Respiratory Paralysis, also called Acute Respiratory Failure occurs when the muscles involved in breathing become severely weak and fail to function properly. It may lead to even death because proper breathing is not delivered by the muscles of the respiratory system. To manage and treat this condition you will need to consult a pulmonologist who is a specialist in lung diseases. Log on to Marham.pk to find and consult with the best pulmonologist in Lahore, Karachi or other main cities of Pakistan.
Who Is At Risk of Getting Respiratory Paralysis?
A person is more prone to acute respiratory failure if he/she:
- Takes a lot of alcohol
- Smokes excessively
- Has some inherited respiratory disorder
- Gets some kind of chest or spinal injury
Causes of Respiratory Paralysis:
Following are the major causes of respiratory paralysis:
- Motor neuron diseases
- Spinal cord diseases
- Pulmonary diseases
- Neuromuscular diseases
- Chronic bronchitis
- Phrenic nerve injury
- Decreased breathing effort
Symptoms of Respiratory Paralysis:
- Bluish discoloration of lips and fingers
- Loss of consciousness
- A headache
- Insomnia
- Tiredness
- Agitation
- Difficulty in breathing due to the weakening of respiratory muscles
- Pain in shoulders
- Orthopnea: a kind of dyspnea in which the person can only breathe properly when he is standing or sitting erect.
- Bluish discoloration of the skin and mucous membranes
Treatment of Respiratory Failure:
Following are the common possible treatments for respiratory paralysis which are given to the patients according to the level of their respiratory paralysis problem. To find and consult with the best pulmonologist in Karachi, Lahore or other main cities of Pakistan visit Marham.pk.
- The doctor may prescribe you proper medication so that you may breathe better and comfortably.
- Supply of oxygen provided via ventilators or portable oxygen tanks.
- The doctor may insert a breathing tube in your mouth or nose which is then also connected to a ventilator which helps in better breathing.
- Tracheostomy: an operation in which artificial airway is created in the windpipe.
Respiratory paralysis, if not treated, can cause the death of the patient due to lack of oxygen in the body. Patients suffering from respiratory paralysis mostly need constant professional help. Acute respiratory failure is also a major cause of death in acute poliomyelitis.
Other than external or internal environmental causes, genetics also play an important role in the acquisition of this disease. Vigilance and immediate care can prevent most such life-and-death conditions.