Inhalers dilate the airways and reduce inflammation by delivering a medicated dry powder or a soft mist directly into the lungs.

Market research suggests that the allergies market will continue to grow in the years ahead as the number of allergy diagnoses increases, identifying new patients. Areas of growth include the increasing interest in immunotherapies designed to retrain the immune system through regular exposure to potential allergens via injections and under-the-tongue medical formulations, among other approaches.

Unlike the air near Earth's surface, which is primarily composed of oxygen and nitrogen, heliox is composed entirely of oxygen and helium. Because helium is lighter than nitrogen, the lungs do not have to work as hard to push air, easing the uptake of oxygen via a ventilator, mask, or nasal tube.

Most people breathe in hundreds of Aspergillus fumigatus spores daily without getting sick—it’s a common microscopic fungus in our environment. But people who are severely ill, including those who have undergone an organ transplant, are at risk of developing infections from these spores.

Research shows people who practice breathing exercises see a decrease in depression and stress levels, and that such exercises are about as effective at treating PTSD as conventional approaches. Even something as simple as extending exhales can slow one's heart rate and activate the parasympathetic nervous system.

Ultrafine dust, just 3 micrometers wide, is small enough to bypass lung defenses and enter the bloodstream, where its highly reactive chemicals can cause thyroid disease. Silica in the dust can also cause silicosis, a chronic and incurable lung disease.

If someone has a severe allergic response, including trouble breathing or two or more allergic symptoms, it may be necessary to administer epinephrine, usually through an injection. Epinephrine autoinjectors—often called EpiPens—should be injected into the mid-outer thigh, even through clothing, for about 10 seconds, depending on brand. Sometimes another injection with a separate EpiPen is required if the patient does not get better after a few minutes.

This process clogs up narrowed nasal airways, which results in congestion. This process is often accompanied or triggered by swelling of blood vessels in the nose.

These structures in the nose above the nose hairs swell and shrink constantly and are affected by head position. They can fill with blood during illness, causing the feeling of congestion, but also when a person changes position, especially when lying down. Medications can be used to shrink them, providing temporary relief.

Only about 7% of Amish children in a northern Indiana community have tested positive for common allergens in routine skin prick tests, whereas half of the general US population tests positive for them. Asthma is also extremely uncommon among the Amish, even when compared with other farming communities. Researchers are interested in exploring if approaches like exposing kids across the general population to Amish farm dust might stave off some allergies.

A well-maintained air conditioner can typically keep out unwanted pathogens, but units that are dusty or water-logged can foster germs and cause harm. AC units also remove moisture from the air, potentially causing mucus membranes to dry out and become vulnerable to infection.

These breathing devices, developed in the late 1920s at Harvard, were used to treat polio patients with breathing difficulties. Watch this video describing how these negative pressure devices work.

Mucus—otherwise known as snot or phlegm—has a gross reputation, but the substance is actually of vital importance, lining the moist surfaces of our nose, intestines, lungs, and more. It plays a constant role in keeping our tissues from drying out and acts as a line of defense, but if it gets too sticky or thick, it can cause problems. Read about the marvels of mucus here.

Researchers are investigating different strategies to determine if one day they could give people a combination of gut microbes to set them up for fewer allergies. In animal research, scientists have already prevented severe allergic responses in allergy-prone mice—supplying them with gut microbes from healthy, non-allergic human babies.

Rest, fluids and common medicines usually ease influenza symptoms. For people at higher risk of complications, doctors may prescribe antiviral drugs, which work best when started soon after symptoms begin.

In this video, a physician claims that he reversed a patient's Type 2 diabetes in six weeks by addressing inflammation drivers such as diet. More broadly, he argues that society needs to better consider and address numerous disease factors that are modulated by inflammation, such as stress, sleep, diet, and movement.

Over-the-counter decongestants powered by phenylephrine won't help those with stuffy sinuses find relief, according to current evidence. This 10-minute video explores why these useless medications are still for sale in the US. The decongestant...

Influenza passes mainly through tiny droplets released when sick people cough, sneeze or talk. The virus can also survive briefly on surfaces, allowing it to spread when others touch contaminated objects.

We breathe in airborne spores frequently, but they often don't make us sick. This video details how certain concerning fungal changes can occur and discusses the role of mycologists—scientists who study fungi—in helping to improve human health.

Research suggests humans can reduce inflammation by limiting foods that are already known to be unhealthy for the human body—because they alter gut bacteria and stress the immune system—such as highly-processed foods, deep fried foods, sugary drinks, trans fats, red meats, and foods made with white flour. Foods that help the body include fatty fish such as salmon, legumes, fruits, and vegetables.

The term refers to the idea that largely invisible but consistent low-level inflammation as humans age fuels chronic diseases and cellular aging. Inflammaging, this article says, is due to lifestyle factors like poor sleep, low levels of activity, and poor diet, acting in concert to cause cellular damage and trigger inflammation.

Snoring is simply noise caused by improper airflow during sleep—and while it’s something that most people will do at some point in their lives, it can also be indicative of larger health problems. Generally speaking, snoring occurs when soft...

In one recent study, almost 100% of pregnant women experienced this condition in their third trimester. The congestion is likely due to hormonal changes and neurophysiological factors, and it may also worsen at night due to circadian factors and gravitational redistribution when lying down. Treatments include saline nasal irrigation and the use of nasal strips to widen the nasal valve area.

A combination of genetics and how the environment changes our genes are likely contributing to the rise in allergies. But daily conveniences, such as dishwashers and packaged baby food, also change the level of bacterial exposures in early life, with potential implications for allergy development, experts from Mount Sinai Health System state in this video discussion.

Black lung disease is a preventable condition long associated with coal miners who regularly breathe in toxic coal dust. Simple workplace safety procedures make the disease entirely preventable, but cases are rising. Due to lax enforcement of rules, miners in Central Appalachia are increasingly diagnosed with cases stemming from silica dust inhalation.

This article's writer, who has Hashimoto's Disease and characteristic symptoms from her body attacking her thyroid—like exhaustion, hair loss, and brain fog—shares big take-aways from an anti-inflammatory retreat in Italy. The writer suggests that a holistic approach to eating, sleeping, and stress management, are the only sustainable ways to lower inflammation.

Inflammation is the body's way of healing itself, and acute inflammation saves our lives when we have injuries or infections. It increases blood flow to the affected areas to bring immune cells to fight off invaders. This often results in short-term swelling, redness, and pain.

Asbestos, a hazardous material that can cause lung cancer, is commonly found in buildings constructed before 1980. Tornadoes that damage such buildings can release asbestos into the air, along with other toxic pollutants and dust as materials are lifted. Individuals, particularly those with asthma or other chronic lung diseases, are encouraged to wear masks after a tornado.

Weight loss injectable use rose sharply between 2024 and fall 2025. The percentage of adults who reported taking this class of medicine specifically for weight loss increased to 12.4%, compared with 5.8% in February 2024 when Gallup first measured it.

Asbestos can hurt you, but not many people understand how or why. Asbestos is actually a stone, once frequently employed as a construction material due to its strength, softness, fire-resistance, and biodegradability. However, when working on old homes or furniture, it may be released into the air, and extended exposure to its particles may cause lung cancer. Its use in new construction has been banned, but it remains a hazard. Learn more here.

Mixes of acetic acid or alcohol to help speed water evaporation in the ears shouldn't be placed into children's ears if they have a hole in the eardrum or if they had ear tubes inserted—hollow cylinders made of plastic or metal that are inserted into the eardrum by a doctor to help drain fluid and improve airflow in the middle ear. Alcohol or acids can cause irritation to the middle ear and intense pain as they pass through the hole or tube.

Why do some people have allergies while others don’t? One theory suggests allergies are a relic of our evolutionary past. Our immune system, once primed to fight parasites, now mistakes harmless substances for threats.

Animal studies involving microdoses of psilocybin, the psychoactive component in magic mushrooms and ketamine, found it helped to alleviate anxiety and inflammation, an immune response that can cause damage when chronically active. Human studies are ongoing. In at least one double-blind study, where researchers and patients don't know who got a placebo versus the real thing, about half of the participants incorrectly guessed they had been given placebos.

The nose structure plays a key role in filtering air before it enters our lungs and makes sure that the air temperature and humidity are also suitable for the body.

Drugs like propofol and isoflurane increase activity at the GABA receptor, which opens chloride channels. These ions enter neurons and hyperpolarize them, making them less likely to fire. Dexmedetomidine instead blocks norepinephrine receptors in the brainstem to sedate patients.

While sleep apnea is directly tied to an increased risk of cardiovascular and metabolic health problems, many affected people are unaware of their problem. Sleep apnea occurs when upper airway muscles relax during sleep and pinch off the airway, which can cause breathing to pause for 10 seconds or more at a time. Sleep partners (rather than those inflicted) are often the first to notice breathing pauses or loud snoring in their bedmates.

Drugs that narrow blood vessels, beta blockers that regulate blood pressure, diuretics, antidepressants, and antipsychotics can all affect the body's ability to regulate its internal body temperature, and so individuals taking these medications need to take special care in extreme heat and when exercising in hot conditions.