Pulmonary Care, What It Is And How It Helps You Recover

• asthma
• bronchiectasis, a condition that involves inflammation and excess mucus in the lungs
• bronchitis, which happens when you have inflamed lower airways
• chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), which causes an airflow blockage
• emphysema, which happens when the alveoli in your lungs are damaged
• interstitial lung diseases, which affect the space and tissue within the lung
• occupational lung diseases, which can occur due to the inhalation of dusts, chemicals, or proteins
• obstructive sleep apnea, which causes your breathing to slow or stop entirely when you’re sleeping

• CT scan to get detailed images of the bones, muscles, fat organs, and blood vessels in your chest
• chest fluoroscopy, an X-ray test to see how well your lungs are functioning
• chest ultrasound to examine the organs and other chest structures
• pleural biopsy to remove a small tissue sample from the pleura, which is the membrane that surrounds your lungs
• pulmonary function test, a breathing test to see how well your lungs are working
• pulse oximetry test to determine the oxygen saturation level in your blood
• thoracentesis to remove and sample fluid from around your lungs
• chest tube to remove air or fluid from around your lungs
• bronchoscopy to examine your airway and determine if you have any issues in your trachea, lower airways, throat, or larynx
• sleep study to help diagnose sleep disorders, such as sleep apnea

In the case of more serious lung diseases and conditions, a pulmonologist may refer the patient to a chest surgeon for specific procedures. These can include such procedures as a lobectomy to remove a portion of a diseased lung or a lung transplant.