Glossary: Words to know in MAC lung disease

Various techniques that break up mucus and allow for it to be cleared

An uncontrollable, often allergic breathing disorder that causes muscles in the airways of your lungs to tighten. This results in wheezing, coughing, and tightness in the chest

Microscopic, single-celled organisms that thrive in diverse environments. These organisms can live in soil, the ocean, and inside the human gut

A disease in which there is permanent enlargement of parts of the airways of the lung. Symptoms typically include chronic cough with mucus production. Other symptoms include shortness of breath, coughing up blood, and wheezing

A drug that expands airway passages in the lungs, making it easier to breathe

An X-ray image of the chest taken with a scanner

When the lungs are no longer able to exchange oxygen for carbon dioxide from the bloodstream fast enough for the body's needs

A lung disease that leads to poor breathing. COPD is a term used to include chronic bronchitis, emphysema, or a combination of both

A medical expert who focuses on diseases resulting from the presence of an infection caused by bacteria, viruses, fungi, parasites, and more

Redness, swelling, pain, tenderness, and heat in an area of the body

An abnormal, empty, non-functional space within the lung that is visible on CT scan

A type of surgery to remove all or part of the lung, It can be used to diagnose or treat lung disorders

The most common bacteria causing NTM lung disease, found in water and soil

The most common form of NTM lung disease, this type of noncontagious infection can cause serious damage to the lungs if left untreated

A type of white blood cell that helps eliminate foreign substances by surrounding foreign materials and initiating an immune response

A slimy mixture that is produced by glands lining your nose and throat. It also protects and lubricates surfaces in your body

An abnormal growth in the lungs that occurs when a clump of immune cells (granuloma) calcifies or hardens over time

NTM lung disease is an infection that occurs in your lungs. The infection is caused by bacteria that are common in the environment

A medical specialist who diagnoses and treats lung diseases

A mechanized device that enables the delivery or movement of air and oxygen into the lungs of a patient whose breathing has ceased, is failing, or is inadequate