What is a Pulmonologist?
A pulmonologist is a physician who possesses specialized knowledge and skill in the diagnosis and treatment of pulmonary conditions and diseases.
There are a number of disorders that could affect the lungs, including asthma, bronchitis and pneumonia. The following conditions are treated by the Elmhurst Clinic pulmonologists:
ARDS – Acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) is sudden, life-threatening lung failure. ARDS inflames the alveoli, causing them to fill with liquid and collapse. Once the alveoli collapse, gas exchange ceases and the body becomes starved of oxygen.
Asthma – Asthma is a chronic disease of the lungs and airways that affects 14-17 million people in the United States. Severe asthma is a serious health concern that can lead to respiratory failure and death.
Bronchitis – Acute bronchitis is the sudden inflammation of the tracheobronchial tree, which comprises the trachea, or windpipe (tube that leads from the throat to the lungs), and the bronchi (bronchial tubes, air passages of the lungs).
Chronic Cough – Coughs are the third most common reason for seeing a doctor. Cough can be acute or chronic. The most common cause of acute cough is an acute respiratory infection. Chronic cough is defined as a cough persisting for more than three weeks.
Cold – The common cold is an acute viral infection of the upper respiratory tract that affects the nose, throat, sinuses, larynx and sometimes the lungs.
COPD – Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, or COPD, is characterized by abnormalities in the lungs that make it difficult to exhale normally. Generally, two distinct diseases are involved: emphysema and chronic bronchitis.
Cystic fibrosis – Cystic fibrosis is the most common fatal, inherited disease in the United States. It causes the body to produce abnormally thick and sticky mucus in several different parts of the body, most prominently in the lungs and other parts of the respiratory system. It also affects the pancreas, which leads to serious digestive problems.
Emphysema – Emphysema is a condition in which the walls between the alveoli or air sacs within the lung lose their ability to stretch and recoil. The air sacs become weakened and break. Elasticity of the lung tissue is lost, causing air to be trapped in the air sacs and impairing the exchange of oxygen and carbon dioxide.
Hemoptysis – Hemoptysis (pronounced he-MOP-tis-is) is the coughing up of blood from the respiratory tract. The blood can come from the nose, mouth, throat, airway passages leading to the lungs or the lungs.
Lung cancer – Lung cancer is a disease caused by the rapid growth and division of cells that make up the lungs. Lung cancer is sometimes called “bronchogenic cancer.” It also may be described by its particular histologic type, which is the type of tissue that is diseased.
Pneumonia – Pneumonia is a serious infection or inflammation of the lungs in which air sacs fill with pus and other liquid, making it difficult for oxygen to reach your blood. If there is too little oxygen in your blood, your body cells can't work properly.
Sarcoidosis – Sarcoidosis is a disease due to inflammation. It can attack any organ of the body in any location. The disease is characterized by the presence of granulomas, small areas of inflamed cells. They can be either inside the body or on the body's exterior, appearing as sores on the face or shins. Sarcoidosis is most frequently found in the lungs.
Sleep apnea – This condition, sometimes referred to as sleep-disordered breathing (SDB), involves repeated arousal from sleep – not necessarily to full awakening – because breathing has ceased.
Sinusitis – Acute sinusitis is a bacterial infection in one or more sinuses, which include the maxillary, ethmoid, and frontal sinuses. Acute sinusitis is typically preceded by a viral upper respiratory infection, such as the common cold.
Solitary pulmonary nodule – A solitary pulmonary nodule (SPN) is a small, round or egg-shaped lesion (abnormal tissue) in the lungs. SPNs are typically asymptomatic, and are usually noticed by chance on a chest X-ray that has been done for another reason.
Tuberculosis – Once called consumption, tuberculosis (TB) is a highly contagious, persistent disease characterized by the formation of hard grayish nodules, or tubercles.