Denver Asthma Disability Attorney
Asthma is a chronic disease involving the airways in the lungs. These airways, or bronchial tubes, allow air to come in and out of the lungs. If you have asthma, your airways are always inflamed. They become even more swollen, and the muscles around the airways can tighten when something triggers your symptoms. This makes it difficult for air to move in and out of the lungs, causing symptoms such as coughing, wheezing, shortness of breath, and chest tightness.
Asthma symptoms, also called asthma flare-ups or asthma attacks, are often caused by allergies and exposure to allergens such as pet dander, dust mites, pollen, or mold. Non-allergic triggers include smoke, pollution, cold air, or changes in weather.
If you need help with a disability claim, reach out to an experienced asthma disability lawyer at McDermott Law, LLC for expert assistance. Our expert team of lawyers at McDermott Law, LLC is here to guide you through the process and ensure that your rights are protected every step of the way.
Asthma, American Academy of Allergy Asthma & Immunology, http://www.aaaai.org/conditions-and-treatments/asthma
Atelectasis
Atelectasis is a complete or partial collapse of a lung or lobe of a lung that develops when the tiny air sacs within the lung become deflated. It is one of the most common breathing complications after surgery and is also a possible complication of other respiratory problems, including cystic fibrosis, inhaled foreign objects, and severe asthma.
The amount of lung tissue involved in atelectasis is variable, depending on the cause. Signs and symptoms also vary. In some cases, atelectasis can lead to pain disorders, such as pleuritic chest pain, especially if the collapsed area causes irritation to the pleura or lining of the lungs. The severity of pain and discomfort can depend on the extent of lung involvement and any underlying conditions contributing to the atelectasis.
Bronchiectasis
Bronchiectasis is a disease in which there is permanent enlargement of parts of the airways of the lung. Symptoms typically include a chronic cough with sputum production. Other symptoms include shortness of breath, coughing up blood, and chest pain. Wheezing and nail clubbing may also occur. Those with the disease often get frequent lung infections.
The mechanism of disease is the breakdown of the airways due to an excessive inflammatory response. Involved bronchi become enlarged and are less able to clear secretions. These secretions increase the number of bacteria in the lungs, resulting in airway blockage and further breakdown of the airways. Bronchiectasis may result from several infective and acquired causes, including pneumonia, tuberculosis, immune system problems, and cystic fibrosis.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bronchiectasis
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD)
COPD is a chronic lung disease that makes breathing difficult. The disease is increasingly common, affecting millions of Americans, and is the third leading cause of death in the U.S. COPD damages the airways in your lungs and leads to shortness of breath, impacting your work, exercise, sleep, and other everyday activities.
Many people don’t experience symptoms of COPD until the later stages of the disease. Symptoms include chronic cough, shortness of breath during everyday activities, frequent respiratory infections, blueness of the lips or fingernail beds, fatigue, and wheezing.
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD), American Lung Association, http://www.lung.org/lung-health-and-diseases/lung-disease-lookup/copd/
Deep Venous Thrombosis (DVT)
Deep Vein Thrombosis is a condition in which a blood clot forms in one or more deep veins in your body, usually in the legs. This can occur if someone sits still for long periods or has medical conditions that affect how blood clots.
DVT is serious because a clot can break loose, travel through the bloodstream, and lodge in the lungs, blocking blood flow and causing a pulmonary embolism, which can be fatal. When symptoms occur, they may include swelling in the affected area, pain, warmth, and changes in skin color.
Risk factors include prolonged sitting, inherited clotting disorders, extended bed rest, injury or surgery, pregnancy, cancer, inflammatory bowel disease, heart failure, birth control pills or hormone replacement therapy, a pacemaker, a history of DVT or pulmonary embolism, family history, obesity, smoking, age, and height. Treatment usually includes blood-thinning medications that decrease the blood’s ability to clot but may increase the risk of bleeding.
Deep Vein Thrombosis (DVT), Mayo Clinic (Mar. 6, 2018), https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/deep-vein-thrombosis/symptoms-causes/syc-20352557
Hypercapnia
Hypercapnia occurs when you have too much carbon dioxide in your bloodstream. It usually happens as a result of hypoventilation, or not being able to breathe properly to get oxygen into your lungs.
Symptoms include flushed skin, drowsiness, inability to focus, mild headaches, disorientation, dizziness, shortness of breath, and unusual fatigue. Severe symptoms may include confusion, paranoia, muscle twitching, irregular heartbeat, hyperventilation, seizures, panic attacks, and fainting.
Tim Jewell, Hypercapnia: What Is It and How Is It Treated?, Health Line, https://www.healthline.com/health/hypercapnia#outlook
Hypoxemia
Hypoxemia is a below-normal level of oxygen in your blood, specifically in the arteries. It is a sign of a problem related to breathing or circulation and may result in symptoms such as shortness of breath.
Causes include airway obstruction, anemia, ARDS, certain medications that depress breathing, congenital heart disease, COPD, emphysema, and high altitudes.
Hypoxemia, Mayo Clinic (Jan. 11, 2018), https://www.mayoclinic.org/symptoms/hypoxemia/basics/when-to-see-doctor/sym-20050930
Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis (IPF)
Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis is a lung disease that results in scarring of the lungs for an unknown reason. Over time, the scarring worsens, making it difficult to take deep breaths and limiting oxygen intake.
The two main symptoms are breathlessness and chronic cough. Other symptoms include chest pain, unexplained weight loss, loss of appetite, fatigue, and changes in finger shape.
Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis, The Lung Association, https://www.lung.ca/lung-health/lung-disease/idiopathic-pulmonary-fibrosis
Interstitial Lung Disease (ILD)
Interstitial lung disease describes a large group of disorders that cause progressive scarring of lung tissue. This scarring affects your ability to breathe and get enough oxygen into your bloodstream.
ILD can be caused by long-term exposure to hazardous materials such as asbestos or by autoimmune diseases like rheumatoid arthritis. Symptoms include shortness of breath at rest or during exertion and a persistent dry cough.
Interstitial Lung Disease, Mayo Clinic, https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/interstitial-lung-disease/symptoms-causes/syc-20353108
Obstructive Lung Disease
People with obstructive lung disease experience shortness of breath due to difficulty exhaling all the air from the lungs. Because of lung damage or narrowed airways, exhaled air leaves the lungs more slowly than normal.
This condition makes breathing harder, especially during physical activity. As breathing increases, less time is available to fully exhale before the next inhalation, which can create a sensation of trapped air. For individuals in Denver, where altitude can further strain respiratory function, managing obstructive lung disease is crucial to maintaining optimal lung health and preventing complications.
Obstructive and Restrictive Lung Disease, WebMD, https://www.webmd.com/lung/obstructive-and-restrictive-lung-disease#1
Contact Us
For more information about your legal rights and entitlements, along with a professional evaluation of your potential case, set up a free Review of Denied Claims by calling us at 303-964-1800, or complete our contact form. We offer free Review of Denied Claims and represent clients throughout the Denver area and the Rocky Mountain region.