lung

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Eva Rudolf-Müller is a freelance writer in the medical team. She studied human medicine and newspaper sciences and has repeatedly worked in both areas - as a doctor in the clinic, as a reviewer, and as a medical journalist for various specialist journals. She is currently working in online journalism, where a wide range of medicine is offered to everyone.

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The lungs are located in the chest (thorax) and are used for breathing. It consists of two wings - the right one is slightly larger than the left. The air flow reaches the two main bronchi via the windpipe, which branch out further and finally open into tiny vesicles (alveoli). This is where the gas exchange with the blood takes place. Read more about the structure, function and possible diseases of the lungs!

What is the lungs?

The lungs are the body's organs in which the oxygen from the air we breathe is absorbed into the blood and carbon dioxide is released from the blood into the air. It consists of two wings of different sizes, the left of which is slightly smaller so that the heart also has room.

The two lungs are connected to the windpipe (trachea) via the two main bronchi, through which the air you breathe reaches the lungs via the mouth, nose and throat.

The lungs are covered by a thin, smooth and moist layer of tissue called the pulmonary membrane. The inside of the chest is also lined with such a thin layer, the pleura. Together, the pleura and the pleura are referred to as the pleura (pleura). Between them - in the so-called pleural space - there is a thin film of liquid. It ensures that the lungs and chest move against each other when breathing, but cannot completely detach from each other (like two moist glass plates placed next to each other - these also "stick" to each other).

What is the function of the lungs?

The lungs are responsible for absorbing oxygen from the air we breathe into the blood and releasing carbon dioxide from the blood into the air, which is then exhaled.

The inhaled air passes through the windpipe into the two main bronchi, which each lead into one of the two lungs. There they branch further into the bronchi and bronchioles. In the bronchi, the air is not only further distributed - foreign bodies and pathogens are also caught here: These stick to a tough mucus that the mucous membrane of the bronchi produces.

At the end of the many bronchioles there are around 300 million tiny, air-filled vesicles (alveoli), in whose delicate wall innumerable fine blood vessels (capillaries) run. The actual gas exchange takes place in the alveoli: oxygen from the air you breathe goes into the blood, and carbon dioxide from the blood goes back into the air in the alveoli and is then exhaled with it.

Inhale and exhale

Active muscle work is necessary for inhalation: The diaphragm and intercostal muscles, but also the chest and back muscles, come into action. They cause the chest to expand, which passively unfolds the lungs (which cannot detach from the chest). The resulting negative pressure sucks in the breathable air.

When you breathe out, the breathing muscles relax - the chest narrows and the air is forced out of the lungs. Actively tensing the abdominal muscles can deepen the exhalation.

Respiratory rate and tidal volume

When we are at rest, we breathe in and out about 10 to 15 times per minute. We need about six to nine liters of air per minute to breathe in. With physical work or sport, this amount increases enormously - up to 50 to 100 liters per minute.

Where are the lungs located?

The lungs are located in the chest (thorax), which it fills almost completely. Both of its wings have the shape of a cone, the tip of which is located directly below the respective collarbone. The broad concave base rests on the diaphragm.

What problems can the lungs cause?

Health problems of the respiratory organ usually impair breathing and manifest themselves in shortness of breath (dyspnea). Important examples are pneumonia, bronchitis, bronchial asthma, COPD (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease) and pneumothorax (collapse of a lung due to abnormal accumulation of air in the chest). One of the most common cancers in humans affects the lungs: lung cancer is the most common cause of cancer-related death in men and the third most common cause of cancer death in women.

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