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Lungs

Acute bronchitis (chest infection)

Acute bronchitis is the most common type of chest infection. Bronchitis is an infection in the large airways in your lungs, called bronchi. Acute means it comes on quickly and does not last long.

Asthma

Find out about asthma symptoms, medicines that help control asthma and what to do during an asthma attack.

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)

A treatable, long-term lung condition that can cause breathlessness, coughing, mucus (sputum or phlegm) and sometimes wheezing.

Collapsed lung (pneumothorax)

A collapsed lung (pneumothorax) happens when air leaks into the chest around the lung, causing sudden chest pain and shortness of breath.

Cough

A new cough is not usually serious and will most often go away without any treatment. There are many possible causes of a cough.

Coughing up blood (haemoptysis)

People who cough up blood usually only cough up small amounts. It may look like blood spots on a tissue, or it may be mixed with mucus and looks brown. Even for small amounts of blood, you should see your healthcare provider.

Croup

A common viral infection that narrows the upper airways. It is more common in pēpi (babies) over 6 months old and young tamariki (children) under 3.

Legionnaires' disease (legionellosis)

Legionnaires' disease is a chest infection (pneumonia) caused by the Legionella bacteria. People usually catch the disease by breathing in water droplets that contain the bacteria from sources like soil, compost, potting mix, or spa pools and water systems.

Lung cancer

Lung cancer begins when abnormal cells grow in an uncontrolled way in one or both lungs.

Lung fibrosis (pulmonary fibrosis)

Lung fibrosis (pulmonary fibrosis) is a condition in which hard scar tissue forms in your lungs, making it hard to breathe. The scar tissue forms around the air sacs (alveoli) in your lungs, making them stiff.

Lung nodules

A lung nodule is a round area that is denser than the normal lung tissue seen on a chest x-ray or CT scan. They are very common and can be present in up to half of all adults' chest scans. Small nodules do not cause any symptoms.

Persistent cough

A persistent cough is a cough that lasts longer than 6 to 8 weeks. It is also known as a chronic cough. If you have a persistent cough, see your healthcare provider so they can help you find out what is causing it and what you can do about it.

Pneumonia

Pneumonia is inflammation and fluid in your lungs. It can be caused by a bacterial, viral or fungal infection.

Preventing the spread of respiratory illnesses

Find out what to do if you have symptoms of a respiratory illness and how to reduce the risk of spreading it to other people.

Sarcoidosis

Sarcoidosis is a rare condition that mainly affects the lungs, although sometimes it can involve other parts of the body. It is caused by small pockets of inflammation called granulomas. Sarcoidosis usually happens to people aged between 25 and 45.

Silicosis

Silicosis is a long-term lung disease. This happens when someone is exposed to large amounts of silica dust over a shorter time. Accelerated silicosis is when the disease comes on more quickly.