What kind of doctor treats copd?

Are you wondering what kind of doctor treats Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD)? Well, look no further because we’ve got all the answers for you. In this humorous and informative article, we’ll explore the different specialties that can help manage your COPD symptoms and potentially even improve your lung function. So let’s dive in!

First Things First – What is COPD?

Before we get into who can treat it, let’s take a quick look at what COPD actually is. COPD stands for Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease and it causes airflow blockage which makes breathing difficult. It’s typically caused by long-term exposure to irritants like cigarette smoke or pollution.

Specialists Who Can Help with COPD Management

There are several types of healthcare professionals that can provide treatment and management options for someone diagnosed with COPD.

General Practitioner

Your primary care physician or general practitioner should be your first point of contact if you have any respiratory concerns. They will typically conduct a complete physical examination such as murmurs while also taking note of injection sites on each arm.

Pulmonologist

A pulmonologist is a specialist in respiratory health who diagnoses, manages, and treats conditions such as asthma, bronchitis, allergies etcetera! This means they are experts when it comes to treating those living with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (this includes emphysema). If you have stage II or III , this could really benefit from visiting one .

Respiratory Therapist

A Respiratory Therapist may not be a physician but plays an integral role in managing the symptoms associated with COPDs through exercises geared towards improving overall lung function alongside some laser therapy sessions

Cardiopulmonary Rehabilitation Specialist

Specialists are available to anyone struggling to stay active due restrictions respiration issues often experienced by Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease patients. The team of healthcare professionals here work to help improving overall cardiovascular health in order to better overcome such symptoms.

Treatment Options

Treatment goals for COPD mainly involve preventing further damage, managing symptoms, and enhancing quality of life as much as possible .here are a number of treatments that may be prescribed or recommended by your treating physician.

Medications

Several types of medications can help manage and control the symptoms associated with COPD. These include:

• Bronchodilators – which open up airways
• Corticosteroids – reduce inflammation in the lungs
• Phosphodiesterase-4 Inhibitors – Inhibiting enzymes making breathing easier if you ‘ve got less severe minor breathlessness

While these drugs cannot cure COPD, they can significantly improve one’s ability to breathe while both at rest and during exertion.

Oxygen Therapy

In some cases especially where there has been lung tissue damage due prolonged exposure to irritants oxygen becomes necessary.This treatment involves using an inhaler or small portable cylinder whereby nasal cannula is used alongside continuous positive airway pressure ( CPAP) under more rigorous conditions. It depends on severity levels .

Surgery

In extreme cases, ex military individuals with problems from inhaling chemicals e.g “Agent Orange” have had surgical procedures done .The two major ones are;

Bullectomy/DLCO Procedure

Bullectomy entails cutting off parts that appear enlarged resulting limited breathing abilities. Onthe other hand DLCO , also known single-breath diffusing capacity refers testing how easily gases pass through lungs into blood stream after brief deep inspiration

Conclusion

If you experience any symptom’s characteristic of Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), it’s important to seek medical attention early on so your doctors may limit potential risks attributable reduced breathing abilities References A wide array of healthcare professionals such as General Practitioners, Pulmonologists & Respiratory Therapists can help make your diagnosis with COPD more bearable. medication regimes and surgical procedures all play a role towards managing the symptoms associated with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease to maximize quality of life . Don’t hesitate seeking further medical evaluation once you feel those changes – even minor ones !