"HEALTHY LUNGS, HONEST FACTS: SEPERATE MYTHS FROM REALITY" (MYTHS AND FACTS IN LUNG HEALTH)

1.MYTH :

A NORMAL CHEST XRAY MEANS EVERYTHING IS NORMAL WIYH LUNGS!

FACT:

NO, a person can have a normal chest xray but can still have diseases like Asthma, Viral Bronchitis, Upper airway diseases like Tracheal tumours, Foreign bodies in Airways and Serious diseases like Pulmonary Thromboembolism. An early Lung cancer or early ILD, early TB maybe missed. These diseases can be diagnosed only with advanced tests like CT scan, Spirometry,Bronchoscopy etc.

2.MYTH:

LUNG CANCER OCCURS EXCLUSIVELY IN SMOKERS, MALES AND ELDERLY.

FACT:

NO. The fact is 10-20 % of Lung Cancer can occur in non smokers and females also. The reason being Radon exposure, Second hand Tobacco smoke, Air pollution, xposure to biomass fuel (BMF) and Genetic mutations.

Similarly younger adults < 40 yrs can also develop lung canccer. ( About 1.3%) .Mostly they are due to genetic mutations. Since they are unsuspecting, they usually present with advanced disease ( STAGE 4), mostly of the Adenocarcinoma type with metastasis. Viral infections like HPV, EBV may have a role in genesis of Lung cancer in young individuals.

3.MYTH:

ASTHMA IS A CHILDHOOD DISEASE AND

CHILDREN OFTEN GROW ' OUT OF ASTHMA'

FACT:

Although Asthma ( Early onset Asthma) is common in children,especially males, it can occur in adlts (>18 yrs) and elderly (>40 yrs, called as Late onset Asthma ) and therefore at any age.

It is also not true that "Children grow out of Asthma". 1/3 of children may become symptom free as they grow but a large number of these children develop symptoms of Asthma again later in life.

4.MYTH:

INHALERS ARE ADDICTIVE AND HARMFUL AND SHOULD BE USED ONLY IN SEVERE ASTHMA PATIENTS 'AS A LAST RESORT'

FACT:

INHALERS ,used in Asthma and COPD are not ADDICTIVE. They are prescribed by a Pulmonologist because they have many advantages over oral or injectible medicines. The inhaler medicine directly reaches the airways, the site of disease, and acts locally to dialate the narrowd lumen. There is minimum absorption in to blood , so the side effects are also minimum. INHALERS are portable, convinient to carry and cost effective.

INHALERS are not just for SEVERE ASTHMA, 'AS A LAST RESORT'. They should be used in MILD /EARLY Asthma or Moderate Asthma cases also, as advised by the Pulmonologist. If not used, asthma cannot be controlled. With poor control, there will be flare ups/ exacerbations, sometimes life threatneing. It results in long term damage to lung and falling lung functions and capacities.

5.MYTH:

LUNG CANCER IS EXTREMELY FATAL ,

ITS LIKE 'DECLARING DEATH SENTENCE '

FACT:

LUNG CANCER IS NOT ALWAYS FATAL. In recent years, there is tremendous progress in the treatment of LUNG CANCER. It is called PRECISION MEDICINE, which means more personalised, more targetted and more effective.

The new TARGETED THERAPIES, based on molecular mutations in lung cancer and new agents of IMMUNOTHERAPY, CHECK POINT INHIBITORS ( CPI) which activate one's own immune system to fight cancer are avalable, which are less toxic, improve quality of life and prolong life span. RADIOTHERAPY techniques like SBRT

( STERIOTACTIC BODY RADIATION THERAPY) offer more precise treatment. Of late exciting new treatments have emerged in recent years like ADC ( ANTIBODY DRUG CONJUGATES ) which deliver drugs directly to tumour cells.

6.MTYH:

MASKS ARE NOT SAFE FOR PEOPLE WITH LUNG DISEASES / THEY DONT PREVENT INFECTION.

FACT:

IN FACT ELDERLY PERSONS > 65 yrs and people with chronic respiratory diseases like COPD, IPF, ASTHMA, CANCER AND other Immunocompromised individuals are advised to wear masks to prevent contracting diseases like Influenza, Covid 19 and TB ,especially in public places, public transport, and busy areas. Contrary to people's imagination they donot build up of CO2 in the mask.

Even if they are infected , the viral particles are few in number and so illness is less severe and symptoms are mild.

7.MYTH:

LOW TAR CIGARETTES ARE SAFE.

FILTERED CIGARETTES ARE LESS HARMFUL.

FACT:

"LOW TAR CIGARETTES ARE SAFE" is a misconseption. It is a misleading marketing trick by TOBACCO INDUSTRY . With 'low tar cigarettes', the smoker changes his pattern of smoking to get same level of satisfaction. By increasing the drag time and holding puff longer and deeper, he inhales the same quantities of nicotine, tar and carcinogens and so the risk remains same.

FILTERED CIGARETTES are no less harmful than the unfiltered ones. Filters soften the smoke and make it easier to inhale, thus they can encourage deeper and more frequent inhalations into lungs and the risk of lung cancer or other respiratory illnesses remains the same.

8.MYTH:

VACCINATIONS ARE UNSAFE.

FACT:

IT IS FAR FROM TRUTH. In fact vaccinations are most powerful tools in preventing serious infections. Every vaccine undergoes rigorous tests of efficacy and safety and multiple trials . Only then it is approved and released into market for use. They are safe and effective. In patients with chronic lung diseases, the vaccinations of Influenza, Pneumonia, Covid 19, Pertussis prevent dangerous and fatal infections and death.

9.MYTH:

VAPING ( E - CIGARETTE) IS A SAFE ALTERNATIVE TO REGULAR CIGARETTE.

FACT:

VAPING is not risk free. The flavouring agents and chemicals like Propylene glycol can cause damage to lung tissues, scarring, affect immunity and increase risk of cancer. It may also cause serious lung injury called EVALI ( E -CIGARETTE/ VAPING ASSOCIATED LUNG INJURY) leading to death. CDC and WHO strongly discourage vaping. The safest option is "DONT INHALE SUBSTANCES INTO YOUR LUNGS AT ALL."

10.MYTH:

IT IS TOO LATE TO QUIT SMOKING AND CANT AVOID SMOKING.

FACT:

NO, IT IS NEVER TOO LATE TO QUIT SMOKING AND AVOID DISEASES LIKE COPD AND LUNG CANCER. It is only an excuse used by smokers to continue the habit. The truth is, once the person quits smoking, the lungs start to heal. Amazing changes start taking place in lungs and other systems. Even if late, "QUITTING" reduces risk of Lung cancer, progressive COPD, Heart disease and improve overall lung health. Research tells that "quitting smoking " for 10 years reduces the risk of lung cancer by 50%.

11.MYTH:

OXYGEN THERAPY INDICATES LATE STAGE LUNG DISEASE AND

OXYGEN THERAPY IS ADDICTIVE.

FACT:

Oxygen therapy does not indicate END STAGE lung disease. A patient may require it for a short duration or life long. In acute conditions like Pneumonia, Covid 19, Acute Asthma, COPD and Respiratory failure, OXYGEN is administered for a few days ie, as long as the body tissues need oxygen. Once the patient recovers, there is no need to continue oxygen therapy. Some chronic lung diseases like COPD , IPF and SLEEP DISORDERS may require life long oxygen. Oxygen is not addictive. It is a life saving drug. It's role is supplemental and given as long as necessary as advised the pulmonogist.

SEPARATING MYTH FROM FACT IS ESSENTIAL FOR PROTECTING YOUR LUNG HEALTH. CONSULT YOUR PULMONOLOGIST TO MAKE INFORMED DECISIONS ABOUT YOUR RESPIRATORY WELL BEING.