What is pulmonary disease?
Pulmonary disease is an umbrella term used to describe any disease that affects the respiratory system, or the organs that help you breathe. Your respiratory system features three main components: your airway, the lungs, and your respiratory muscles.
What are the most common types of pulmonary disease?
At Physicians Medical Group of San Jose, the pulmonary disease experts regularly diagnose and treat:
- Asthma
- Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)
- Pulmonary fibrosis
- Bronchitis
- Emphysema
- Interstitial lung disease
- Obstructive sleep apnea
If you or a loved one regularly experiences trouble breathing, or you find yourself coughing or wheezing on a daily basis, it’s important to seek professional medical help as soon as possible.
How is pulmonary disease diagnosed?
To diagnose pulmonary disease, your Physicians Medical Group of San Jose provider conducts a physical exam, reviews your medical history, and asks about the symptoms you’re experiencing.
Your doctor also conducts a pulmonary function test with spirometry. Spirometry measures how much air your lungs can hold and how fast you can exhale. If these measures don’t provide enough information, your doctor might also order chest X-rays or laboratory tests.
How are pulmonary disease and sleep medicine related?
Sleep medicine is a branch of health care focused on diagnosing and treating sleep disorders and disturbances, including sleep apnea, excessive daytime sleepiness, and insomnia. Pulmonary disease may contribute to a sleep disorder.
If you’re not able to get a quality seven to eight hours of sleep each night, you’re also at a higher risk of more serious health problems, including:
- High blood pressure
- Diabetes
- Heart disease
Poor sleep quality can also have a negative impact on your personal relationships and professional life.
Sleep medicine can pinpoint the source of your sleep issues, whether they are related to pulmonary disease or not.
What conditions does sleep medicine treat?
At Physicians Medical Group of San Jose, the sleep medicine specialists regularly diagnose and treat:
- Insomnia
- Sleep apnea
- Sleepwalking
- Bruxism
- Restless leg syndrome
- Narcolepsy
They also work with people experiencing parasomnias, a group of sleep disorders characterized by abnormal behaviors during sleep.
You might also benefit from sleep medicine if you have a pulmonary disease that affects your sleep, such as trouble breathing or a persistent cough caused by COPD.
How are sleep disorders diagnosed?
The team at Physicians Medical Group of San Jose offers two different types of sleep tests: polysomnography and electroencephalograms.
Polysomnography
Polysomnography is a sleep study that evaluates your oxygen levels, body movements, and brain waves during sleep.
Electroencephalogram
An electroencephalogram assesses the electrical activity in your brain during sleep to detect potential problems.
Both of these tests can pinpoint the source of your symptoms and help your doctor develop a treatment plan.
Don’t let respiratory or sleep disorders negatively affect your quality of life. Call your Physicians Medical Group of San Jose physician today!
