Clinical pulmonology is a specialized branch of medicine that focuses on conditions that affect the lungs and respiratory tracts. In pulmonology, doctors often manage patients who require breathing support and treatment for breathing problems. Hence, the doctors involved in pulmonology are trained in diseases and conditions that affect the chest, airways and respiratory system.
Pulmonary diseases include a variety of lung-related ailments. Some significant respiratory diseases are asthma, lung cancer, tuberculosis, occupational lung diseases and many more.
- Asthma: It is a chronic condition that causes shortness of breath, chest tightness, and coughing. Asthma attacks occur when there is an inflammation in the airways which narrows or close it down. It restricts airflow in the lungs and can be dangerous if the passage is severely restricted for long.
- Bronchitis: Bronchitis occurs when a respiratory passage has a viral infection resulting in the inflammation of the airways. It can be acute or chronic. Bronchitis can cause wheezing, shortness of breath, fatigue, and mild fever.
- Tuberculosis: Tuberculosis is a transmissible disease caused by a bacterial infection that primarily affects the lungs, but it can also affect other parts of the body. Active TB include chronic cough with blood containing mucus, fever, night sweats, and weight loss.
- Lung cancer: The growth of a chronic lung tumour resulting in the growth of cancer tissues in the lungs is known as lung carcinoma or lung cancer. It is a chronic disease, and its symptoms include coughing with blood weight loss, shortness of breath and chest pain.
While most pulmonary diseases are treatable, ignoring them can lead to severe complications. Hence, you have to be aware of their symptoms and consult our pulmonologists for successful management.
Symptoms
While all pulmonary diseases have common symptoms, some other symptoms might vary depending on the disease being acute or chronic. Some of these symptoms are:
- Shortness of breath, especially during walking, running, or physical activity
- Wheezing and chest tightness
- Fatigue in the whole body
- Frequent respiratory infections
- Unintended weight loss (in case of chronic illness)
- A chronic cough that produces white yellow or greenish mucus.
If you feel a lot of pressure in your chest while breathing or muscle pain in the airways, it might be a symptom of pulmonary disease.
Diagnosis of Pulmonary Diseases
In most cases, specialists like respiratory physicians and a pulmonologist get started with the diagnosis through a physical exam. They may also ask for additional information while diagnosing the problem in the lungs:
- Hereditary diseases affecting lungs
- Patients consuming toxicants like tobacco or cigarette
- If the patient is exposed to infectious agents like birds or insects.
- Certain procedures, including pulmonary fibrosis or pulmonary hypertension
Physical diagnostic for pulmonary diseases include:
- Percussion of the lungs for Dullness
- Inspection of the chest wall and respiratory rate
- Inspection of lung fields for unusual breath sound using a stethoscope
There are also some significant tests run by specialist doctors to check the presence of pulmonary diseases. These tests include bronchoscopy, sputum study, and arterial blood gases.
Treatment for Pulmonary Diseases
For many diseases, medication is the primary and most common solution, which is also the case for many pulmonary diseases. However, doctors mostly administer these medications via inhalation for quick results. That’s why asthmatic patients prefer to use inhaler pumps to unblock their airways quickly in case of an asthma attack.
Doctors also prescribe oral medicines like antibiotics and leukotriene antagonists to patients with lung diseases. Sometimes in the case of a chronic illness, oxygen therapy like pulmonary fibrosis and emphysema is given to the patient.
Why Eternal Hospital?
At Eternal Hospital, we have a highly qualified and dedicated team of urologists who are always committed to providing the latest and most advanced medical care to all our patients. Being a trusted name in healthcare, we act compassionately while ensuring confidentiality to those who need it. We have set high standards in patient-centric premium care and outstanding patient safety, and exceptional maintenance in a timely manner. We adhere to the use of up to the minute innovations to offer state-of-the-art treatments to our patients with unparalleled results.
