Tag Archives: respiratory system

Travel and Your Nose

My parents gave me a great birthday present this year: a ticket to fly home for a visit. It’s the first time in more than a year that I’ve flown, so I was more than a little nervous as we rose into the sky. In the end, I made it to the East Coast and back safely and had a lovely vacation. The only problem was my nose. The morning after my arrival, I went to blow my stuffy schnozz and ended up with a nosebleed. It’s not too hard to figure out why: I’m most likely to get nosebleeds … Continue reading →

What Is Cystic Fibrosis?

Cystic fibrosis (CF) is a progressive disorder that affects many systems throughout your body, namely the respiratory system and the digestive system. This is an inherited disease of the mucus glands. You know what mucus is, right? That slippery stuff that lubricates (and protects) your airways, digestive system, reproductive system, and other organs and tissues. For people with cystic fibrosis, the mucus the body produces is extra thick and sticky. It can obstruct airways, causing serious breathing problems and potential for bacterial infections in the lungs. The infections cause coughing, wheezing, and inflammation; the infections and the mucus buildup can … Continue reading →