Respiratory diseases: Find information & doctors

Respiratory diseases affect the upper or lower respiratory tract in humans. Several different diseases fall under respiratory diseases, such as asthma, sinusitis or pneumonia. Find out more about the different forms here and find a suitable doctor for respiratory diseases.

Respiratory diseases are a broad spectrum of diseases that affect the upper and lower respiratory tract.

Classification of respiratory diseases

Respiratory diseases can be broadly divided into two categories:

• obstructive diseases (blocked or narrowed airways, e.g. asthma), and
• restrictive diseases (reduced elasticity of the lung tissue, so that oxygen uptake is limited from the outset).

Typical representatives of upper respiratory diseases are

• the common cold,
• acute sinusitis or
• chronic pharyngitis.

The airways with the trachea and bronchi in the lungs © PIC4U | AdobeStock

Diseases of the lower respiratory tract include

• Bronchitis, e.g. in children,
• pneumonia and
• asthma.

The reasons for an illness can be varied . They range from a congenital malformation or metabolic disorder to the usual risks of infection in our everyday lives.

Selected clinics can offer you good treatment methods for any form of illness.

Typical symptoms

The symptoms are similar in most cases, regardless of the specific respiratory disease. They range from a common cough to acute shortness of breath. You should consult a doctor at the first suspicion of a respiratory disease in order to prevent the disease from progressing.