How do our respiratory organs work?
We take between 12 and 18 breaths per minute—without even noticing. It is a process that we all take for granted, but it is actually very complex and fascinating—and involves various respiratory organs that together form our respiratory system. But how does this interaction work, and what role does coughing play in it?
The path of air through the respiratory organs
The respiratory system, consisting of various respiratory organs, is responsible for the smooth functioning of our breathing. These are divided into the
- upper respiratory tract (nose, sinuses, mouth, and throat)
- and the lower respiratory tract (larynx, trachea, bronchi, lungs).
The respiratory system, with all its organs, is responsible for supplying our body with oxygen-rich fresh air and removing used air containing CO2 – this is known as gas exchange. During this process, the air we breathe always follows the same path: Fresh air flows through the nostrils, through the nasal cavity and on to the throat. From there, it passes through the larynx into the trachea, then on to the bronchi and finally into the lungs and the alveoli located there. When we exhale, the air enriched with carbon dioxide simply takes the same route back out again.
However, the respiratory organs are not just the “passages” of the body through which air flows, they also perform important tasks and functions within the respiratory system.
Larynx, trachea, bronchi – the “guardians” of the lungs
Before the air we breathe flows into the trachea, it reaches the next respiratory organ: the larynx. The epiglottis can temporarily separate the esophagus and trachea, thereby protecting the lungs from the ingress of saliva or food.
Air is conducted from the larynx into the trachea, which divides into a left and right branch at the end—the two main bronchi. Both the trachea and the bronchi are lined with countless tiny cilia that constantly move toward the mouth. They prevent small foreign bodies and mucus from entering the lungs by transporting them out.
Cough reflex – an important protective reflex of our respiratory organs
Coughing also ensures that foreign bodies and mucus are expelled. Various receptors are located on the mucous membrane of the respiratory tract for this purpose. If these are irritated, e.g. by increased mucus accumulation, they transmit this impulse to the cough center in the brain, triggering the cough reflex. Depending on the type of cough, different therapeutic approaches may be appropriate. Broad-spectrum cough preparations, such as Prospan, help to loosen stuck mucus, dilate the bronchi, and relieve inflammation and coughing.
Alveoli – gas exchange
Once the air we breathe has been purified, gas exchange takes place, i.e., oxygen is absorbed into the blood and carbon dioxide is released from the blood. This is done by the alveoli, which are located at the end of the smallest branches of the bronchi. The lungs consist of over 300 million of these tiny alveoli, which, spread out side by side, would cover an area half the size of a tennis court. But we need this area to absorb as much vital oxygen as possible at the same time.
The alveoli are surrounded by a dense network of tiny blood vessels called capillaries. The blood in the capillaries comes from the organs and contains a lot of carbon dioxide—a waste product of our metabolism that needs to be disposed of. The oxygen from the alveoli, on the other hand, must reach the organs, because they need oxygen to function. To achieve this, the alveoli and capillaries exchange oxygen for carbon dioxide – and the cycle begins again.
