The oxygen then goes through the larynx, the larynx is made of cartilaginous material and helps protect the trachea if there are any solid objects that have passed into the epiglottis by producing a strong cough. Three pairs of folds also protect the larynx by closing it of during swallowing; these same folds also produce speech sounds by vibrating when air rushes past them. The larynx “connects the inferior part of the pharynx (hypopharynx) with the trachea.” (en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Larynx, 27/02/12)
The trachea (also known as the windpipe) is below the larynx and has rings of cartilage that keeps it open as well as protecting it. These rings are not complete “due to the position of the oesophagus immediately behind the trachea and the need for the trachea to partially collapse to allow the expansion of the oesophagus when swallowing large pieces of food” (teachpe.com/anatomy/respiratory_system.php, 27/02/12). It is 10cm in length and has a diameter of 2.5cm. It carries air from the throat to the lungs. The trachea also has cilia on the inner membrane; these help catch dust and removes it via the process of coughing. The bottom of the trachea is divided into two passageways these are called bronchi, each one enters a different lung, one enters the left lung and one enters the right lung. This part of the body can be known as the chest cavity. The air goes through this passage way to the bronchi.
The bronchi consist of smooth muscle and are surrounded in irregular cartilage rings, “The left bronchus is narrower, longer and more horizontal than the right” (wiki.answers.com. 27/02/12) this is so it can accommodate the left side of the heart which is bigger than the right. Each of the bronchi then divide again to form the bronchi tubes, these then divide into smaller tubes once inside the lungs and connect to air sacs called alveoli, these are surrounding by capillaries and “The average adult's lungs contain about 600 million of these spongy, air-filled sacs” (science.nationalgeographic.com, 27/02/12). The inhaled air then goes into the alveoli.
The alveoli are at the end of the respiratory system, they emerge from the surface of the alveolar sacs and/or ducts. These are both also a place where gases exchange with the blood, the alveolar membrane being the surface of the gas-exchange. Carbon dioxide is brought from the rest of the body via the blood, to be released into the alveoli. “oxygen in the alveoli is taken up by the blood in the alveolar blood vessels, to be transported to all the cells in the body.” (biologymad.com, 27/02/12) The alveoli are made up of some elastic fibers and collagen, this allows them to stretch when taking in oxygen and to spring back to enable them to expel carbon dioxide. Carbon dioxide comes out of the same route as the air entered.
The diaphragm is also a part of the respiratory system. It helps pull oxygen into the lungs and pump carbon dioxide out. It is a thin sheet of fibrous tissue and muscle and lies at the bottom between the chest cavity and the abdomen. When someone breathes in, muscle fibers contract causing the diagram to flatten, this allows for more air to be able to enter the lungs and helps draw the air in. The diaphragm then relaxes allowing for carbon dioxide to be expelled from the lungs.
This is a diagram of the respiratory system.
There are many dysfunctions of the respiratory system, one of these being asthma. This is a chronic condition which affects the lungs; it can be managed but not cured. The airways in those with asthma are overly sensitive to external factors, such as dust, pet hair and smoking, among other things, this is a topic asthma which means that is triggered by allergic reactions. However with some people their asthma may be triggered randomly, it is thought this can be caused due to stress, anxiety, laughing or being over excited. These are all called asthmatic triggers.
“An asthmatic trigger causes the airway walls to swell and the muscles around them to contract.” (Video: Asthma an animation, NHS). This makes the airways narrow which causes wheezing and difficulty in breathing. Mucus is produced from the lining of the airways, causing the narrow airways to clog up even further which then causes coughing and symptoms of asthma. The narrowing of the airways can be reversed in some cases if the trigger is removed, or if the inflammation is treated medically, there for preventable treatment is mainly used. This allows the patient to manage it, acute asthma can be treated my intervention; however the type of intervention depends on the severity of the attack.
The cause of asthma is not fully understood and it is thought to be due to a variety of factors that may make a person more susceptible to asthma. It is thought that asthma may have a link with genetics as it is shown that if a person has a family history of asthma then they are more likely to get it. It is also shown that a combination of gene and environmental factors may lead to a person more likely to have asthma. “Research suggests that some genetic variants may only cause asthma when they are combined with specific environmental exposures, and otherwise may not be risk factors for asthma” (lifeonhealthy.com/asthma-disease-of-chronic-lung.html, 27/02/12). There is also another theory that asthma may be a collection of diseases.
Life style can also be a cause of asthma, such as a change in the person’s environment, if they are not used to something then they are more likely to be allergic to it. It is also shown that pollution and smoke can worsen the effects of asthma. Asthma like symptoms such as difficulty in breathing, wheezing, and respiratory infections during childhood has been linked to the mother smoking during pregnancy and after delivery. “Research has shown that smoking during pregnancy significantly increases the risk of a child developing asthma. Similarly, whose parents smoke are more likely to develop asthma.” (The American review of respiratory disease, Volume 138, Issues 1-3, et al, American Lung Association, 1988, California, page 522)
Stress Is also thought to be a factor linked with asthma, however it is thought that it is more of an indirect link and that stress causes the immune system to increase it’s reaction to asthmatic triggers.
Asthma can have many effects on the individual with it. This can depend on many factors such as how severe the asthma is, the age in which the symptoms started, the way their activities are limited, the support they get and the way the person copes with it individually. The feeling of not being able to breath can cause a person to become upset and fear for there life. This may lead to anxiety even when a person is not having an attack especially if their attacks are unpredictable. This may also cause them to become too watchful of their actions, they may be worried about carrying out everyday tasks incase it causes them to have an asthma attack. They may also worry about things like their heart beating too fast. They may feel they have lost control in their life. “Asthma can lead to a person to feel out of control in their life” (Managing Long-Term Conditions and Chronic Illness in Primary Care: A Guide to Good Practice, Judith Carrier, 2009, Oxon, page 25). This can cause anger and frustration; they may even feel guilty and be embarrassed about it, especially children who can see that they are ‘different’ from others.
References.
, 27/02/12
ambulancetechnicianstudy.co.uk/respsystem.html, 27/2/12
buzzle.com/articles/structure-of-the-human-respiratory-system.html, 27/02/12
teachpe.com/anatomy/respiratory_system.php, 27/02/12
science.nationalgeographic.com, 27/02/12
biologymad.com, 27/02/12
video: Asthma an animation, NHS
lifeonhealthy.com/asthma-disease-of-chronic-lung.html, 27/02/12
The American review of respiratory disease, Volume 138, Issues 1-3, et al, American Lung Association, 1988, California, page 522
Managing Long-Term Conditions and Chronic Illness in Primary Care: A Guide to Good Practice, Judith Carrier, 2009, oxon, page 25)
