DR BHIMA SHANKAR

Who is a pulmonologist?

A pulmonologist is a physician who has specialized education and skill in the diagnosis and treatment of pulmonary (lung) conditions and diseases.

When should you see a pulmonologist?

• have difficulty breathing.
• have a persistent cough.
• regularly cough up blood or mucus.
• smoke.
• have unexplained weight loss.
• have trouble exercising due to breathing problems

Do pulmonologists treat lung cancer?

Pulmonologists don't perform surgery but are in the part of the team of doctors to guide you through lung cancer. They help their patients by making the diagnosis and determining the stage of their cancer. They may help to determine whether or a patient is a candidate for lung cancer surgery, which means to decide if the patient will have enough lung volume after surgery.  They also work with the patient to maximize his breathing capacity after surgery.

What are the major diseases that psychiatrists treat?

The lung conditions treated by pulmonologist include:

• Asthma
• COPD
• Bronchiectasis
• Tuberculosis
• Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis
• Pulmonary fibrosis
• Lung cancer

What are the common procedures performed by a pulmonologist?

Thoracentesis, a procedure in which a needle is inserted through the chest wall to remove fluid from a pleural effusion. Pulmonary function tests comprise several different tests which can help to diagnose lung disease and also monitor the response of disease to treatment. Biopsies and bronchoscopies are also performed by the pulmonologist. Bronchoscopy is another procedure in which a flexible tube is inserted into the mouth and down the trachea into the bronchus to look for cancerous.  Mediastinoscopy, a procedure is often done to see if the lung cancer has spread to lymph nodes that exist in the area in the central chest region.