Lung capacity is the ability of the lungs to hold air when breathing. Decrease and increase in lung capacity can have an impact on your health condition. Check out the full explanation in the following article!
Under normal circumstances, both lungs can hold as much as 6 liters of air. Along with increasing age, lung capacity and function will decrease, especially after entering the age of 35 years.
However, lung capacity can also decrease in younger people, especially in people who have certain diseases.
Conditions Related to Decreased Lung Capacity
There are several conditions that can cause reduced lung capacity, including:
Age
Aging can make the diaphragm muscle weaker, reducing the elasticity of the lung tissue and chest muscles that play a role in the breathing process. This makes aging often one of the factors that trigger reduced lung capacity.
Restrictive lung disease
Restrictive lung disease is a condition when the lungs cannot store too much air. There are several conditions that can cause a decrease in lung capacity, including:
- Pneumonia
- Pleural effusion
- Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis
- History of lung surgery
- Obesity
- Lung swelling
- Nerve damage to the respiratory muscles
- Interstitial lung disease
- Scoliosis
Various medical conditions above make it more difficult for sufferers to breathe. This is caused by damage to lung tissue or a problem with the respiratory muscles, so the body is unable to inhale maximally.
Related ConditionsIncreased Lung Capacity
Lung capacity may also increase. Some of the medical conditions that can cause increased lung capacity are:
- Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)
- Asthma
- Bronchiectasis
- Cystic fibrosis
These conditions make the air that moves out of the lungs slower than usual, so the patient will find it more difficult to exhale. Patients with this condition also often experience shortness of breath when undergoing strenuous activities.
Measuring Lung Capacity
To determine the amount of lung capacity, the method that is often used is spirometry. Spirometry is a test to measure how much air you can maximally exhale in one breath. This test is performed by a doctor using a spirometer.
Spirometry can also be used for the following purposes:
- Help doctors diagnose symptoms or diseases in the lungs, such as coughing or shortness of breath that doesn't go away
- Checking lung health in patients over 35 years of age and smokers
- Check the severity of the condition or see the progress of the patient's condition after undergoing treatment
- Monitor the lung condition of patients who will perform surgery
How to Maintain Lung Capacity
Decreased lung function is a normal part of the aging process. However, there are steps that can be taken to maintain lung capacity and maintain a healthy respiratory system, including:
- Exercise regularly and do various exercises to strengthen lung function and capacity, such as diaphragmatic breathing exercises and yoga
- Quit smoking and avoid exposure to secondhand smoke
- Applying a healthy diet, including increasing the intake of foods rich in antioxidants
- Improve indoor air quality using an air filter
- Completing immunizations to prevent lung infections, for example by getting flu vaccines and pneumonia vaccines
Although a decrease in lung capacity can be influenced by age, you should remain vigilant if you feel difficult breathing or shortness of breath accompanied by a long and persistent cough.
If you experience problems or symptoms in breathing that are indicative of a decrease or increase in lung capacity, do not hesitate to consult a doctor so that they can be given the right examination and treatment.