Lowering Risk of Getting Lung Disease

You can reduce your risk for getting lung disease. Things you can do include:

• Do not smoke cigarettes or other tobacco products and quit if you do smoke. Ask your health care provider for help with quitting smoking.

• Try to stay away from dust and irritants that can harm your lungs. If you must work near them, wear devices like masks to protect yourself.

• Have a spirometry test done as often as your health care provider suggests. This test looks at how much and how quickly you let out air after a deep breath.

See your health care provider right away if you are having trouble breathing, having pain in the lungs, are coughing up blood, or have any of the symptoms described in this FAQ.