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A balance disorder is a condition that makes you feel unsteady or dizzy. If you are standing, sitting, or lying down, you might feel as if you are moving, spinning, or floating. If you are walking, you might suddenly feel as if you are tipping over.

An ear infection is an inflammation of the middle ear, usually caused by bacteria, that occurs when fluid builds up behind the eardrum. Anyone can get an ear infection, but children get them more often than adults. Five out of six children will have at least one ear infection by their third birthday. In fact, ear infections are the most common reason parents bring their child to a doctor. The scientific name for an ear infection is otitis media (OM).

Your sense of smell helps you enjoy life. You may delight in the aromas of your favorite foods or the fragrance of flowers. Your sense of smell is also a warning system, alerting you to danger signals such as a gas leak, spoiled food, or a fire. Any loss in your sense of smell can have a negative effect on your quality of life. It can also be a sign of more serious health problems.

The extent of noise-related damage to your hearing depends on three factors: decibel level, distance, and time. Learn how loud noises can put children’s hearing at risk over time. 

COPD has no cure yet. However, lifestyle changes and treatments can help you feel better, stay more active, and slow the progress of the disease.

Your doctor may diagnose COPD based on your signs and symptoms, your medical and family histories, and the results from diagnostic tests such as pulmonary function tests including spirometry and arterial blood gas tests, or chest x rays or chest computed tomography scans.

At first, COPD may cause no symptoms or only mild symptoms. As the disease worsens, common signs and symptoms include an ongoing cough (with or without mucus), shortness of breath, wheezing or whistling when breathing, and chest tightness.

Long-term exposure to lung irritants—smoke, air pollution, chemical fumes, or dusts—that damage the lungs and the airways usually is the cause of COPD. A rare genetic condition called alpha-1 antitrypsin (AAT) deficiency can also cause the disease.

COPD, or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, is a progressive disease that makes it hard to breathe. In the United States, the term COPD includes two main conditions—emphysema and chronic bronchitis.