Pulmonologist Diseases and Conditions

• Asthma: Chronic inflammatory disease causing airway narrowing, leading to shortness of breath, coughing, and wheezing. Often allergy-related.
• Allergic Rhinitis: Inflammation of nasal passages due to allergens, often associated with asthma.
• COPD (Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease): Progressive lung disease causing airflow limitation, mostly due to smoking.
• Lung Fibrosis (Pulmonary Fibrosis): Scarring of lung tissue, impairing oxygen absorption.
• Pneumonia: Infection that inflames the air sacs in one or both lungs, potentially filled with fluid or pus.
• Smoking-Related Diseases: Lung conditions directly associated with smoking, including COPD and bronchitis.
• Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA): Sleep disorder causing repeated breathing interruptions due to airway blockages.
• Lung Cancer: Malignant tumors in the lungs, with risk factors including smoking and environmental exposures.
• Occupational Lung Diseases: Respiratory conditions due to occupational exposure to irritants, including asbestosis and pneumoconiosis.
• Pre-Operative Lung Disease Fitness: Assessment to ensure lung health before surgery.
• Tuberculosis (TB): Bacterial infection primarily affecting lungs, with drug-resistant forms (MDR, XDR TB).
• Bronchiectasis: Chronic condition where the walls of the bronchi are thickened from inflammation and infection.
• Interstitial Lung Disease (ILD): A group of disorders causing lung tissue scarring, reducing lung capacity.
• Pulmonary Hypertension: High blood pressure in lung arteries, leading to right heart strain.
• Hypersensitivity Pneumonitis: Lung inflammation due to inhaled allergens, causing respiratory symptoms.
• Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis (IPF): Lung disease with unknown causes, characterized by progressive scarring.
• Sarcoidosis: Inflammatory disease causing granulomas, often affecting lungs.
• Eosinophilia: Elevated eosinophils, which may indicate allergy or infection impacting respiratory health.

Symptoms and Symptom Management

• Shortness of Breath (Dyspnea): A feeling of breathlessness, common in various lung and heart diseases.
• Chronic Cough: Persistent cough that may indicate chronic respiratory conditions like asthma or bronchitis.
• Hemoptysis: Coughing up blood, often associated with serious lung infections or cancer.
• Pleurisy: Inflammation of the pleura, causing sharp chest pain with breathing.
• Respiratory Tract Infection (Upper/Lower): Viral or bacterial infections affecting different parts of the respiratory tract.
• Viral Fever: Respiratory symptoms caused by viral infections, often presenting with fever.
• Dry Cough/Reflux Cough (GERD Cough): Coughing without mucus, sometimes caused by gastroesophageal reflux.
• Cough and Breathing Difficulty: Key symptoms in a variety of respiratory conditions.

Treatments and Interventions

• Pulmonary Rehabilitation: Exercise and therapy to improve breathing and quality of life in chronic lung conditions.
• CPAP/BiPAP: Devices providing positive airway pressure, mainly for OSA management.
• Bronchial Asthma Treatment: Comprehensive care for asthma including medication, inhalers, and lifestyle management.
• Tuberculosis (TB) Treatment: Medications targeting TB, including special regimens for MDR/XDR TB.
• Lung Cancer Treatment: May include surgery, chemotherapy, radiation, or targeted therapies.
• Pneumonia Treatment: Antibiotics for bacterial pneumonia, supportive care for viral pneumonia.
• Pleural Effusion Treatment: Draining of excess fluid in the pleural cavity, sometimes with medication.
• Bronchitis Treatment: Management of inflammation in the bronchial tubes, typically with medication and rest.
• Sleep Apnea Treatment: Primarily managed with CPAP, lifestyle changes, or surgical options.
• Cough Treatment: Symptom management often with antitussives or addressing underlying causes.
• Pulmonary Embolism Treatment: Anticoagulants to manage blood clots in lung arteries.
• ILD and Pulmonary Fibrosis Treatment: Medication and rehabilitation to slow progression and improve lung function.
• Hypersensitivity Pneumonitis Treatment: Avoidance of triggers and anti-inflammatory treatment.
• Sarcoidosis Treatment: Corticosteroids and immunosuppressive drugs to control inflammation.
• Eosinophilia Treatment: Allergy treatment and management, often with corticosteroids.
• General Respiratory Condition Management: Therapy for chronic conditions, focusing on improved breathing and quality of life.

Procedures and Tests

• Pulmonary Function Test (PFT): Assesses lung volume, capacity, rates of flow, and gas exchange.
• 6-Minute Walk Test (6MWT): Measures distance walked in six minutes, indicating exercise tolerance and lung health.
• Bronchoscopy: Procedure using a bronchoscope to view the airways, often used for diagnostic biopsies.
• Thoracoscopy: Minimally invasive procedure for viewing lungs and pleura, useful for both diagnosis and treatment.
• Spirometry: A type of PFT measuring lung function, particularly airflow.
• Tracheostomy: Surgical opening of the trachea to aid breathing, often used in severe respiratory cases.
• Polysomnography (Sleep Study): Records sleep patterns, used to diagnose sleep apnea and other disorders.
• Lung Surgery (Lobectomy, Pneumonectomy, Bullectomy, Decortication): Surgical interventions to remove diseased lung tissue.
• Nebulisations: Treatment delivering medication directly to the lungs in mist form, used for conditions like asthma.
• Embolisation: Blocking abnormal blood flow in pulmonary arteries, often in cases of pulmonary embolism.