Water in the lungs is a health problem known scientifically as pulmonary edema, which occurs when the pulmonary alveoli fill with fluid, due to other poorly treated diseases, such as heart failure or respiratory infections, for example.
Because excess fluid in the lungs makes breathing difficult and reduces oxygen flow to the body, water in the lungs can be life-threatening, so it’s a good idea to go to emergencies quickly when symptoms such as breathing, wheezing or persistence occur. spat out blood.
- Water in the lungs is curable.
- However.
- Treatment should be started as soon as possible to prevent oxygen levels in the body from dropping too low and endangering life.
- Understand how water is treated from the lungs.
Depending on the cause of pulmonary edema, symptoms may appear over time or appear suddenly. Some of the most common symptoms include:
When many of these symptoms appear, it is advisable to call the medical service, calling 192, or go immediately to a hospital emergency department, to have a chest x-ray, confirm the diagnosis and start treatment quickly, to avoid serious complications that could lead to death.
In most cases, to confirm the diagnosis of pulmonary edema, your doctor analyzes your signs and symptoms, as well as a history of previous conditions, such as high blood pressure, diabetes or heart attack. The physical exam is extremely important to get to the diagnosis, and during this test, your doctor should examine your chest, look for swelling of your legs, and evaluate blood pressure.
In addition, an X-ray, electrocardiogram, or echocardiogram may also be needed to determine the cause of water in your lungs.
The most common cases of water in the lungs occur in cardiovascular diseases, such as coronary heart disease, heart failure or high blood pressure, as the heart may stop working properly, causing blood to build up in the lungs and make air from entering. .
However, there are other situations that can cause fluids to build up, such as:
The water problem in the lungs is more common in the elderly because they have more health changes, but it can also occur in young people or even in children with congenital heart disease.
Learn more about the possible causes of this problem
Water treatment in the lungs should be done in the hospital and usually begins with oxygen through a mask to relieve symptoms such as shortness of breath, drowning and wheezing. In addition, some remedies may be used to remove excess fluid such as:
Because of the effect of medicines to remove excess fluid, your doctor may recommend using a bladder tube to quantify the amount of urine that is removed after use of the diuretic. Learn how to properly maintain your bladder tube to prevent infections.
In addition to treating pulmonary edema, it is very important to know the cause and start your proper treatment, to prevent the problem from re-establishing.