down overall breathing and causes the lungs to become overinflated. Inhalation and exhalation, along with gas volume, are measured by pulmonary function diagnostics. With the help of spirometry or bodyplethysmography, the small and large lung function can be measured and checked. During spirometry, lung volume and airflow velocity are measured and recorded, thereby assessing overall lung function. The specialty for this is called pneumology. Changes that occur during the respiratory cycle can also be determined in more detail. Medicine uses a spirometer for this purpose.
