The human right lung consists of: Lung diseases

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Basic information

Definition

A focal formation in the lung is a radiographically determined single defect of a round shape in the projection of the pulmonary fields (Fig. 133).

Its edges may be smooth or uneven, but they must be distinct enough to determine the contour of the defect and allow its diameter to be measured in two or more projections.

Rice. 133. X-ray of the chest in frontal and lateral projections of a 40-year-old patient.
Focal darkening with clear boundaries is visible. When compared with previous radiographs, it was found that over a period of more than 10 years the formation did not increase in size. It was considered benign and resection was not performed.

The surrounding lung parenchyma should appear relatively normal. Calcifications and small cavities are possible inside the defect. If most of the defect is occupied by a cavity, then a recalcified cyst or thin-walled cavity should be assumed; these nosological units are not advisable to include in the type of pathology being discussed.

The size of the defect is also one of the criteria for determining focal formations in the lung. The authors believe that the term “focal formation in the lungs” should be limited to a defect size of no more than 4 cm. Formations with a diameter of more than 4 cm are more often of a malignant nature.

Therefore, the process of differential diagnosis and examination tactics for these large formations are somewhat different than for typical small focal opacities. Of course, accepting a diameter of 4 cm as a criterion for classifying pathology as a group of focal formations in the lung is to a certain extent conditional.

Causes and prevalence

The causes of focal opacities in the lungs can be different, but in principle they can be divided into two main groups: benign and malignant (Table 129). Among benign causes, the most common are granulomas caused by tuberculosis, coccidioidomycosis, and histoplasmosis.

Table 129. Causes of focal formations in the lungs

Among the malignant causes of darkening, the most common are bronchogenic cancers and metastases of tumors of the kidneys, colon, and breast. According to various authors, the percentage of dark spots that later turn out to be malignant ranges from 20 to 40.

There are many reasons for this variability. For example, studies conducted in surgical clinics typically exclude calcified defects, and therefore, such populations have a higher percentage of malignancy compared with groups of patients from which calcified defects are not excluded.

Studies conducted in geographic areas where coccidioidomycosis or histoplasmosis are endemic will also, of course, show a higher percentage of benign changes. Age is also an important factor; in persons under 35 years of age, the likelihood of malignant lesions is low (1% or less), and in older patients it increases significantly. A malignant nature is more likely for large opacities than for smaller ones.

Anamnesis

Most patients with focal formations in the lungs do not have any clinical symptoms. However, by carefully questioning the patient, you can obtain some information that can help in diagnosis.

Clinical symptoms of pulmonary pathology are more common in patients with a malignant origin of the opacities than in patients with benign defects.

History of present illness

It is important to collect information regarding recent upper respiratory tract infections, influenza and influenza-like conditions, and pneumonia, since sometimes pneumococcal infiltrates are round in shape.

The presence of chronic cough, sputum, weight loss or hemoptysis in the patient increases the likelihood of a malignant origin of the defect.

Status of individual systems

With the help of correctly asked questions, it is possible to identify the presence of non-metastatic paraneoplastic syndromes in a patient. These syndromes include: clubbing fingers with hypertrophic pulmonary osteoarthropathy, ectopic hormone secretion, migratory thrombophlebitis and a number of neurological disorders.

However, if a patient’s malignant process manifests itself only as an isolated darkening in the lung, all these signs are rare. The main purpose of such an interview is usually to try to identify extrapulmonary symptoms that may indicate the presence of a primary malignant tumor in other organs or detect distant metastases from a primary lung tumor.

The presence of an extrapulmonary primary tumor can be suspected by symptoms such as changes in stool, the presence of blood in the stool or urine, detection of a lump in the breast tissue, and the appearance of discharge from the nipple.

Past illnesses

The possible etiology of focal opacities in the lungs can be reasonably suspected if the patient previously had malignant tumors of any organs or the presence of a granulomatous infection (tuberculosis or fungal) was confirmed.

Other systemic diseases that may be accompanied by the appearance of isolated opacities in the lungs include rheumatoid arthritis and chronic infections that occur against the background of immunodeficiency states.

Social and professional history, travel

A history of long-term smoking significantly increases the likelihood of a malignant nature of focal changes in the lungs. Alcoholism is accompanied by an increased likelihood of tuberculosis. Information about the patient’s residence or travel to certain geographic areas (endemic zones for fungal infections) makes it possible to suspect the patient of any of the common (coccidioidomycosis, histoplasmosis) or rare (echinococcosis, dirofilariasis) diseases that lead to the formation of opacities in the lungs.

It is necessary to ask the patient in detail about his working conditions, since some types of professional activity (asbestos production, uranium and nickel mining) are accompanied by an increased risk of malignant lung tumors.

The human lungs are responsible for breathing and enriching the body with oxygen. Even in the womb we breathe oxygen, which is saturated with amniotic fluid. Therefore, maternal walks in the fresh air and a normal level of amniotic fluid are especially important for the baby.

Why do we need lungs?

Breathing is a largely uncontrolled process carried out at a reflex level. A certain zone is responsible for this – the medulla oblongata. It regulates the pace and depth of breathing, focusing on the percentage of carbon dioxide concentration in the blood. The rhythm of breathing is affected by the work of the whole organism. Depending on the breathing rate, the heart rate slows down or speeds up. Physical activity causes the need for more oxygen, and our respiratory organs switch to an enhanced mode of operation.

Special breathing exercises help control the pace and intensity of the breathing process. Experienced yogis can stop the breathing process for a very long period. This is achieved through immersion in a state of samadhi, in which vital signs are actually not recorded.

In addition to breathing, the lungs provide an optimal level of acid-base balance in the blood, immune response, filtration of microthrombi, regulation of blood coagulation, and removal of toxins.

Structure of the lungs

The left lung has a smaller volume than the right - on average by 10%. It is longer and narrower, which is due to the peculiarities of the anatomy - placement, which is located to the left, making the width of the left lung slightly smaller.

The lungs have a semi-cone shape. Their base rests on the diaphragm, and the top protrudes slightly above the collarbones.

In accordance with the structure of the ribs, the surface of the lungs adjacent to them has a convex shape. The side facing the heart is concave. Thus, a space sufficient for the functioning of the heart muscle is created.

In the middle of the respiratory organ there are depressions - the main “gateways” of the oxygen transport route. They contain the main bronchus, bronchial artery, pulmonary artery, tree of nerves, lymphatic and venous vessels. The whole thing is called the “pulmonary root.”

The surface of each lung is covered with pleura - a moist, smooth and shiny membrane. In the area of the pulmonary root, the pleura passes to the surface of the chest, forming the pleural sac.

Two deep fissures on the right lung form three lobes (upper, middle and lower). The left lung is divided by just one fissure into two parts (upper and lower lobes).

In addition, this organ is divided into segments and lobules. The segments resemble pyramids, including their own artery, bronchus and nerve complex. The segment is composed of small pyramids - lobules. There can be about 800 of them per lung.

Like a tree, a bronchus penetrates each lobule. At the same time, the diameter of the “oxygen ducts” - bronchioles - gradually changes towards a decrease. The bronchioles branch and, decreasing, form alveolar tracts, to which are adjacent entire colonies and clusters of alveoli - tiny vesicles with thin walls. It is these bubbles that are the final point of transport for the delivery of oxygen to the blood. The thin walls of the alveoli consist of connective tissue, densely permeated with capillary vessels. These vessels deliver venous blood rich in carbon dioxide from the right side of the heart. The uniqueness of this system lies in the instantaneous exchange: carbon dioxide is removed into the alveoli, and oxygen is absorbed by hemoglobin contained in the blood.

With one breath, the air in the full volume of the alveolar system is not renewed. The remaining alveoli form a reserve bank of oxygen, which is used when physical stress on the body increases.

How do the human lungs work?

An outwardly simple “inhale-exhale” cycle in reality is a multifactorial and multi-level process.

Let's look at the muscles that support the respiratory process:

Diaphragm- This is a flat muscle stretched tightly along the edge of the arch of the ribs. It separates the working space of the lungs and heart from the abdominal cavity. This muscle is responsible for active human breathing.

Intercostal muscles– are arranged in several layers and connect the edges of adjacent ribs. They are involved in a deep “inhalation-exhalation” cycle.

When you inhale, the muscles responsible for it simultaneously contract, which forces air under pressure into the airways. The diaphragm becomes flat during contraction, and the pleural cavity becomes an area of negative pressure due to the vacuum. This pressure affects the lung tissues, causing them to expand, transferring negative pressure to the respiratory and airways. As a result, air from the atmosphere enters the human lungs, since an area of low pressure is formed there. The newly received air mixes with the remnants of the previous portion lingering in the alveoli, enriching them with oxygen and removing carbon dioxide.

Deep inhalation is achieved by weakening part of the oblique intercostal muscles, as well as contracting a group of muscles located perpendicularly. These muscles push the ribs apart, thereby increasing the volume of the chest. This creates the possibility of a 20-30 percent increase in the volume of inhaled air.

Exhalation occurs automatically - when the diaphragm relaxes. Due to their elasticity, the lungs tend to return to their original volume, squeezing out excess air. When you exhale forcefully, the abdominal muscle mass and the muscles connecting the ribs become tense.

When you sneeze or cough, the abdominal muscles contract and intra-abdominal pressure is transmitted through the diaphragm to the lungs.

The pulmonary blood vessels emerge from the right atrium and entwine the pulmonary trunk. The blood is then distributed through the pulmonary arteries (left and right). In the lung, the vessels run parallel to the bronchi and very close to them.

The result is the enrichment of red blood cells with oxygen. Blood leaving the alveoli moves to the left side of the heart. The air entering during inhalation changes the gas composition of the alveolar voids. Oxygen levels increase and carbon dioxide levels decrease. Blood moves through the alveolar capillaries very slowly, and hemoglobin has time to attach the oxygen contained in the alveoli. At the same time, carbon dioxide is released into the alveoli.

Thus, there is a continuous exchange of gases between the atmosphere and the blood.

The main differences between the lungs of a smoker

Healthy people have special cilia on the surface of the epithelium of the upper respiratory tract, which, with flickering movements, prevent pathogens from entering the body. Tobacco smoke damages these eyelashes, covering them with greasy soot and resins. As a result, any “infection” moves without delay into the deeper respiratory sections.

Inflammatory processes will move further and further each time, covering all the lungs of a smoker.

Nicotine tar (or tar) settles on the pleural surface of the lungs, which clogs the alveoli, preventing gas exchange.

When tobacco is burned, a highly toxic carcinogen, benzopyrene, is released. It causes cancer of the lungs, larynx, oral cavity and other “smoke-conducting” organs.

The type of smoker's lungs depends on the person's age, length of service and place of residence. The lungs of a heavy smoker resemble black moldy cheese, chewed by worms and mice.

Tobacco smoke contains 4,000 chemical compounds: gaseous and solid particles, of which about 40 are carcinogenic: acetone, acetaldehyde, hydrogen sulfide, hydrocyanic acid, nitrobenzene, hydrogen cyanide, carbon monoxide and other extremely “useful” substances.

Frequent repeated inflammations lead to irreversible damage to the lungs. Toxins kill the “breathing tissue” of the lungs. Under the influence of resins, it is transformed into fibrous connective tissue, which is not capable of providing gas exchange. The useful area of the lungs decreases, and the volume of oxygen entering the blood is sharply reduced. Lack of oxygen leads to narrowing of the bronchi. The destructive effects of smoke provoke chronic obstruction of the lungs.

The lungs of smokers living in large industrial cities are especially affected. Their lungs are already covered with a layer of soot from automobile exhausts, emissions of combustion products and chemical reactions into the atmosphere by various enterprises.

Even if we forget about the toxic effects of tobacco smoke, one of the main symptoms - oxygen starvation - is a serious reason to think about it. Cells of the human body in such a stressful situation age at a catastrophic rate. The heart, in a vain attempt to enrich the blood with oxygen, drains its resource many times faster. From chronic hypoxia (lack of oxygen) brain cells die en masse. Man is deteriorating intellectually.

Due to poor blood supply, complexion and skin condition deteriorate. The most harmless disease of a smoker may be chronic bronchitis.

Ways to improve lung health

There are widespread myths that as soon as you quit smoking, your lungs will return to their normal state within a short time. It is not true. It also takes years of normal function to remove toxins that have accumulated over the years from the lungs. Destroyed lung tissue is practically impossible to restore.

Ex-smokers should follow some recommendations to get their body back to normal:

Every morning you need to drink a glass of milk, as this product is an excellent adsorbent that binds and removes toxic substances from the body.

Be proactive about taking vitamins B and C, as cigarettes were depleting your personal supply of these chemicals every day.

Don't start doing intense sports right away. Let your body return to normal. Your worn-out heart and battered lungs will not be delighted by intense physical activity. It’s better to spend more time outdoors, walk, swim.

Drink at least a liter of orange or lemon juice every day. This will help your body recover faster.

Even if you don’t smoke, but simply live in a large, environmentally polluted city, you can heal and cleanse your lungs with the help of good old traditional medicine.

Spruce shoots. It is necessary to collect young green shoots at the ends of spruce branches. It is better to collect in May or June. A layer of shoots is placed at the bottom of a liter container and sprinkled with granulated sugar. Next - again a layer of shoots and again a layer of sugar. The components fit tightly. The jar is placed in the refrigerator, after 3 weeks the shoots release juice and sugar syrup is formed. The syrup is filtered and stored in a cool place without access to light. Take a dessert spoon 3 times a day until the jar runs out. The drug cleanses the bronchi and lungs of toxins and “garbage”. The procedure is carried out once a year.

Inhalation of essential oils. Boil about half a liter of water in an enamel container. Without removing the container from the flame, add a teaspoon of marjoram, eucalyptus or pine oil. Remove from heat. Next, we bend over the container and inhale the vapor for seven to ten minutes. The course period is two weeks.

Any breathing exercises(especially yoga) will help your lungs cleanse and tone.

In any situation, try to take care of your lungs - spend more time outside the city, on the sea coast, in the mountains. Exercising and preventing respiratory diseases will help keep your lungs healthy for a long time.

Breathe easy and be healthy!

Next article.

The lungs are paired respiratory organs. The characteristic structure of the lung tissue is formed in the second month of intrauterine development of the fetus. After the birth of a child, the respiratory system continues its development, finally forming around 22–25 years. After 40 years of age, lung tissue begins to gradually age.

This organ received its name in Russian due to its property of not sinking in water (due to the air content inside). The Greek word pneumon and the Latin word pulmunes are also translated as “lung.” Hence the inflammatory lesion of this organ is called “pneumonia”. A pulmonologist treats this and other diseases of the lung tissue.

Location

A person's lungs are in the chest cavity and occupy most of it. The chest cavity is bounded in front and behind by the ribs, and below is the diaphragm. It also contains the mediastinum, which contains the trachea, the main circulatory organ - the heart, large (main) vessels, the esophagus and some other important structures of the human body. The chest cavity does not communicate with the external environment.

Each of these organs is completely covered on the outside with pleura - a smooth serous membrane with two layers. One of them fuses with the lung tissue, the second with the chest cavity and mediastinum. A pleural cavity is formed between them, filled with a small amount of fluid. Due to the negative pressure in the pleural cavity and the surface tension of the fluid in it, the lung tissue is kept in a straightened state. In addition, the pleura reduces its friction against the costal surface during the act of breathing.

External structure

Lung tissue resembles a finely porous pink sponge. With age, as well as with pathological processes of the respiratory system, long-term smoking, the color of the pulmonary parenchyma changes and becomes darker.

Lung looks like an irregular cone, the top of which faces upward and is located in the neck area, protruding several centimeters above the collarbone. Below, at the border with the diaphragm, the pulmonary surface has a concave appearance. Its front and back surfaces are convex (and sometimes there are imprints of ribs on it). The inner lateral (medial) surface borders the mediastinum and also has a concave appearance.

On the medial surface of each lung there are the so-called gates, through which the main bronchus and vessels - an artery and two veins - penetrate into the lung tissue.

The sizes of both lungs are not the same: the right one is about 10% larger than the left one. This is due to the location of the heart in the chest cavity: to the left of the midline of the body. This “neighborhood” also determines their characteristic shape: the right one is shorter and wider, and the left one is long and narrow. The shape of this organ also depends on the person’s physique. Thus, in thin people, both lungs are narrower and longer than in obese people, which is due to the structure of the chest.

There are no pain receptors in human lung tissue, and the occurrence of pain in some diseases (for example, pneumonia) is usually associated with the involvement of the pleura in the pathological process.

WHAT ARE THE LUNGS MADE OF?

The human lungs are anatomically divided into three main components: bronchi, bronchioles and acini.

Bronchi and bronchioles

The bronchi are hollow tubular branches of the trachea and connect it directly to the lung tissue. The main function of the bronchi is air circulation.

At approximately the level of the fifth thoracic vertebra, the trachea divides into two main bronchi: right and left, which then go to the corresponding lungs. In the anatomy of the lungs The branching system of the bronchi is important, the appearance of which resembles a tree crown, which is why it is called “bronchial tree”.

When the main bronchus enters the pulmonary tissue, it is first divided into lobar and then into smaller segmental ones (corresponding to each pulmonary segment). Subsequent dichotomous (paired) division of the segmental bronchi ultimately leads to the formation of terminal and respiratory bronchioles - the smallest branches of the bronchial tree.

Each bronchus consists of three membranes:

external (connective tissue);
fibromuscular (contains cartilage tissue);
internal mucosa, which is covered with ciliated epithelium.

As the diameter of the bronchi decreases (during the process of branching), the cartilage tissue and mucous membrane gradually disappear. The smallest bronchi (bronchioles) no longer contain cartilage in their structure, and the mucous membrane is also absent. Instead, a thin layer of cubic epithelium appears.

Acini

The division of the terminal bronchioles leads to the formation of several respiratory orders. From each respiratory bronchiole, alveolar ducts branch in all directions, which blindly end in alveolar sacs (alveoli). The membrane of the alveoli is densely covered with a capillary network. This is where gas exchange occurs between inhaled oxygen and exhaled carbon dioxide.

The diameter of the alveoli is very small and ranges from 150 microns in a newborn child to 280–300 microns in an adult.

The inner surface of each alveoli is covered with a special substance - surfactant. It prevents its collapse, as well as the penetration of fluid into the structures of the respiratory system. In addition, surfactant has bactericidal properties and is involved in some immune defense reactions.

The structure, which includes the respiratory bronchiole and the alveolar ducts and sacs emanating from it, is called the primary lobule of the lung. It has been established that approximately 14–16 respiratory tracts arise from one terminal bronchiole. Consequently, this number of primary lung lobules forms the main structural unit of the lung tissue parenchyma - the acinus.

This anatomical and functional structure received its name because of its characteristic appearance, reminiscent of a bunch of grapes (Latin Acinus - “bunch”). There are approximately 30 thousand acini in the human body.

The total area of the respiratory surface of the lung tissue due to the alveoli ranges from 30 square meters. meters when exhaling and up to about 100 square meters. meters when inhaling.

LOLES AND SEGMENTS OF THE LUNG

Acini form lobules, from which are formed segments, and from segments – shares, making up the whole lung.

There are three lobes in the right lung, and two in the left lung (due to its smaller size). In both lungs, the upper and lower lobes are distinguished, and the middle lobe is also distinguished on the right. The lobes are separated from each other by grooves (fissures).

Shares divided into segments, which do not have visible demarcation in the form of connective tissue layers. Usually there are ten segments in the right lung, eight in the left. Each segment contains a segmental bronchus and a corresponding branch of the pulmonary artery. The appearance of the pulmonary segment is similar to an irregularly shaped pyramid, the apex of which faces the pulmonary hilum and the base faces the pleural layer.

The upper lobe of each lung has an anterior segment. The right lung also has an apical and posterior segment, and the left lung has an apical-posterior segment and two lingular segments (superior and inferior).

In the lower lobe of each lung, there are superior, anterior, lateral and posterobasal segments. In addition, the mediobasal segment is determined in the left lung.

There are two segments in the middle lobe of the right lung: medial and lateral.

Separation by segment of the human lung is necessary to determine the clear localization of pathological changes in the lung tissue, which is especially important for practicing physicians, for example, in the process of treating and monitoring the course of pneumonia.

FUNCTIONAL PURPOSE

The main function of the lungs is gas exchange, in which carbon dioxide is removed from the blood while simultaneously saturating it with oxygen, necessary for the normal metabolism of almost all organs and tissues of the human body.

Oxygenated when inhaled air enters the alveoli through the bronchial tree.“Waste” blood from the pulmonary circulation, containing a large amount of carbon dioxide, also enters there. After gas exchange, carbon dioxide is again expelled through the bronchial tree during exhalation. And oxygenated blood enters the systemic circulation and is sent further to the organs and systems of the human body.

The act of breathing in humans is involuntary, reflexive. A special structure of the brain is responsible for this - the medulla oblongata (respiratory center). The degree of saturation of the blood with carbon dioxide regulates the rate and depth of breathing, which becomes deeper and more frequent as the concentration of this gas increases.

There is no muscle tissue in the lungs. Therefore, their participation in the act of breathing is exclusively passive: expansion and contraction during movements of the chest.

The muscle tissue of the diaphragm and chest is involved in breathing. Accordingly, there are two types of breathing: abdominal and thoracic.

On inhalation, the volume of the thoracic cavity increases, in it negative pressure is created(below atmospheric), which allows air to flow freely into the lungs. This is accomplished by contraction of the diaphragm and the muscular frame of the chest (intercostal muscles), which leads to the raising and divergence of the ribs.

On exhalation, on the contrary, the pressure becomes higher than atmospheric pressure, and the removal of air saturated with carbon dioxide is carried out almost passively. In this case, the volume of the chest cavity decreases due to relaxation of the respiratory muscles and lowering of the ribs.

In some pathological conditions, the so-called auxiliary respiratory muscles are also included in the act of breathing: neck, abdominal, etc.

The amount of air that a person inhales and exhales at one time (tidal volume) is about half a liter. An average of 16–18 respiratory movements are performed per minute. More than one day passes through the lung tissue 13 thousand liters of air!

The average lung capacity is approximately 3–6 liters. In humans it is excessive: during inhalation we use only about one-eighth of this capacity.

In addition to gas exchange, the human lungs have other functions:

Participation in maintaining acid-base balance.
Removing toxins, essential oils, alcohol fumes, etc.
Maintaining the body's water balance. Normally, about half a liter of water per day evaporates through the lungs. In extreme situations, daily water excretion can reach 8–10 liters.
The ability to retain and dissolve cell conglomerates, fatty microemboli and fibrin clots.
Participation in blood clotting processes (coagulation).
Phagocytic activity – participation in the functioning of the immune system.

Consequently, the structure and functions of the human lungs are closely interconnected, which allows for the smooth functioning of the entire human body.

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While a person is alive, he breathes. What is breathing? These are processes that continuously supply all organs and tissues with oxygen and remove carbon dioxide from the body, which is formed as a result of the metabolic system. Performs these vital processes which directly interact with the cardiovascular system. To understand how gas exchange occurs in the human body, you should study the structure and functions of the lungs.

Why does a person breathe?

The only way to obtain oxygen is through breathing. It is not possible to hold it for a long time, since the body requires another portion. Why do we need oxygen at all? Without it, metabolism will not occur, the brain and all other human organs will not work. With the participation of oxygen, nutrients are broken down, energy is released, and each cell is enriched with them. Breathing is commonly called gas exchange. And rightly so. After all, the peculiarities of the respiratory system are to take in oxygen from the air that enters the body and remove carbon dioxide.

What are human lungs

Their anatomy is quite complex and variable. This organ is paired. Its location is the chest cavity. The lungs are adjacent to the heart on both sides - right and left. Nature has made sure that both of these important organs are protected from compression, shock, etc. In front, the barrier to damage is the spinal column at the back, and the ribs at the sides.

The lungs are literally riddled with hundreds of branches of bronchi, with alveoli the size of a pinhead located at their ends. There are up to 300 million of them in the body of a healthy person. The alveoli play an important role: they supply blood vessels with oxygen and, having a branched system, are able to provide a large area for gas exchange. Just imagine: they can cover the entire surface of a tennis court!

In appearance, the lungs resemble semi-cones, the bases of which are adjacent to the diaphragm, and the tops with rounded ends protrude 2-3 cm above the collarbone. The human lungs are a rather unique organ. The anatomy of the right and left lobes is different. So, the first one is slightly larger in volume than the second one, while it is somewhat shorter and wider. Each half of the organ is covered with pleura, consisting of two layers: one is fused with the chest, the other with the surface of the lung. The outer pleura contains glandular cells that produce fluid into the pleural cavity.

The inner surface of each lung has a depression called the hilum. They include the bronchi, the base of which looks like a branching tree, and the pulmonary artery, and a pair of pulmonary veins emerge.

Human lungs. Their functions

Of course, there are no secondary organs in the human body. The lungs are also important in ensuring human life. What kind of work do they do?

The main functions of the lungs are to carry out the respiratory process. A person lives while he breathes. If the supply of oxygen to the body is cut off, death will occur.
The job of the human lungs is to remove carbon dioxide, thereby maintaining the acid-base balance in the body. Through these organs, a person gets rid of volatile substances: alcohol, ammonia, acetone, chloroform, ether.

The functions of the human lungs do not end there. The paired organ is still involved in which comes into contact with air. As a result, an interesting chemical reaction occurs. Oxygen molecules in the air and carbon dioxide molecules in dirty blood change places, i.e. oxygen replaces carbon dioxide.
The various functions of the lungs allow them to participate in the water exchange occurring in the body. Up to 20% of the liquid is removed through them.
The lungs are active participants in the process of thermoregulation. They release 10% of their heat into the atmosphere when they exhale.
Regulation is not complete without the participation of the lungs in this process.

How do the lungs work?

The functions of the human lungs are to transport the oxygen contained in the air into the blood, use it, and remove carbon dioxide from the body. The lungs are fairly large soft organs with spongy tissue. The inhaled air enters the air sacs. They are separated from each other by thin walls with capillaries.

There are only small cells between the blood and the air. Therefore, thin walls do not create obstacles for inhaled gases, which facilitates good passage through them. In this case, the functions of the human lungs are to use necessary and remove unnecessary gases. Lung tissue is very elastic. When you inhale, the chest expands and the lungs increase in volume.

The windpipe, represented by the nose, pharynx, larynx, trachea, looks like a tube 10-15 cm long, divided into two parts called bronchi. Air passing through them enters the air sacs. And when you exhale, the volume of the lungs decreases, the chest decreases in size, and the pulmonary valve partially closes, which allows air to escape again. This is how human lungs work.

Their structure and functions are such that the capacity of this organ is measured by the amount of inhaled and exhaled air. So, for men it is equal to seven pints, for women - five. The lungs are never empty. The air remaining after exhalation is called residual air. When you inhale, it mixes with fresh air. Therefore, breathing is a conscious and at the same time unconscious process that occurs constantly. A person breathes when he sleeps, but he does not think about it. In this case, if you wish, you can interrupt your breathing for a short time. For example, while underwater.

Interesting facts about lung function

They are capable of pumping 10 thousand liters of inhaled air per day. But it is not always crystal clear. Along with oxygen, dust, many microbes and foreign particles enter our body. Therefore, the lungs perform the function of protection against all unwanted impurities in the air.

The walls of the bronchi have many tiny villi. They are needed to trap germs and dust. And the mucus, which is produced by the cells of the walls of the respiratory tract, lubricates these villi, and is then expelled when coughing.

It consists of organs and tissues that fully provide ventilation and respiration. The functions of the respiratory system lie in the implementation of gas exchange - the main link in metabolism. The latter is responsible only for pulmonary (external) respiration. It includes:

1. consisting of the nose and its cavity, larynx, trachea, bronchi.

The nose and its cavity heat, humidify and filter the inhaled air. Its cleansing is achieved through numerous hard hairs and goblet cells with cilia.

The larynx is located between the root of the tongue and the trachea. Its cavity is divided by the mucous membrane in the form of two folds. They are not completely fused in the middle. The gap between them is called the glottis.

The trachea originates from the larynx. In the chest it is divided into bronchi: right and left.

2. Lungs with densely branched vessels, bronchioles and alveolar sacs. They begin the gradual division of the main bronchi into small tubes called bronchioles. They make up the smallest structural elements of the lung - lobules.

The pulmonary artery carries blood from the right ventricle of the heart. It is divided into left and right. The branching of the arteries follows the bronchi, entwining the alveoli and forming small capillaries.

3. The musculoskeletal system, thanks to which a person is not limited in breathing movements.

These are the ribs, muscles, diaphragm. They monitor the integrity of the airways and maintain them during various postures and body movements. Muscles, contracting and relaxing, contribute to changes. The diaphragm is designed to separate the thoracic cavity from the abdominal cavity. It is the main muscle involved in normal inhalation.

A man breathes through his nose. Next, the air passes through the airways and enters the human lungs, the structure and functions of which ensure the further functioning of the respiratory system. This is a purely physiological factor. This type of breathing is called nasal breathing. In the cavity of this organ, heating, humidification and purification of the air occurs. If the nasal mucosa is irritated, the person sneezes and protective mucus begins to be released. Nasal breathing may be difficult. Then the air enters the throat through the mouth. Such breathing is said to be oral and, in fact, pathological. In this case, the functions of the nasal cavity are disrupted, which causes various respiratory diseases.

From the pharynx, air is directed to the larynx, which performs other functions besides conducting oxygen further into the respiratory tract, in particular, reflexogenic. If this organ is irritated, a cough or spasm appears. In addition, the larynx is involved in sound production. This is important for any person, since his communication with other people occurs through speech. They continue to heat and humidify the air, but this is not their main function. By performing certain work, they regulate the volume of inhaled air.

Respiratory system. Functions

The air around us contains oxygen, which can penetrate into our body through the skin. But its quantity is not enough to support life. This is why the respiratory system exists. The circulatory system transports necessary substances and gases. The structure of the respiratory system is such that it is able to supply the body with oxygen and remove carbon dioxide from it. It performs the following functions:

Regulates, conducts, humidifies and degreases the air, removes dust particles.
Protects the respiratory tract from food particles.
Carries air into the trachea from the larynx.
Improves gas exchange between the lungs and blood.
Transports venous blood to the lungs.
Saturates blood with oxygen and removes carbon dioxide.
Performs a protective function.
Detains and resolves blood clots, particles of foreign origin, emboli.
Performs the metabolism of necessary substances.

An interesting fact is that with age, the functionality of the respiratory system becomes limited. The level of ventilation of the lungs and the work of breathing decreases. The causes of such disorders can be various changes in the bones and muscles of a person. As a result, the shape of the chest changes and its mobility decreases. This leads to a decrease in the capabilities of the respiratory system.

Breathing phases

When you inhale, oxygen from the alveoli of the lungs enters the blood, namely the red blood cells. From here, on the contrary, carbon dioxide passes into the air, which contained oxygen. From the moment air enters until air leaves the lungs, its pressure in the organ increases, which stimulates the diffusion of gases.

When you exhale, a pressure greater than atmospheric pressure is created in the alveoli of the lungs. The diffusion of gases: carbon dioxide and oxygen begins to take place more actively.

Every time after exhalation there is a pause. This happens because there is no diffusion of gases, since the pressure of the air remaining in the lungs is insignificant, much lower than atmospheric pressure.

As long as I breathe, I live. Breathing process

The baby in the womb receives oxygen through her blood, so the baby's lungs do not take part in the process; they are filled with fluid. When a baby is born and takes its first breath, the lungs begin to work. The structure and functions are such that they are able to provide the human body with oxygen and remove carbon dioxide.
Signals about the amount of oxygen required in a specific period of time are given by the respiratory center, which is located in the brain. Thus, during sleep, much less oxygen is required than during working hours.
The volume of air entering the lungs is regulated by messages sent by the brain.

When this signal arrives, the diaphragm expands, which leads to stretching of the chest. This maximizes the volume that the lungs occupy when they expand during inhalation.
During exhalation, the diaphragm and intercostal muscles relax, and the volume of the chest decreases. This causes air to be pushed out of the lungs.

Types of breathing

Clavicular. When a person hunches, his shoulders are raised and his stomach is compressed. This indicates insufficient oxygen supply to the body.
Chest breathing. It is characterized by expansion of the chest due to the intercostal muscles. Such functions help saturate the body with oxygen. This method, purely physiologically, is more suitable for pregnant women.
Deep breathing fills the lower organs with air. Most often, athletes and men breathe this way. This method is convenient during physical activity.

It is not without reason that they say that breathing is a mirror of mental health. Thus, the psychiatrist Lowen noticed an amazing relationship between the nature and type of a person’s emotional disorder. In people prone to schizophrenia, breathing involves the upper chest. And a person with a neurotic type of character breathes more with his stomach. Typically, people use mixed breathing, which involves both the chest and the diaphragm.

Lungs of people who smoke

Smoking causes severe damage to the organs. Tobacco smoke contains tar, nicotine and hydrogen cyanide. These harmful substances have the ability to settle on the lung tissue, resulting in the death of the organ epithelium. The lungs of a healthy person are not subject to such processes.

People who smoke have dirty gray or black lungs due to the accumulation of a huge number of dead cells. But these are not all negative aspects. Lung functions are significantly reduced. Negative processes begin, leading to inflammation. As a result, a person suffers from chronic obstructive pulmonary diseases, which contribute to the development of respiratory failure. It, in turn, causes numerous disorders that occur due to a lack of oxygen in the body tissues.

Social advertising constantly shows clips and pictures with the difference between the lungs of a healthy person and a smoker. And many people who have never picked up a cigarette breathe a sigh of relief. But you shouldn’t get your hopes up too much, thinking that the terrible sight that is the lungs of a smoker has nothing to do with you. The interesting thing is that at first glance there is no particular external difference. Neither an x-ray nor conventional fluorography will show whether the person being examined smokes or not. Moreover, not a single pathologist can determine with absolute certainty whether a person had an addiction to smoking during life until he detects typical signs: the condition of the bronchi, yellowing of the fingers, and so on. Why? It turns out that harmful substances floating in the polluted air of cities, entering our body, just like tobacco smoke, enter the lungs...

The structure and functions of this organ are designed to protect the body. It is known that toxins destroy lung tissue, which subsequently, due to the accumulation of dead cells, acquires a dark color.

Interesting things about breathing and the respiratory system

The lungs are the size of a human palm.
The volume of the paired organ is 5 liters. But it is not fully used. To ensure normal breathing, 0.5 liters is enough. The volume of residual air is one and a half liters. If you count, then exactly three liters of air volume are always in reserve.
The older a person is, the less frequent his breathing. In one minute, a newborn inhales and exhales thirty-five times, a teenager twenty, an adult fifteen times.
In one hour a person takes a thousand breaths, in a day - twenty-six thousand, in a year - nine million. Moreover, men and women do not breathe the same way. In one year, the former take 670 million inhalations and exhalations, and the latter - 746.
In one minute, it is vital for a person to receive eight and a half liters of air volume.

Based on all of the above, we conclude: you need to take care of your lungs. If you have any doubts about the health of your respiratory system, consult your doctor.