CPAP, or continuous positive airway pressure, is a relatively safe and effective treatment for sleep apnea and certain other breathing problems, according to the National Heart Lung and Blood Institute. A CPAP machine blows a steady stream of air into a mask that the patient wears over the mouth and nose.

Quitting smoking results in healing within the lungs.The sooner you quit, the better the chance for reversing the harmful effects of tobacco smoke on the lungs.

Jump lunges are a plyometric bodyweight exercise. If you want to add them to your workout, you have to know proper technique.

Most people breathe without even thinking about it. The purpose of breathing is to bring oxygen into the body when you breathe in and move carbon dioxide out of the body when you breathe out. The diaphragm, a large muscle that separates the lungs from the abdomen, is the main muscle responsible for normal breathing.

Excess mucus in the airways or lungs is not healthy, and may be caused by irritants, allergens, infectious agents or certain medical conditions.

Lunges and split squats share similarities that make the two exercises easy to confuse. To understand the differences between them, focus on the muscles they activate and the form considerations of each. The differences may appear subtle, but the exercises differ significantly.

Inflammation of pleurisy is an inflammation of the membrane around the lungs, called the pleura. This membrane is two layers thick and lines the chest cavity, thereby protecting the lungs. In healthy individuals, there is a thick layer of fluid between the two pleura.

Alternate nostril breathing is also called "anuloma viloma" or "nadi shodhana" (in Sanskrit, the ancient language of yoga). As the name suggests, this breathing exercise involves alternating which nostril you breathe out of by blocking the opposite nostril.

Lung inflammation can lead to a host of medical conditions. Inflammation happens in the small airways, air sacs and capillaries of your lungs. Symptoms first appear as shortness of breath, fatigue, decreased appetite, weight loss, dry cough, trouble breathing and chest discomfort.

Vehicles crowding roadways, power plants pumping smoke and chemicals from consumer products have many people thinking about air pollution and how it affects the planet. Air pollution is a complicated problem with many causes and effects and few solutions.

According to the American Geriatrics Society, breathing problems such as shortness of breath, discomfort in chest, coughing and wheezing, often have causes in underlying illnesses. These respiratory illnesses include chronic bronchitis, asthma and pulmonary emphysema as reported by National Jewish Health.

Deep breathing can release stress and provide other noticeable health benefits. You will likely feel calmer after performing deep breathing exercises, and may trade feelings of anger or fear for a focused, relaxed state of mind.