Do You Need a Pulmonologist?

January 17, 2025

Categories: Healthy Living, TMH Physician Partners

Tags: Pulmonary Function Test, Lung Cancer

Every breath you take delivers oxygen to your body and removes carbon dioxide, which lets your organs function properly. The respiratory system is essential to the health of your entire body. When something disrupts your breathing, it can significantly affect your quality of life. That’s why it’s crucial to seek care from a Pulmonary expert when things aren’t feeling right.

What Does a Pulmonologist Do?

Pulmonologists diagnose and treat conditions that affect the respiratory system, including the airways, lungs, and chest wall. They address a wide range of issues, like chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), asthma and obstructive sleep apnea, as well as acute conditions like pneumonia and bronchitis. Additionally, they can also help people manage lung cancer, cystic fibrosis, sleep-related breathing disorders and interstitial lung diseases like sarcoidosis and asbestosis.

Five Reasons You May Need a Pulmonologist:

Chronic or Worsening Cough
A cough that lasts more than three weeks, especially if accompanied by blood, chest pain or significant weight loss, could indicate an underlying lung condition. While many coughs begin during a respiratory infection, a chronic cough may indicate lung cancer or something serious.
Shortness of Breath
If you’re frequently experiencing shortness of breath during activities that didn’t formerly cause problems, it could be a sign of a pulmonary condition. This could be asthma, COPD, cardiac issues, blood clots in the lungs or something else that requires a Pulmonary specialist to diagnose.
Chest Pain
Chest pain that can’t be explained – especially if it worsens with breathing – may be a lung condition like pleurisy. A Pulmonologist can perform a diagnostic test to determine the cause and treat the issue.
Persistent Respiratory Infections
Frequently dealing with bronchitis, pneumonia or other respiratory infections can point to an underlying issue.
Daytime Sleepiness, Snoring and Sleep Disturbances
Obstructive sleep apnea can lead to waking up throughout the night, causing chronic tiredness, poor sleep quality and other serious health issues, like heart attack and stroke. Many people don’t know they may have sleep apnea until they see a Pulmonologist. If you snore, experience daytime sleepiness and wake up frequently, make an appointment with a Pulmonary expert.

You’ll also need to see a Pulmonologist if you receive abnormal imaging results, like a chest X-ray or CT scan. See our guide to who needs to be screened for lung cancer and talk to your doctor about what’s right for you.

How Do We Test Your Pulmonary Health?

Along with discussing your medical history and symptoms, our Pulmonologist can use a number of diagnostic tests to help find conditions affecting your lungs.

A Pulmonary Function Test to measure lung capacity and airflow.
Imaging, like chest X-rays, CT scans or MRIs, to provide a detailed view of your lungs.
Blood tests to identify infections or other systemwide issues that may be affecting your lungs.
A bronchoscopy to examine your airways and take small biopsies if needed.
A home sleep study or lab sleep study to monitor your body’s activity while you sleep.

These are the most common diagnostic tests performed. Additionally, Tallahassee Memorial HealthCare is home to the MONARCH Robotic Assisted Bronchoscopy platform – a new robotic tool that allows our doctors to detect, biopsy, diagnose and mark lung cancer nodules that are located deep into the lung. Where traditional bronchoscopes reach about 20 to 30% of the lungs, the MONARCH robotic bronchoscope can reach 95% or more.

Your lungs play a vital role in your body's functioning. If you’re experiencing any of the symptoms mentioned above or have concerns about your lung health, request an appointment at TMH Physician Partners - Pulmonary, Critical Care & Sleep. Our fellowship-trained Pulmonary experts are available at two locations in Tallahassee and Panama City Beach.