Scripps Affiliated Medical Groups has a comprehensive list of doctors specializing in pulmonary health. Pulmonology is a subspecialty of internal medicine and is focused on the diagnosis and treatment of the diseases of the lungs and airways. Pulmonary disease physicians, or pulmonologists, offer a range of diagnosis and treatment options for complex respiratory problems. Many pulmonologists also provide critical care medicine treatment.
Asthma and COPD are both chronic respiratory diseases that cause chronic coughing, wheezing, and shortness of breath. Despite similar symptoms, the diseases are distinct and require separate treatment.
Infectious lung diseases are often caused by viruses, but can also be caused by bacteria or fungal organisms. With rest and sometimes antibiotics, most conditions improve in a few weeks.
Lung cancer is the growth of abnormal cells in one or both lungs, which do not develop into healthy tissue. Instead, these cancer cells typically form tumors and disturb the normal function of the lungs.
