Pulmonary Medicine

Pulmonary medicine is a branch of internal medicine that focuses on respiratory health. The respiratory tract includes the lungs, upper airways like nose and mouth, thoracic cavity, sinuses, windpipe, diaphragm and chest wall.

The most recent COVID-19 pandemic highlighted the importance of focusing on respiratory health and making sure there are trusted pulmonologists to diagnose and manage these types of diseases.

What Is a Pulmonologist?

A pulmonologist diagnoses and treats patients who have respiratory conditions. They are experts in addressing allergy-related ailments, lung diseases, and critical illnesses in the entire respiratory tract. Pulmonary medicine Singapore is designed to have responsive and accessible diagnostic and treatment systems for all types of pulmonary conditions.

What Does Pulmonologist Treat?

These are the common conditions addressed under pulmonary medicine:

Asthma – inflammation of airways that inhibits regular breathing
Cystic Fibrosis – a genetic disorder that creates sticky mucus build-up in the lungs
Emphysema – damage in the air sacs inside the lungs
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) – the presence of several lung diseases
Interstitial Lung Disease – a group of disorders that scar and damage the lungs
Tuberculosis – a bacterial infection of the lungs
Bronchitis – inflammation of the upper airways and presence of cough and mucus
Lung Cancer – cancer cells that grow from the lungs
Pneumonia – a condition where the air sacs in the lungs get inflamed and form pus
COVID-19 Pneumonia – a condition that causes severe breathing problems which could lead to respiratory failure
Occupational Lung Diseases – prolonged exposure to contaminants (e.g., asbestos) could lead to health issues
Lung Transplant

Some pulmonologists focus on pulmonary medicine practices. They provide consultative services for other physicians (e.g., internists) and get referral patients who need to manage chronic respiratory ailments.

Other pulmonologists provide specialised care in hospital settings, usually overseeing medical intensive care units. These professionals have critical care medicine training alongside pulmonary medicine expertise to qualify for such a role.

Why See a Pulmonologist

With respiratory-related pandemics and other possible outbreaks, it’s crucial to understand what pulmonologists treat and what type of pulmonary medicine services are available in your area.

Pulmonary diseases can occur in individuals regardless of age, gender and other factors. Both adults and children could be susceptible to acute and chronic respiratory conditions. Here are some persistent symptoms you may want to talk to a specialist about:

Chronic chest pains
Shortness of breath
Wheezing
Severe, persistent cough that lasts more than three weeks
Asthma that does not dissipate easily
A persistent cold and bronchitis

Addressing Respiratory Tract Issues

After relaying your symptoms and family medical history during your check-up, the pulmonologist can then conduct several tests, including blood tests, bronchoscopy, X-ray, spirometry and CT scan to diagnose the problem accurately.

Medical prescriptions and respiratory-specific procedures can clear mucus build-up, address cancerous cells, manage asthma and other interventions. Post-recovery also involves substantial lifestyle changes to strengthen the lungs, clear the airways and avoid further complications.

Resources

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34253132/
https://www.acponline.org/about-acp/about-internal-medicine/subspecialties-of-internal-medicine/pulmonary-disease#:~:text=Pulmonary%20medicine%20is%20the%20subspecialty,thoracic%20cavity%2C%20and%20chest%20wall
https://www.sgh.com.sg/patient-care/specialties-services/Respiratory-and-Critical-Care-Medicine#

Pulmonary Medicine