Category: News

Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease Among Veterans

Some veterans of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan who were exposed to hazards such as burn pits, sandstorms, and improvised explosive devices may now have chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). It’s only one of the many lung conditions that are now known more broadly as “War Lung Disease,” which also encompasses other conditions such […]

Origins of War Lung Disease

Numerous veterans of the War in Iraq and Afghanistan have self-reported mysterious respiratory symptoms after their deployment. What’s known as “War Lung Disease” is actually a set of lung conditions resulting from exposure to a variety of different airborne hazards in these wars.   Medical studies have found a plausible linkage between respiratory illnesses veterans […]

COVID-19 Vaccine Information for People with Lung Conditions

People with breathing problems and lung conditions are more likely to develop severe cases of COVID-19 if they contract the virus. Patients with shortness of breath are several times more likely to develop severe COVID-19 and be admitted to the intensive care unit. In fact, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (a progressive lung disease that causes […]

Common Illnesses Associated with Burn Pits

In the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq, burn pits were used to dispose of solid and human waste. They were often located near the living quarters of military personnel, exposing them to airborne health hazards. Although service members have complained about the health problems they’ve experienced likely due burn pit exposure, in the past it […]

Most Common Signs of War Lung Disease

War lung disease may be affecting thousands of veterans who served in the Iraq and Afghanistan wars after being exposed to burn pits and other airborne health hazards. “War lung disease” encompasses a number of different lung conditions that may have long-term consequences for military personnel post-deployment. These include asthma, obstructions to the airways, constrictive […]

What is War Lung Disease

War lung disease is a mysterious pulmonary illness that some military veterans suffer from after being exposed to burn pits, sandstorms, and other hazards of war. It’s a condition that affects many veterans of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan but is difficult for doctors to diagnose. To date, more than 360,000 veterans of the […]