Know Your Providers: What Does a Pulmonologist Do?

 Know Your Providers: What Does a Pulmonologist Do?

Who is a Pulmonologist?

If you face trouble breathing or have a cough for a longer time, the right person you should go to is a pulmonologist. The pulmonologist is a specialist to diagnoses and treats health issues related to the lungs. 

A doctor specializing in treating lung conditions is known as a pulmonologist. They take care of all the diseases related to the respiratory system. People generally use other names like lung doctor, chest doctor, or lung specialist. 

Along with the lungs, they can treat respiratory system issues like throat, nose, airways, trachea, blood vessels, and muscles. If someone has been facing all these issues for a long time and severe conditions, it can affect their cardiac system. In this kind of condition, pulmonologists refer the patient to a cardiologist to get the right treatment. 

Different Types of Pulmonologists

Pulmonology is the study where the student gains knowledge and studies on the respiratory system. Later they can do specializations in specific types of respiratory health conditions.

Here are the different types of specializations:

  • Sleep-disorder breathing
  • Critical care medicine
  • Interventional pulmonology
  • Interstitial lung disease
  • Neuromuscular disease
  • Obstructive lung disease
  • Lung transplantation

What Do Pulmonologists Do?

Pulmonologists help those patients who are suffering from chronic or serious breathing issues. In the case of primary treatment, patients can visit normal doctors, but in the case of severe respiratory issues, you need to make sure you consult a pulmonologist.

They might have an area of specialization in different diseases, such as sleep medicine, critical care, or asthma. They might also have age-wise specializations, such as treating elders (geriatric pulmonologists) and children (pediatric pulmonologists).

When Should You See a Pulmonologist?

If you have respiratory issues that your regular physician cannot resolve, you should see a specialist. That specialist will diagnose the exact issue and recommend better treatment.

Here are some of the health issues when you should see a pulmonologist:

  • Tightness or chest pain
  • Cold and curing for a long time
  • Dizziness
  • Wheezing
  • Sleep disorders, such as sleep apnoea, loud snoring, extreme tiredness

If you have already got diagnosed with a respiratory health issue, don't delay booking your appointment with the best chest specialist in Kolkata to get treatment on time.

What Can You Expect From Your Visit to a Pulmonologist?

If you are going to meet a pulmonologist for the first time, you are recommended to be ready with your medical history. You can talk to your health care provider to provide you with all the details of your health issue. It would be helpful for you to make sure the specialist understands the severity of the disease and suggest you the best treatment.

You might be asked to get the following test to get more clarity on your disease:

  • Pulmonary Function Test
  • Blood Analysis
  • Chest X-ray or CT scan
  • Sleep studies
  • Bronchoscopy

How to Find a Pulmonologist?

There are various methods you can follow to find an experienced pulmonologist. Here are two best and trusted sources:

Referral by Your Health Care Doctor

Almost all the doctors have contact with specialists. You can contact your health care physician and ask for a referral. The major advantage here is he/she will recommend you to the chest specialists in Kolkata because they already know you.

Check with the Health Insurance Company

If you are secured under any health insurance policy, you can ask the company to check their database and provide you with some recommendations. Some of the companies also share their doctor's database on their websites, so you can check there as well.

A Note from AMRI Hospital

You know breathing is one the important thing to keep us alive. So, you should never ignore any breathing issue you face. This might start with a cough and go to extreme levels. A pulmonologist will help you treat all types of respiratory issues to live your life without any barriers.

Also, Read this: Essential Factors to Consider when choosing the Right Hospital

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