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Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD)
COPD is a disease which includes either one or the
combination of two major breathing disorders: emphysema
and chronic bronchitis. COPD usually affects men and
women over 40 with a history of smoking. An estimated
16 million Americans have COPD. COPD is associated with
the following symptoms:
breathlessness, chronic cough (with or without mucus),
frequent clearing of the throat, chest tightness,
wheezing, and loss of appetite.
a.
Emphysema
- The walls of the alveoli (air sacs at the end of the
bronchiole tubes) lose their flexibility and stretch and
tear like an old rubber band.
- The broken `own walls create large air spaces that trap air
in the lungs and are unable to transfer oxygen to the
bloodstream
- This irreversible condition means that you will have
difficulty exhaling the air from your lungs
b. Chronic Bronchitis ,br>
3 - Irritants such as smoe or cigarette smoke lead to the
producTion of thick mucus and pus, which clog the
airways, triggering repeated episodes of bronchitis
- The cilia are hair-like structures in our bronchioles
(small air passages in the lungs) that, when working
normally, move inhaled particles out of the lungs
- Smoking damages cilia so that they are unable to remove
mucus. This is one reason you cough; it helps move the
mucus along.
Asthma
Asthma is
a chronic disease which is associated with inflammation
of the bronchial tubes, or airways. When your airways
are inflamed, or swollen, they become very sensitive to
things you might be allergic to or find irritating. A
strong reaction might occur with your airways becoming
narrower, making it more difficult to breath.
Less airflow to the lungs causes symptoms such as
wheezing (a whistling sound when you breathe), chest
tightness, coughing, and trouble breathing, especially
at night and in the early morning.
Occupational and Environmental Lung Disease (i.e. "9/11
Syndrome")
We investigate and treat patients who
have been exposed to the harmful air of
9/11 in excess, or who often come in
contact with breathing hazards.
Lung Cancer
Our center specializes in the early
diagnosis of lung cancer. We also work
at prevention of lung cancer through our
smoking cessation program.
Chronic Cough
Through the use of many tests such as upper airway
evaluation, allergy testing, and pulmonary function
test, our center specializes in the diagnosis and
treatment of chronic cough.
Shortness of Breath –
unknown origin
Our
center has comprehensive cardiopulmonary exercise
equipment which is rarely seen even in hospitals. This
test, along with other high-end technology in our office
such as the pulmonary function test, body box
plethysmography
will
help us treat your difficult to diagnose shortness of
breath.
Other rare disorders we treat are:
Bronchiestasis;
Pulmonary
Arterial Hypertension;
Sarcoidosis
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