Let’s Get Smart About Lung Health

When do you stop and think about your breathing? Did you think about it just then? It’s not often that we stop and think about breathing as it’s something we just ‘do’.

Lung health is important, no matter your age. 1 in 3 Australians are affected by lung disease or lung cancer and it can affect anyone – men, women, children, smokers, ex-smokers and never smokers.

So, how can we tell if our lungs are healthy? There are ways to keep a check on our lung health and way for keeping our lungs healthy.

See the signs and raise awareness

Whilst too many cases of lung disease are diagnosed at late stage when treatment options are limited, we can empower people with awareness to recognise symptoms and act on them.

Signs to look out for are a persistent cough that doesn’t go away, breathlessness including trouble breathing or chest pain, fatigue, tiredness or weakness and unexpected unexplained weight loss.

Encouraging everyone to learn the early warning signs and symptoms of lung disease can help your loved ones to receive a diagnosis and treatment before symptoms become serious or life-threatening.

Lung disease or lung cancer?

There are three types of lung disease that can affect the airways, lung tissue and lung circulation, including disease known as Obstructive Pulmonary (COPD), Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis (IPF), Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension (PAH).

There are two main types of lung cancer; Non-small cell lung cancer is the most common type of lung cancer, accounting for around 85% of cases and Small cell lung cancer (SCLC) which accounts for around 15% of lung cancers.

Stop, check and act now

Do you know where to get a lung health check? You might have guessed that your general practitioner can assist with health checks and discussing signs and symptoms.

You can also do a quick online checklist about lung health and see if you can recognise early signs and symptoms.

Improving your lifestyle with a healthy diet and regular exercise can be beneficial to your lung health, overall wellbeing, and reduce some risk factors along with committing to quit smoking if you are a smoker, keeping vaccinations up to date before or during the winter season against influenza, pneumonia and COVID-19 can help protect you and your loved ones.

Take a moment this month and make time for lung health. If you know someone who needs chronic disease care, find out how Senior Helpers can provide tailored in-home support for Cancer, COPD and other lung diseases.