Pulmonologist
A pulmonologist is a general practitioner who treats diseases of the respiratory system. A pulmonologist treats pneumonia, bronchitis, emphysema, bronchial asthma. The competence of the pulmonologist includes the study of diseases of the respiratory system, namely, the lungs, trachea, pleura, bronchi.
The pediatric pulmonologist deals with the diagnosis and treatment of respiratory diseases in children. The main factor in the work of a pediatric pulmonologist is an objective assessment of the health status of a small patient, since children often cannot accurately describe their symptoms. Therefore, the pulmonologist, according to reviews, must have extensive experience, and be able to assess the child's health by indirect signs, and, if necessary, prescribe sparing examination methods.
What does a pulmonologist treat?
The pulmonologist deals with the treatment of all diseases associated with the respiratory system. These include colds such as pharyngitis, rhinitis, bronchitis, pneumonia, bronchiolitis, laryngitis, tonsillitis, nasopharyngitis, as well as bronchial asthma, pleurisy, fibrosing alveolitis, bronchiectasis, malignant pleurisy, smoker's bronchitis, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, insufficiency, pulmonary emphysema, chronic or acute bronchitis, protracted pneumonia, fever of unknown etiology.
The pulmonologist deals with the following organs: lungs, bronchi.
What does a children's pulmonologist treat?
The diseases that the pediatric pulmonologist deals with include: chronic bronchitis, bronchial asthma, pneumonia and chronic cough.
The organs, which the pediatric pulmonologist deals with, include: trachea, lungs, pharynx, larynx, paranasal sinuses, bronchi.
When is it necessary to make an appointment with a pulmonologist?
If symptoms of a respiratory disease appear, the patient must go to an appointment with a pulmonologist. But how can you tell these symptoms apart if they are so similar to the symptoms of many other diseases? The most common symptoms are:
- Cough. A special center of the brain (cough) is responsible for the occurrence of a cough, which is activated when the respiratory tract is irritated. Cough, in essence, is a protective reaction of the body to pathogens (foreign particles, dust, bronchial mucus). A cough is dangerous because, according to pulmonologists, it can "go inside" the body, that is, spread to the lungs, which is fraught with serious complications. Therefore, when a cough appears, it is better not to postpone a visit to the doctor's pulmonologist indefinitely.
- Smoker's cough. This cough occurs mainly in the morning and turns into sputum coughing up. This symptom indicates the development of chronic bronchitis, and over time it can turn into respiratory failure or pulmonary emphysema.
- Dyspnea at rest. With lung disease, dyspnea at rest indicates the development of pulmonary emphysema. If such shortness of breath appears suddenly, then it may indicate extensive pneumonia or severe heart failure.
- Dyspnoea with difficulty in exhaling. This symptom may indicate the presence of bronchial asthma or obstructive bronchitis. If such shortness of breath appears, you must immediately make an appointment with a pulmonologist.
In addition to the above symptoms, you should also pay attention to the symptoms of bronchial asthma: itchy eyes, sneezing, vasomotor reactions from the nasal mucosa, paroxysmal cough, headache, feeling short of breath, chest tightness, expiratory shortness of breath. When these symptoms appear, a consultation with a pulmonologist is necessary.
When should you see a pediatric pulmonologist?
Parents need to carefully monitor the condition and behavior of their children. Indeed, as you know, the earlier a disease is detected, the more successful and faster its treatment will be. According to pulmonologists, parents should pay attention to the following signs: intoxication, sputum, cough, respiratory failure, shortness of breath. All these symptoms, their severity and nature, play an important role in making the correct diagnosis and choosing the appropriate treatment.
What tests will a pulmonologist require?
- Skin tests;
- Examination of nasal discharge;
- Provocative tests;
- General blood analysis;
- Determination of the level of immunoglobulin E in the blood serum.
What types of diagnostics does a pulmonologist do?
To clarify the diagnosis, a pulmonologist can direct the patient to undergo the following types of diagnostics:
- CT scan;
- Echocardiography;
- X-ray diagnostics, study of the function of external respiration.
Pulmonary advice
How to identify pneumonia:
- It is necessary to make an appointment with a pulmonologist and conduct an appropriate medical examination. In some cases, a blood test and chest x-ray may be required. Usually, these tests are sufficient to make a diagnosis.
- If any complications are found, additional tests may be required. A pulmonologist may also check mucus from the lungs to identify the causative agent. In addition, this analysis will help the pulmonologist determine the optimal treatment.
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