COPD and Hyperinflated Lung's or as radiologist like to say Long Lungs

Had some fun other day talking to very nice radiologist .. Anyway she said i had Long Lungs after doing my xray.

A said yumi is that a good thing .. as we had been having laugh n joke and she no not really as am going to have to radiate you some more.

Anyway got me thinking all this long lungs .. and yer is true some thin tall people can have long lungs with no ill effects .

But us lung suffers can and seem to have gut problems that looks to be like musicale problems or liver being squashed a tad.

Anyway to cut a long story short Long Lungs are called hyperinflated lungs here is good video to explane what is just going on .

youtube.com/watch?v=dTsUyXX...(Not working as expected?)

In my picture of coughed up lung tissue you can see elastic stuff bands .. That am not happy about as if am coughing up bits of lung tissue avol or what ever my condition must be worse than the letting on.

Yer forgot here is explantion to read after watching video on macanics of long lungs copd or hyperinflated lungs.

Why does the lung hyperinflate?

Patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) often have some degree of hyperinflation of the lungs. Hyperinflated lungs can produce significant detrimental effects on breathing, as highlighted by improvements in patient symptoms after lung volume reduction surgery. Measures of lung volumes correlate better with impairment of patient functional capabilities than do measures of airflow. Understanding the mechanisms by which hyperinflation occurs in COPD provides better insight into how treatments can improve patients' health. Both static and dynamic processes can contribute to lung hyperinflation in COPD. Static hyperinflation is caused by a decrease in elasticity of the lung due to emphysema. The lungs exert less recoil pressure to counter the recoil pressure of the chest wall, resulting in an equilibrium of recoil forces at a higher resting volume than normal. Dynamic hyperinflation is more common and can occur independent of or in addition to static hyperinflation. It results from air being trapped within the lungs after each breath due to a disequilibrium between the volumes inhaled and exhaled. The ability to fully exhale depends on the degree of airflow limitation and the time available for exhalation. These can both vary, causing greater hyperinflation during exacerbations or increased respiratory demand, such as during exercise. Reversibility of dynamic hyperinflation offers the possibility for intervention. Use of bronchodilators with prolonged durations of action, such as tiotropium, can sustain significant reductions in lung inflation similar in effect to lung volume reduction surgery. How efficacy of bronchodilators is assessed

[O2Trees]

Hi daz, many thanks for this. Ive always been told i had long lungs and have noticed how much more distended my abdomen is following this winter's severe exacerbation, which coincides with my now needing ambulatory oxygen as sats drop from my normal 92-94% at rest and walking around the house to 87% walking outdoors, and lower with exertion like hills or carrying shopping.

This information including video will help me talk to my consultant in couple weeks time. You take care Daz, jean

[Offcut]

Very good info-vid

With my diaphragm paralysed and the fibrosis explains why I am not getting improvement with inhalers etc.

[Hidden]

So much info here in the article and on the video. Thanks for sharing this Daz !

[helingmic]

Daz, Thank you for your informative video and description.

I have bronchiectasis, which is when the ealvoli become less elastic. Because they stay more open, more mucus is formed and bugs get int here.

Doctors like to paint a sort of horror picture which leaves you with the feeling, will I explode soon! What they should tell you is that every time you do some exercises, your lungs work. Even if the elastic is a bit distorted, it still work. That’s where the Pulmnary Nurse and Pulmonary Rehabilitation come in. Thank god we’ve got them to redress the balance and give a bit more hope!

COPD may be progressive, but you are in charge of a good bit. If you practice exercises, you will seriously damage … the illness!!!

Movement and mind associated create wellbeing. You may not get new lungs, but you will put a stop to the disease.

Of course, you have to take care with people coughing around as the little beasties are floating in the air and you can breathe them in!!!

The more active you keep, the more flexible your lungs will be.

And if you happen to cough up some bits, I think (I’m no expert) that some bits might grow back. But as we have 500 millions of alveoli, there will be some that will work alright.

So No to despair! Yes, you have a progressive disease, but the progression depends on you mainly!

Come on, stop reading, breathe in and extend your arms laterally a few times.

You have encouraged your lungs to work well! Well done!

[helingmic]

Also Daz and all other peeps! I belong to Rethink, a carer's group for people who have a relative who is affected by mental illness.We had a lovely talk about Singing for health.

Singing is good for mental health, especially for dementia where it stops the progress of dementia ( heard this on the BBC), but for all mental illness too.

Singing is good for COPD and other lung problems. I'm examining a group in my area. I already phoned a lovely lady who is going. while I feel up to it, why not?

Somehow, at church, there are a few ill people in the choir. A lady from the choir came to ask for help especially from men. I went. This lady is going to wash and starch a white robe for me. I don't know if it will improve my voice, but it looks gorgeous on me!!!

[Hidden]

I was told I had long lungs,your post was a good reading,thank you for digging it up,keep at it and wishing you well,ile keep exercising and mi oxygen is always 98,drops to 97,96,then back to 98,3 year ago it was 99,9,but now its always 98,so im happy with that,xxx

[Hidden in reply to Hidden]

Hi twiceshy3 cheers my sats ave been droping to 92 then back up .. Ad like to think am feeling better but am far from it .. more xrays and on permanate antibiotics .. and docs wrighting to lung doc to see me agsin

[junespoon]

As always Daz, your post are so interesting,as was the video, thanks a lot for all the info.xx

[appyalison]

Fascinating, Daz. If these things weren't so serious, it would be amazing to learn about them. Thank you for all your efforts to educate us about our lungs. Hope you are feeling OK. Alison

[Hidden]

thanks for posting this , when I was in hospital they had a job xray ing my lungs I was told I have larger lungs than normal being 6ft'2 didn't ge t told its down to c.o.p.d

cheers andy

[WynnshieldBrocken]

I'm not and never have been tall and slim but ten years ago during an over all X ray of my torso the X-ray technician exclaimed: "Wow. You have big lungs". I was and remain in good health and have never had any kind of pulmonary complaint. I'm 5', 11" and not overweight by definition. I'm big boned, big head, broad shoulders; 36" waist.

I wish I had questioned the X-ray technician but she did say "big" not long--although she could have meant that. I'm male btw.