Pulmonology and Pulmonologist – Doctor for Lungs – Know More

What is Pulmonology?

Pulmonology is a medical specialty that focuses on the lungs and respiratory system. The lungs, trachea, bronchi, bronchioles, accompanying blood arteries, and all other components engaged in and directly connected to breathing and the act of respiration make up the pulmonary system, often known as the respiratory system (gas exchange). They are in short Doctor for Lungs. It is a medical specialty that focuses on the diagnosis and treatment of disorders of the lungs and other components of the respiratory system. Asthma, emphysema, TB, and pneumonia are among these disorders.

What’s the difference between a cardiologist and a pulmonologist, and how can you tell the two apart?

The main distinction is the area of specialty. A cardiologist specializes in the heart, whereas a pulmonologist specializes in the lungs. However, these two parts of your body are intertwined and perform better together when both your heart and lungs are in good shape. Because pulmonary hypertension affects both the heart and the lungs, you may need to see both types of doctors.

Doctor for Lungs are pulmonologists and they study pulmonology while the doctors for heart are cardiologist and study cardiology.

What Conditions does a Pulmonologist Treat?

Pulmonologists address a variety of medical diseases that affect the lungs and respiratory system. Infections and persistent immunological disorders are among them, as are cancer and progressive diseases.

The following conditions are frequently treated by pulmonologists:

Asthma. This is a chronic illness that produces wheezing, shortness of breath, and coughing due to inflammation of the airways.

Bronchitis. Inflammation and swelling of the bronchial tubes can occur as a result of viral or bacterial infections, as well as exposure to irritants such as dust, chemical fumes, or cigarette smoke.

COPD

This comprises disorders that damage or restrict the airways and air sacs in the lungs, such as emphysema and chronic bronchitis. According to the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, even though smoking is the major cause of COPD, up to 25% of persons with the disease have no history of smoking.

Cystic fibrosis is a disease characterized by the presence of cysts in the lungs The body creates thick, sticky mucus, which can obstruct the lungs, airways, and pancreas. Persistent lung infections are more common in people with cystic fibrosis.

Emphysema

COPD causes this. The walls of the air sacs in the lungs are damaged, and the air sacs might collapse or extend beyond their usual capacity as a result of this illness.

Interstitial lung disease (ILD)

It is a kind of lung disease that affects This is a term for a set of disorders that induce lung scarring, or fibrosis. Fibrosis causes the lungs to become less elastic, making breathing harder.

Obstructive sleep apnea is a kind of obstructive sleep apnea. This happens when a person stops breathing for at least 10 seconds many times during the night. Chronic snoring, daily weariness, and difficulties concentrating are all symptoms of sleep apnea. It can also lead to other issues including depression, high blood pressure, and heart attacks.

Occupational Lung Disease – This word refers to a variety of respiratory problems that can arise from long-term exposure to irritating or hazardous chemicals in the workplace. Asbestos, crystalline silica, mold, and chemical vapors are all known to induce occupational lung illness.

Pulmonary Hypertension – The arteries that supply the lungs have excessively high blood pressure as a result of this illness. Pulmonary hypertension is usually caused by various underlying illnesses such as pulmonary blood clots, emphysema, heart failure, or liver disease.

Tuberculosis

When Mycobacterium TB bacteria enter the lungs, this happens. Coughing up bloody phlegm, chest discomfort, and chronic coughing are all symptoms of tuberculosis. TB is one of the top 10 causes of mortality globally, according to the World Health Organization (WHO) Trusted Source, despite low infection rates in most wealthy nations.

What are the Signs and Symptoms of COPD?

COPD symptoms usually appear after a significant amount of lung damage has occurred, and they tend to worsen over time, especially if you continue to smoke.

COPD can manifest itself in the following ways:

• Breathing problems, especially while doing vigorous activities
• Wheezing
• Tightness in the chest
• Coughing that generates clear, white, yellow, or greenish mucus on a regular basis (sputum)
• Respiratory infections are common.
• Energy deficiency
• The unintentional weight reduction (in later stages)
• Ankle, foot, or leg swelling

Exacerbations, which are periods when a person’s symptoms grow worse than normal and continue several days, are more common in people with COPD.

How does a Doctor for Lungs or Pulmonologist clean Lungs?

Lung lavage, also known as lung washing, is a procedure for flushing surfactant build-up from the lungs. While the patient is sedated, clinicians place twin endotracheal tubes into the lungs. They put saline in one and oxygen in the other to keep the patient breathing. The saline helps to break up the stored protein, while a vest worn over the patient’s chest helps to mix the two. The liquid is then suctioned out of the lungs. The operation is continued until the suctioned liquid runs clear, indicating that all extra protein has been removed. The treatment is then done on the opposite lung.

What are Pulmonary Function Tests and Why do they need to be done?

Lung function tests (also known as pulmonary function tests) are a group of tests that assess how effectively the lungs are functioning. Spirometry is the simplest basic exam. This test determines how much air the lungs can store. Spirometry is a test that measures lung capacity and is used to detect disorders that impact it. It’s also used to check for disorders of the lungs, such as COPD and asthma.

Lung volume testing is another common pulmonary function test. It measures the amount of air in the lungs, including the air that lingers after a typical breath, and is more exact than spirometry. A diffusing capacity test, on the other hand, determines how quickly oxygen enters the circulation. Exercise testing aids in determining the source of shortness of breath. When the conventional breathing test findings are normal, there are other tests to see if asthma is present.

What can Help Detox our Lungs?

Some drinks that can help detox our lungs are:

• Ginger Honey Lemon Tea
• Green Tea
• Turmeric And Ginger Drink
• Masala Tea
• Licorice Root Tea

What is Bronchoscopy?

Bronchoscopy is a technique that uses a narrow, illuminated tube to examine directly into the lungs’ airways (bronchoscope). The bronchoscope is placed through the nose or mouth of the patient. It enters the airways after passing via the windpipe (trachea). The voice box (larynx), trachea, big airways to the lungs (bronchi), and smaller branches of the bronchi can then be seen by a healthcare practitioner (bronchioles).

Flexible and rigid bronchoscopes are available. Both versions are available in a variety of widths.

You will spend some time in a recovery room following the treatment. When you wake up from general anesthesia or sedation, you may be groggy and bewildered. Your vital indicators, such as heart rate and respiration, will be monitored by your healthcare staff.

Following the operation, a chest X-ray may be taken. This is to ensure that your lungs are in good working order. You could be instructed to cough softly and spit your saliva into a basin. This is so that a nurse can check for blood in your secretions.

How do you tell if a Pulmonary Nodule is Cancerous?

To begin, you should realize that, while lung nodules can be a sign of lung cancer, benign nodules are rather frequent. A CT scan (computerized tomography scan) may not be sufficient to confirm or rule out lung cancer. Lung nodules come in a variety of shapes, sizes, and types, and doctors use particular recommendations to determine if more testing, such as a PET/CT scan or a lung biopsy, is necessary.

Lung nodules are frequently discovered when a patient receives a chest CT scan for a variety of reasons, including when the patient has symptoms of lung illness or during a lung cancer screening.

However, a physician may accidentally discover a lung nodule while performing a CT scan of the patient’s belly in response to unrelated stomach symptoms or following an accident.

The lungs look like two black sponges with faint white lines going through them on a CT scan. This is because air fills the lungs, and air appears black on a CT scan or a chest x-ray. Lung nodules, on the other hand, are white specks in that dark area, indicating that something else is present in your lungs where only air should be.

What Should you do if you have a Lung Nodule?

If you’ve been informed you have a lung nodule, you should see a pulmonologist or someone who specializes in diagnosing and treating lung nodules and cancer. These doctors may be better qualified to provide appropriate counsel and, if necessary, request additional tests to identify whether you have lung cancer.

You should also think about getting a second opinion. Getting a second opinion from a cancer center that uses a comprehensive approach to cancer diagnosis and treatment might help reduce the worry and anxiety that comes with discovering a lung nodule.

What are the Benefits of early Detection of Lung Cancer?

Lung cancer survival rates range significantly between those diagnosed in the early stages and those diagnosed at stage 3 or stage 4—the stages at which the bulk of lung malignancies are diagnosed.

It’s far easier to treat lung cancer when it’s localized—that is, there’s no sign it’s spread outside the lungs—than when it’s spread to regional (near the lungs) or distant parts of the body.

However, many individuals with lung cancer do not have symptoms until the disease has progressed to a more advanced stage. Because most lung cancers have no symptoms at first, they are only discovered after they have progressed.

However, once patients begin to suffer symptoms, researchers discovered that it takes an average of 138 days from the time they seek medical attention for those symptoms to the time they begin therapy. This gives the disease more time to develop and spread, as well as increases the patient’s worry levels.

This is why, even if you have no additional risk factors for lung cancer, getting the right testing to establish whether a nodule is malignant is so critical.

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Vedangi Vijay Laxmi

Hi! I am a health and fitness enthusiast who enjoys both working out and doing yoga. I am a sports fanatic. I enjoy reading novels and watching movies. I'm also interested in a variety of art forms such as painting, singing, etc.

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