If you have these symptoms or any other that makes it difficult for you to breathe, it is essential that you see your doctor, who, in addition to performing a physical examination and analyzing your medical history, will request laboratory tests that allow him or her to detect signs of an allergic reaction, X-rays or CT scans to find out if you have an infection, fluid in your lungs, or pulmonary fibrosis.
If deemed necessary, he or she will also require specialized pulmonary function tests that indicate how much oxygen your body is receiving, such as spirometry, a bronchoscopy to look at your airways, and if necessary, take a lung tissue biopsy.
In some cases, it may be necessary to analyze larger tissue samples from various parts of the lungs that are not accessible by bronchoscopy, thus requiring a surgical procedure to obtain them.
Treatment consists of avoiding irritants and reducing inflammation by providing oxygen, if required, and taking corticosteroids to help reduce coughing and open the airways. You may also require antibiotics to treat bacterial infections.
You can help speed up your recovery by following all of your doctor’s recommendations, drinking plenty of fluids, and getting adequate rest.
In ABC Medical Center’s Internal Medicine Department, we offer health care services with the highest quality and safety, from the prevention, diagnosis, timely treatment, and monitoring of infectious, respiratory, endocrinological, dermatological, rheumatic, nephrological, gastrointestinal, and hematological pathologies of both chronic-degenerative diseases and acute conditions, through a comprehensive and multidisciplinary model.
