Human lungs perform a critical function. They are the main organ of the respiratory system responsible for the function of gas exchange. Due to this, the blood is saturated with oxygen and carries it with the help of capillaries throughout the body. If a malfunction occurs in the lungs, then a person can not carry out full-fledged life activities. This is very dangerous for its consequences.
Water in the lungs can appear for many reasons. Many people mistakenly believe that this is possible only with improper food intake or during the bathing process. However, this condition is also provoked by numerous ailments. Therefore, it is important to learn more about the causes and consequences of water in the lungs.
Inflammatory processes
In this case, we are talking about pneumonia, tuberculosis and pleurisy. It is worth considering each of these ailments separately:
- Pneumonia. This pathology of the lung tissue is characterized by serious lesions of the alveoli. In this case, the pleura is isolated and all the processes that occur in it are secondary, associated with lung diseases. Against this background, exudative pleurisy and, in some cases, bacterial infections develop.
- Pleurisy. Water in the lungs is often a sign of this particular ailment. In this case, the integrity of the pleura is violated, and the walls of the vessels become more permeable. Between the pleura there is an accumulation of pus and exudate. The fluid begins to gradually envelop the lungs.
- Tuberculosis. In this case, the fluid is directed from the pleura directly into the lungs. In a small amount, water in them can make breathing a little easier. However, over time, an increase in fluid volume occurs. This occurs against the background of a malfunction in the lymphatic system (excess fluid ceases to be excreted). Such a phenomenon may well lead to the development of Koch's bacillus, which greatly complicates human breathing.
Cardiovascular diseases
Very often, water in the lungs indicates problems in this particular system. Typically, this happens with heart failure. In the process of contraction of the left ventricle, not all blood is withdrawn from its cavity. The remainder accumulates in the left atrium and passes into the pulmonary veins.
Against the background of this ailment, two types of edema can develop:
- Hydrostatic. This happens because of too much pressure in the capillaries. The blood volume becomes too large, which leads to greater vascular permeability. Gradually, filling and swelling of the alveoli occurs.
- Membrane Thinning of the walls of the pulmonary vessels occurs. Because of this, the alveoli begin to fill with fluid. If fluid in the lungs has accumulated due to membrane edema, then it is impossible to save a person. Death occurs within a few hours. A similar edema is characteristic of myocardial infarction, serious brain injuries and anaphylactic shock.
Also, water in the lungs may appear against the background of arrhythmia. In this case, patients suffer from edema, which occurs against a background of prolonged stagnation of venous blood. There is pressure on the walls of the vessels, because of which their permeability increases significantly.
Sternal injuries
If the chest is damaged, tissue damage occurs. However, fluid in the lungs can only appear if the injury is closed. In order to diagnose a similar condition, it is necessary to conduct echocardiography. Pericardial puncture is performed to remove excess fluid, and in some situations, if water enters the lungs, urgent surgery is required.
Brain problems
This can happen due to injuries, illnesses or surgeries. In some cases, diffuse impregnation of brain cells occurs, due to which water accumulates in the lungs. At the next stage, the cardiovascular apparatus malfunctions and different types of swelling develop. Venous blood pressure increases greatly, which improves vascular permeability.
Oncological diseases
Swelling can be triggered by treatment aimed at combating malignant neoplasms (for example, radiation therapy). In addition, metastases appear in the process of tumor growth in the lymph nodes, and lymph outflow is difficult.
Also, pressure on the walls of blood vessels is against a background of lowering protein levels. If fluid began to accumulate in the lungs, then this may indicate that oncology is in an advanced stage, when it is almost impossible to help the patient.
Other reasons
This unpleasant condition can also lead to:
- Renal failure. In this case, blood stagnation in the vessels occurs, which negatively affects the pressure.
- Excessive weight. With a sharp increase in body weight, a person ceases to lead a fairly active lifestyle.
- Hypertension.
Symptoms
Any signs of water in the lungs cannot be ignored. Therefore, you should immediately consult a doctor if a person began to notice:
- Severe shortness of breath.
- Increased fatigue, even if the patient rested all day.
- Severe cough (in some situations, accompanied by mucous secretions).
- Chills.
- Sudden fainting.
- Overexcitation.
- Feeling of discomfort and constant anxiety.
- Bluish tint of the skin. This is because the body ceases to be supplied with oxygen at the right level.
- Pain in the sternum, aggravated by coughing.
- Pale complexion.
- Strong wheezing when breathing during sleep.
Very often during a cough, a sick person in the literal sense of the word begins to rest his hands against the walls. During awakening from sleep, shortness of breath may increase. Depending on many factors and individual characteristics of the organism of a person, the symptomatology may be more pronounced. If the appearance of fluid in the lungs is accompanied by stress or strong physical exertion, then the patient feels much worse.
When the first symptoms of water in the lungs manifest, the causes and consequences of the disease should be determined by a specialist.
Diagnostics
Even if a person suffers from all of the above symptoms, this is not yet accurate evidence of this particular pathology. Similar symptoms are inherent in other ailments, so it is important to undergo a timely diagnosis.
At the first stage, the specialist interviews the patient and clarifies how the disease manifests itself. It is important to tell the doctor all the features of the development of pathology. The next step is a visual examination and chest x-ray. If there is water in the lungs in children or adults, this will be visible in the resulting image.
As additional diagnostic measures, a chemical blood test is performed. If the data obtained are insufficient, then additional studies are carried out:
- Determination of blood coagulation quality.
- Identification of cardiovascular diseases that can trigger the appearance of fluid.
- Determination of pressure level in the pulmonary artery.
In some situations, an ultrasound scan is sufficient to identify the ailment. Also, this procedure helps to understand how much water has accumulated in the lungs. All these nuances will be taken into account when deciding which particular therapy will be most effective for a particular person.
Excretion of fluid from the lungs
When lung water is diagnosed, what should I do? First of all, you need to get rid of the accumulated fluid. To do this, it is important to determine the root cause that triggered this condition.
The doctor should determine the mode of activity of the disease. If the pathology is in a stable form, then in this case a person can continue to lead a familiar lifestyle. With a progressive type of ailment, bed rest is required.
To limit fluid levels, you must adhere to a diet. Eating should be frequent (5-6 times a day), and portions should be small. From the diet, it is necessary to exclude salt and foods that contain large amounts of cholesterol. It is recommended to take magnesium and potassium. It is necessary to ensure that all food received is fortified. On the day, the patient should receive at least 2000 kcal. Once a week it is recommended to do fasting days. In this case, it is necessary to eat fermented milk products, apples, light porridges and compote.
If the appearance of fluid is provoked by a malfunction of the heart muscle, then in this case, therapy is required that will help reduce the load on the heart. Additionally, it is required to undergo a course of treatment with medicines. The main goal of treatment is to improve metabolic processes in the myocardium. For this, the doctor prescribes multivitamins, lipoic acid, riboxin and other drugs, depending on the specific situation.
Speaking about how to treat water in the lungs, it is worth paying attention to physiotherapy exercises. Such events help keep the heart muscle in good shape and have a tonic effect. However, a doctor should prescribe exercise. The specialist draws up an individual lesson plan, depending on the stage of the disease and the characteristics of its course. In some cases, walking is sufficient, other patients are recommended more serious loads.
Sometimes experts decide to limit themselves to spa treatment. This helps the patient increase resistance to physical stress. Physical education, fresh air, proper nutrition, therapeutic baths and other procedures help a person recover faster.
When water appears in the lungs, an operation is performed only if the pathology that led to this symptomatology cannot be cured by other methods. For example, if the patient suffers from pneumonia, then it is necessary to remove the exudate using the puncture procedure.
Possible complications and consequences
If treatment is not started in a timely manner, then the disease can go into a more serious stage. With too late identification of some serious pathologies that provoke the appearance of fluid in the lungs, therapeutic measures may be powerless.
If you do not seek help, the following complications may appear:
- Problems with the performance of the brain.
- Decrease in elasticity in the lungs.
- Oxygen starvation.
Prevention
It is necessary to carefully follow the recommendations of doctors to prevent the appearance of this ailment:
- If the patient suffers from heart problems, then in this case he should undergo regular examinations in order to prevent the recurrence of problems in a timely manner.
- Those who suffer from allergic reactions are advised to consult a doctor if any complications associated with the allergen occur.
- If the patient works in an enterprise where he is constantly in contact with toxins, then he must use protective respiratory masks and other protective equipment to avoid intoxication.
- Smokers should give up this bad habit.
Alternative methods of treatment
In some situations (if the doctor allows this type of treatment), herbs will help to cope with the problem. For example, you can cook aniseed decoction. First, melt approximately 200 g of honey in a water bath. After that, 3 teaspoons of aniseed grains are added to the liquid. The mixture is infused for 15 minutes, after which half a teaspoon of baking soda is added to it. You need to drink the prepared medicine 1 teaspoon three times a day.
Also, a rather effective treatment method is to take decoctions of flax and aloe seeds. However, before such treatment, you must always consult a doctor. He must assess the condition of the patient and determine possible contraindications.