Mechanics of respiration

The lung is not an independently moving muscle but a hollow organ with a large exchange surface that needs to be “ventilated”. For this purpose, the lung is suspended from the so-called pleura, which is located on the thorax. There are strong muscular connections between the ribs of the thorax.

With each breath, the muscles between the ribs contract and the diaphragm contracts, causing the diaphragm to flatten. Since the pleura is also connected to the diaphragm and the ribs, the muscle activity causes the rib cage to expand. With this chest enlargement the lung hanging on the ribcage is expanded. This expansion draws the necessary breathing air into the lungs through a negative pressure and gas exchange takes place in the alveoli. You can find more information on this topic here: Respiration

Diseases of the lung

Despite the very stable connection between the lung and the inside of the chest, parts of the lung may become detached and collapse. This is usually the case when there is a connection between the pleural gap, in which there is negative pressure, and the outside air. A connection lets the negative pressure escape to the outside and loosens the adhesion of the lung, which then collapses.

This connection between the pleural gap and the outside air is called pneumothorax. In most cases, a pneumothorax develops after a medical procedure in which, for example, excess water from the pleural cavity is punctured. In this case, the pleural gap is accidentally punctured by the practitioner’s needle, the air flows in and relieves the negative pressure in the pleural gap, which can then lead to the collapse of the affected lung.

However, it can also occur simply, especially in sporty young men; this is then called spontaneous pneumothorax. The first signs of a pneumothorax are shortness of breath, malaise and a rapidly beating heart. Sometimes, a pneumothorax can cause no discomfort at all and only becomes noticeable in an X-ray of the lungs.

While a simple and unilateral pneumothorax should be treated promptly, bilateral pneumothorax or tension pneumothorax is an absolute emergency. A tension pneumothorax is a type of valve that allows air from the outside to enter the pleural space during inhalation, but does not allow it to escape. With each breath, the amount of air in the pleural gap increases, so that the internal organs and especially the heart are pushed to the side of the collapsed lung, which can lead to severe restrictions of the circulation.

To treat a pneumothorax, a drain is pushed into the pleural gap from the outside, thereby restoring the negative pressure. This then leads to a reopening of the lung, which can then be ventilated normally again. Changes in the lung tissue, e.g. in the case of pneumonia, or relocation of the bronchi can also lead to collapse of lung sections.

This is then called atelectasis. A burning sensation perceived by patients in the area of the lungs can have various causes. In the case of inhaled toxic substances, e.g. toxic smoke after a fire, the very sensitive epithelium of the bronchi is almost always irritated.

Smoke poisoning can be a life-threatening condition. The longer a person has been exposed to toxic vapors or gases, the higher the risk of poisoning occurring throughout the body. The person affected usually notices these irritations by a burning sensation when breathing in and out.

A burning sensation when breathing in and out after a long bronchitis is much more frequent. Particularly persistent coughing causes irritation of the epithelium of the lung, which the affected person registers by a burning sensation when breathing in and out. In most cases, the burning continues until the persistent cough has either disappeared or the dry cough has turned into a slimy cough.

After a doctor has clarified the cause, the burning sensation in the lungs can be relieved by various measures. On the one hand, tight mucus should be loosened by medication such as ACC or NAC.Alternatively or in addition to this, steam inhalation can also be performed. For this, one would fill a pot with water and add some chamomile extract.

Then bring the mixture to a boil, remove it from the stove and then start inhalation with a towel over your head. The inhalation should last about 10-15 minutes and should be done 2 times a day. Through the steam inhalation, the camomile extract reaches the lungs through fine droplets and thus leads to an inflammation inhibition of the epithelium of the burning bronchial tubes. With regular use, symptoms should improve within one week.