Pulmonologist treat the respiratory diseases including the lungs. Diagnosis of respiratory disease include chest x-rays and a pulmonary. PFT measures how well your lungs take in air and release air and how well they circulate the oxygen throughout your body.For COPD, patients actually benefit from respiratory rehabilitation.The respiratory diseases and its conditions fall in the following categories-
- Chronic diseases, such as asthma. In asthma the lung airways cause wheezing, cough, shortness of breath and chest tightness. The symptoms may get worse, if the person is exposed to tobacco smoke, air pollution, factory smokes, pollens, cold sir, chemicals and medications.
- Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), intersection of three related conditions:chronic asthma, chronic bronchitis and emphysema. It makes extremely difficult for the person to breath in.
- Viruses such as influenza
- Bacterial pneumonia
- Enterovirus respiratory virus that has been diagnosed in children
Another respiratory problem- COR pulmonale arises out of complications from high blood pressure known as pulmonary hypertension or right sided heart failure because it occurs on the right ventricle of your heart. COR pulmonale enlarges the right ventricle and the pumping of blood is less than it should be. The ventricle is pushed beyond its limit and finally it fails.The symptoms of CORpulmonaleare not noticeable at first. The symptoms include-
- Shortness of breath
- Increased heart rate
- Tiredness
- Lightheadedness
Consult a doctor. Go for a diagnosis immediately. During diagnosis of COR pulmonale, the doctors will study the physical report and medical testing as well- protruding neck veins, fluid retention, and abnormal heart rhythms.
And for problems related to bronchitis, go for a bronchoscopy. During bronchoscopy, a local anaesthetic spray is applied to the nose and throat. It will act as a sedative to help you relax during the test. This will make you drowsy. Oxygen is given during the bronchoscopy. General anaesthesia is not needed.
For bronchoscopy test you need to stop eating or drinking anything before 6 or 12 hours. Also, you need to stop taking:
- Ibuprofen
- Aspirin
- Warfarin
- other blood thinners
You will need to bring someone along with you to drive you back home after the bronchoscopy.