Pulmonology is a field of medicine that deals with the comprehensive study, diagnosis and treatment of diseases of the respiratory system, including the lungs and bronchi. Many of these diseases are characterized by a long and severe course, and also significantly reduce the quality of life and shorten its duration.
Who is a pulmonologist
A pulmonologist is a medical specialist who specializes in recognizing and treating problems of the lungs and bronchi. He performs diagnostic procedures such as chest x-rays, spirometry and bronchoscopy to determine and monitor the progress of the disease. A lung and bronchial physician also prescribes and monitors treatments, including medications, physical therapy, inhalations, and surgery.
What does a pulmonologist treat? A pulmonologist is a doctor who helps patients with chronic respiratory diseases lead a healthy lifestyle. A pulmonologist works in collaboration with other specialists: an allergist, an ENT specialist and a cardiologist. His competence includes the treatment of the following diseases:
- Bronchitis. Treatment of all forms of bronchitis, including obstructive.
- Pneumonia. Fighting pneumonia and preventing complications.
- Alveolitis. Treatment of inflammation of the alveoli, prevention of the development of respiratory failure.
- Pleurisy. Combats inflammation of the lung membranes, preventing adhesions, calcification and respiratory failure.
- Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). A chronic disease caused by obstruction of the airway in the respiratory tract.
- Emphysema. A chronic disease in which the walls between the alveoli, small air chambers in the lungs, are destroyed, which leads to a decrease in the exchange of gases.
- Lung cancer. An oncological disease characterized by persistent cough, hemoptysis, weakness, weight loss and difficulty breathing.
- Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). A chronic disease caused by obstruction of air in the respiratory tract.
- Community-acquired pneumonia. Inflammation of the lung caused by an infection that a person contracted outside a medical facility. Unlike nosocomial pneumonia, the disease usually has a milder course.
- Bronchial asthma. Chronic disease leading to asthma attacks.
- Allergic and occupational lung diseases. Infection occurs in the workplace. This group includes pneumoconiosis, silicosis, metalloconiosis, etc.
- Sarcoidosis, cystic fibrosis and other pulmonary fibrosis. These diseases are characterized by the growth of connective tissue in the lungs.
If you notice symptoms that are similar to signs of respiratory diseases, immediately contact your physician or pulmonologist. This will help make timely diagnosis and determine a strategy for further treatment.
How is an appointment with a pulmonologist?
What does a pulmonologist do during an appointment? A visit to a doctor begins with a conversation, during which the doctor clarifies complaints and symptoms, studies the history of the disease, and inquires about the patient’s lifestyle. This helps the pulmonologist get an idea of the possible causes of problems with the respiratory system.
This is followed by a physical examination, including auscultation (listening) of breath sounds using a stethoscope. The doctor listens carefully to the sounds of breathing as you inhale and exhale to determine the presence of abnormal noises: whistling, wheezing, or friction.
The next step is usually a diagnostic study in the pulmonology department. The most common research methods include chest x-ray. It allows the doctor to see the condition of the lungs and bronchi. In addition, more complex research methods are often performed: CT, MRI, bronchoscopy, spirography and others, depending on the expected diagnosis.
