Hallandale Beach, FL Pulmonary Disease Specialist Q&A

A pulmonary specialist, also known as a pulmonologist, is a medical doctor that is trained and skilled in the diagnosis and treatment of diseases and conditions that affect the lungs and bronchial tubes. Many illnesses, such as pneumonia and the flu, can affect the lungs, however, treatment for these types of illnesses can often be handled by your primary care physician, without the care of a pulmonary specialist. Your doctor may refer you to a pulmonologist though if you have chronic symptoms such as a cough or shortness of breath, that don’t seem to get better over time. They may also refer you to a specialist if you have recurring cases of respiratory illness such as pneumonia or bronchitis.

Pulmonary specialists can also treat patients with asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), cystic fibrosis, emphysema, interstitial lung disease, lung cancer, tuberculosis, and many other conditions affecting the respiratory system. Your doctor may refer you, or you can seek the medical care of a pulmonary specialist on your own. It is best to check with your insurance on your coverage though, as they may require you to have a referral in order to receive insurance benefits for care through a pulmonologist.

Pulmonary specialists have received the same medical school training as any other licensed medical doctor, followed by a hospital residency in internal medicine for a period of three years. After that, they will complete several years of additional, specialized training in pulmonary medicine before finally writing their exam in order to be board-certified to practice pulmonology. Through all of that, pulmonary specialists will learn and master the skills and diagnosis techniques needed in order to properly diagnose lung diseases in patients of all ages. They will ask you a series of questions related to your symptoms, followed by a physical exam that will involve them listening to your lungs and breathing.

From there, a pulmonologist will perform additional tests in order to measure the amount of oxygen in your blood and determine how well your lungs are functioning. Based on their findings, they will determine if additional testing needs to be done such as a chest X-ray, CT scan, bronchoscopy, or other procedures to help them get a clear picture of your lungs and respiratory system.

Pulmonary specialists can perform a wide range of procedures that are focused on the lungs and respiratory system. These procedures can be done in order to properly and accurately diagnose a medical condition or disease or may be done to provide the patient with relief from symptoms of a condition.

Examples of procedures that pulmonologists can perform include:

• Pulmonary hygiene in order to clean out excess mucus and fluid from the lungs.
• Airway ablation is used to open up air passages that have become blocked and to help provide relief from breathing difficulties.
• Biopsy in order to collect tissue samples for analysis in order to scan for and diagnose the presence of disease.
• Bronchoscopy provides the pulmonary specialist with a look at the inside of the lungs and airways to see if there are signs of disease.

Your pulmonary specialist will let you know of any procedures they feel are necessary based on your symptoms and overall health. They will want to use the least invasive but most appropriate and accurate procedure in order to provide an accurate diagnosis.

If you think you require the medical attention and care of a pulmonary specialist, it is best to check with your primary care physician, as well as your health insurance provider, to see about getting a referral. A referral isn’t required to book an appointment with a pulmonary specialist; however, your insurance coverage may stipulate that you need a referral in order to be covered.

They may also have a list of specialists that they work with in order to get better rates and more convenient claims processing. Your family doctor can also provide referrals based on specialists that they have worked with in the past, or specialists who focus on the condition that you require treatment for. Dr. Luis J. Mesa, MD is a pulmonary specialist providing top-notch medical care for patients experiencing issues with their lungs or respiratory system in and around Hallandale Beach, FL. We serve patients from Hallandale Beach FL, Aventura FL, Hollywood FL, Golden Glades FL, Miramar FL, Hialeah FL, Fort Lauderdale FL, and BEYOND.