Dictionary

thermoplasty: Still experimental, a promising treatment for asthmatics that uses heat to re-form the airways.

thrush: A yeast infection in the mouth that results in lesions and may develop when the immune system is compromised.

tobacco smoke: A toxic substance that is a common cause of emphysema.

tomography: Mapping a single section of the body.

tonsils: Two areas of lymphoid tissue on either side of the throat.

Total Lung Capacity: The volume of air that a pair of lungs can hold.

total lung capacity test: See spirometry.

toxic chemicals: Long-term exposure to harmful substances can be a cause of emphysema.

trachea: The main section of the airway passage leading to the lungs. Extending from the larynx to the bronchi.

tretinoin: A drug that many believe decreases the effects of emphysema, though research is still being done.

tuberculosis: A chronic and life threatening airborne disease caused by the bacterium mycobacterium tuberculosis.

turbo inhaler: A device that precisely delivers medication into the airways.

upper respiratory infection: An infection of the respiratory system above the lungs.

vaccination:The developing of immunity to a viral disease by exposing a person to weakened or dead versions of the virus.

ventilation: The exchange of air between the lungs and the environment.

ventilator: A machine used to treat respiratory failure by assisting with ventilation.

virus: Any of a large family of infectious diseases. Unlike bacteria, viruses do not respond to antibiotic treatment. Viruses require a living host to reproduce.

vital capacity: The amount of air a person can exhale after maximum inhalation.

wheezing: Difficulty breathing accompanied with a whistling sound.

windpipe: Another name for the trachea (see Trachea).

xanthine: A chemical stimulant that is found in such beverages as coffee and tea and that may not be processed properly in the body. Also used to treat some asthma cases.