At a visit with a pulmonologist, you will see a doctor who has advanced education and training in lung diseases and conditions. This board-certified specialist also has training and certification in critical care and sleep medicine. In this blog, you will learn what to expect from pulmonary care.
Why People Need Pulmonary Care
Children and adults need pulmonary care because something is abnormal about their lung structure and function–either acutely, as in an active disease process, or chronically.
Examples of chronic lung conditions are asthma, COPD, cystic fibrosis, and others. Acute diseases include pneumonia, bronchitis, and tuberculosis.
Without proper care, illness can result in chronic symptoms such as:
- Shortness of breath
- Coughing
- Wheezing
- Copious mucus production
- Weakness
- Fatigue
- Insomnia
Primary care physicians will refer their patients for pulmonary care when they have diagnosed, or suspect a diagnosis, of:
- Asthma with no discernible triggers
- Lung cancer
- Chronic conditions such as pulmonary hypertension, cystic fibrosis, or sarcoidosis
- Interstitial lung disease
- Tuberculosis
- Pneumonia and bronchitis
- Sleep disorders, such as obstructive sleep apnea, insomnia, and narcolepsy
- Work-related lung conditions like asbestosis and black lung disease
What Pulmonary Care Involves
With a complete medical exam, including blood work, digital imaging tests, bronchoscopy (to view the interior of the windpipe and lung tissue), and other assessments, the pulmonologist can develop a plan of care to eliminate or manage symptoms. Treatments focus on problems with the structure of the respiratory system, infections, inflammation, autoimmune disorders, and cancers.
Plans of care typically involve medications, therapies, and lifestyle changes to be done at home, and other interventions may happen right in the pulmonology clinic. The most serious critical cases of respiratory disease and conditions may require a period of hospitalization. The pulmonologist directs the lung care for these very ill patients also.
Pulmonary care may involve:
- Daily use and as-needed prescription medications to improve oxygenation and airflow
- Lifestyle changes, such as routine exercise and smoking cessation
- Therapies, such as oxygen supplementation, and education to increase lung capacity and function
Additionally, pulmonology can involve operative procedures, such as thoracentesis to relieve fluid build-up in the lungs, and lung volume reduction surgery to remove diseased portions of a lung to allow for better function of healthier parts.
Our pulmonary clinic professionals also provide emotional support for both patients and their families to relieve the stress and strain that chronic lung disease can create. In short, pulmonary care treats the whole person, not just their respiratory difficulties.
Upstate Medical University Department of Medicine in Syracuse, NY
For the finest in pulmonary care testing and treatment, we recommend you contact one of 16 of our board-certified lung, critical care, and sleep medicine specialists for an in-depth consultation. Our clinics are at Upstate Health Care Center (UHCC), Upstate University Hospital, University Pulmonary & Sleep Medicine, and Upstate Sleep Center – find our location nearest you here. We look forward to treating you!
