Tag Archive for: lung health

5 Tips For Holiday Traveling With A Lung Disease

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he holiday season is right around the corner, and we can’t believe it! This is always an incredibly exciting time of year, with trips planned and precious time spent with family and friends.

For people with chronic lung diseases or temporary pulmonary conditions, however, the holidays can present a number of challenges as well. Travelling with a lung condition or disease can be complicated, but with proper preparation, you’ll be able to navigate these difficulties with ease while traveling for the holidays.

No matter what your holiday itinerary is, there are 5 major tips you need to follow to make sure your lung condition doesn’t keep you or your family members grounded (yes, even if supplemental oxygen is your best buddy).

1. Get a spare oxygen tank if your doctor has every prescribed oxygen for you, even if you don’t use supplemental oxygen on a regular basis. If you do use supplemental oxygen, don’t forget to take enough oxygen tanks to cover your holiday travel.

If you’re traveling by plane, don’t forget that the air in the cabin is pretty thin, and sometimes even people with healthy lung functioning may crave more oxygen and require assistance to breathe. Patients with a pulmonary chronic disease or temporary condition like bronchitis or allergic asthma should have an oxygen tank or portable oxygen container with them during their entire holiday travel, just on the off chance that they’ll need it. Don’t forget to take your oxygen prescription and a letter from your doctor with you as well!

2. Arrive at the airport at least 4 hours before a domestic flight and 5 hours prior to international flight to have enough time for a security check.

This rule will be most applicable to people with a portable oxygen concentrator, who will need additional time to go through the security check. Unfortunately, some airlines make It incredibly complicated and don’t allow travelers with special needs to check in online, which means people with a pulmonary chronic disease or temporary conditions who want to bring their portable oxygen concentrator (POC) on board will have to physically check in at the airport.

On top of that, your POC may be examined by the airport security officers, which will take even more time. So, if you want to stay out of a holiday rush, make sure to arrive early and plan accordingly. Also, something very important for a holiday traveler with pulmonary conditions: don’t be shy to ask for a spot in an expedited security line if you are running out of time, just explain your condition to the airport staff and show a doctor’s note.

3. Make sure your accommodation is located on the lower floor, has elevators or special assistance to go up and down.

While stairs and elevations might seem like no big deal during the travel planning stage, it may become a bigger problem on the spot. People with normal lung function will have no problems going up and down stairs or hills as many times as they possibly can – their lungs will be just fine – unless they’re constant smokers who get shortness of breath. However, people with a chronic lung disease or any temporary pulmonary conditions may experience shortness of breath, fatigue, and other life-threatening conditions that can lead to disastrous complications like heart or lung failure.

In order to prevent any risks, be sure to select accommodations that are easily accessible and are not substantially higher or lower than the ground level. When booking your holiday trip, don’t forget to include an additional note requesting appropriate accommodations for a traveler with a pulmonary condition.

4. If traveling to colder places, use appropriate winter gear and wear a mask.

Cold climate has its benefits, but can be extremely harmful to people with pulmonary conditions. People with pulmonary chronic diseases or even temporary conditions have very vulnerable lungs, which means cold weather and dry air can affect the lungs in a negative way, leading to bigger pulmonary conditions.

To combat this, make sure you keep your entire body warm, but not sweaty. In order to prevent sweating, choose layers made from natural materials and try to stay away from synthetics. In addition to that, use a cold weather mask that can warm up the air before it gets into your lungs, making it more comfortable and safe for you and your lungs.

5. Stay away from seasonal infections.

No matter what type of pulmonary condition you have, you don’t want any additional infections in your body, right? So, the most obvious but most important advice would be to think 10 steps ahead and minimize exposure to infection on your holiday journey. Before the travel, make sure you get a flu shot to prevent an infection and a pneumonia shot (if prescribed by your doctor). Besides vaccinations, make sure to wash your hands often, use sanitizing gels or wipes before you touch anything and stay away from crowds.

Despite the fact that traveling with a pulmonary condition may require additional preparation, it can still be a great holiday journey that you will remember your entire life. All you need is to spend some additional time and resources to carefully plan all the details of your travel in a way that accounts for your pulmonary conditions and any complications that may be associated with it. And, of course, if you need help of an experienced pulmonologist, just let us know! We’re here to help you with any pulmonary issues or questions you might have.

Happy Holidays & Safe Travel!

How Diabetes Impacts Your Lung Health

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Oftentimes it can be difficult to figure out exactly how one condition affects another, and nailing down the particulars of the relationship between diabetes and lung conditions is no exception. However, recent studies have suggested that there is a relationship between the two and that one can impact the other.

What Is Diabetes?

Diabetes is a group of diseases in which the body’s ability to produce or respond to insulin is impaired. Insulin is the hormone responsible for allowing your body to utilize the glucose it gets from food. The inability to produce or respond to insulin results in elevated glucose levels in blood and abnormal metabolism of carbohydrates.

Most Common Forms Of Diabetes: Type I and Type II

Type I diabetes is a chronic condition where the pancreas produces little to no insulin and typically appears in adolescence. Type II diabetes affects how your body responds to insulin, as opposed to how it produces insulin. Type II diabetes typically appears in adulthood and is often caused by poor diet or lack of exercise. It is important to note that Type I diabetes is often caused by genetics alone, while Type II diabetes is caused by a mixture of genetic and environmental factors.

Diabetes affects pretty much all systems of the body, and some of the long-term complications that can arise from diabetes are:

  • heart and blood vessel damage
  • nerve damage, kidney damage
  • eye damage
  • skin conditions
  • and hearing impairments

Diabetes And The Lungs

A recent study published in Diabetes Care found that adults with either Type I or Type II diabetes are 8% more likely to have asthma, 22% more like to have chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), 54% more likely to have pulmonary fibrosis, and nearly twice as likely to be hospitalized for pneumonia.

By far, scientists are unsure exactly how or why diabetes impacts our lung function, but some suggest that the cause of decreased lung capacity and function is inflammation. Others believe it might be caused by obesity or smoking. Either way, lung function can get worse as blood glucose levels increase due to diabetes.

Pulmonary Function Tests

One way that a pulmonologist can monitor and examine your lung capabilities is through Pulmonary Function Testing. Pulmonary Function Tests or PFTs is an umbrella term to refer to a litany of tests that check and measure lung function. These tests identify:

  • how much air you can take into your lungs
  • how much air you can blow out as well as how fast you can do it
  • how well your lungs deliver oxygen to your blood
  • the strength of your muscles used for breathing

PFTs can include simple screening spirometry, formal lung volume measurement, diffusing capacity for carbon monoxide, arterial blood gases and are collectively referred to as a complete pulmonary function survey. These tests may not show exactly what is causing pulmonary problems, but they will definitely show how well your lungs function. In order to find the underlying causes, a pulmonologist may order a chest X-ray or CT scan.

Who Can Help?

If you have diabetes and are experiencing symptoms associated with pulmonary disorders, our experts at Pulmonary Associates of Brandon can give you a Pulmonary Function Test. Our team of highly specialized physicians will be able to diagnose and treat any pulmonary disorders that may be related to your diabetes.

9 Questions To Ask Your Pulmonologist At Your First Appointment After An Abnormal Chest Scan

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Receiving the notice that your chest scan came back a little abnormal is worrying to say the least. Your pulmonologist will probably want you to return for another appointment to speak with you about the results and perhaps order further tests.

While this can be very off-putting, it is also the right moment to ask any questions you have about your symptoms and your concerns. By arming yourself with the best possible arsenal to obtain information, you will be better equipped to handle any diagnosis. Here are some questions to ask your doctor during your visit.

  1. Can you explain the test that was run? Each test is used to diagnose different conditions, and learning about the test(s) that were conducted will help you to better understand what your doctor was looking for and how and/or why your chest scan was abnormal.
  2. What makes my scan “abnormal”? This may seem like something you don’t even need to ask, but it’s important to know exactly what your scan is showing, why it varies from the norm, and to what degree it’s considered abnormal.
  3. What can the abnormality mean? Be ready to ask your pulmonary physician about the possible diagnosis of your abnormal chest scan. It is likely that your pulmonary physician isn’t sure what the abnormality means without further testing, but knowing everything it could point at will prepare you for the final diagnosis.
  4. Will I need further testing? If so, what tests can I expect and how do they work? Usually, if an initial chest scan shows an abnormality your pulmonary physician will assign you further testing to determine whether the abnormality is malignant or benign. These tests can vary, and knowing what they are and how they work will help you get through them with more confidence.
  5. How often should I be screened for changes? This is an important question to ask regarding the maintenance for your pulmonary health. Even a positive diagnosis on abnormalities should be followed up on in case it starts to become malignant later down the line.
  6. Are you prescribing me anything for the symptoms? It’s important to understand any medications you will be prescribed as well as any side effects of the medication.
  7. Are there things I can do to manage my condition? Ask what types of habits and activities you can do on your own time to keep your pulmonary health under control or even lessen some of your symptoms.
  8. Should I follow any dietary/lifestyle restrictions? Be sure to ask and understand if there are any restrictions or changes you should make to your current regimen. Some doctors may choose to wait on further tests and simply test you again in a few months to see if your abnormality has changed or grown. In the meantime, they may recommend some lifestyle changes or impose restrictions on your diet and/or activity.
  9. What should I do if my symptoms increase? Ask your doctor when to contact them if symptoms worsen to avoid an unnecessary trip to the ER.

Preparing for your first appointment after being notified of an abnormal chest scan can be very nerve-wracking and tense. By asking the right questions and educating yourself on your diagnosis, you will be better able to maintain your pulmonary health and suppress your symptoms. Be sure to write down these questions and bring them with you so you don’t forget to ask anything!

6 Things You Didn’t Know About COPD

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Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease, more commonly known as COPD, is caused by inhaling pollutants, second-hand smoke, and genetics. Signs of COPD are breathlessness, wheezing and constant coughing, and tightness in the chest. These symptoms can easily be confused with a simple cold or just the effects of getting older, but COPD can get worse as time goes on and is highly recommended to get treated. 

If diagnosed with COPD, do not get discouraged. There are many treatments and ways to slow progression. It is a growing disease that doctors are very familiar with, so you should never feel as if your case is a lost cause.

Read More: Can I Still Get COPD If I Don’t Smoke?

You may have heard the acronym before, but here are 6 things you didn’t know about COPD:

  1. Almost 12 million Americans have been diagnosed with the disease.
  2. It kills 120,000 people in America every year. This places it as the third leading cause of death in the country.
  3. A healthy diet can actually help lower your risk for getting COPD later in life. Eat foods that are rich in omega 3 fatty acids, antioxidants, and vitamins A, C, and E.
  4. Working out and getting regular exercise can help lower your risk or improve symptoms if you have already been diagnosed. During the exercise, you could experience heavy coughing and aggravation, but it helps in the long term.
  5. Although smokers are at a higher risk, all people over 40 can be affected and should talk to their doctors if any symptoms are experienced.
  6. Emphysema goes hand in hand with COPD and is a lung disease with the same symptoms.

 If you or someone you know is worried about their lung health, seeing a pulmonologist is always a good idea. A pulmonologist is a specialized doctor that treat a numerous amount of lung diseases and can give patients options on how to reduce symptoms that might be putting a hold on their day to day life.

Can I Still Get COPD & Emphysema as a Non-Smoker?

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Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease, more commonly known as COPD, is a disease that makes breathing more difficult as time passes. Symptoms are constant coughing, wheezing, shortness of breath, and tightness in the chest. Emphysema is another name for this long-term disease that affects about 11 million people in the United States. 

What are causes of COPD?

The most common cause of COPD is smoking. In fact, over 80 percent of COPD patients suffer because of their smoking habits. The chemicals in cigarettes ruin the defense system in your lungs and can weaken and narrow the airways causing the symptoms listed before. 

Are Non-Smokers Safe from COPD?

Although smoking is the number one cause to this disease, it is not the only one. Non-smokers can suffer, too. It is not as likely, but it is possible and new non-smoking patients are added to the 11 million existing COPD sufferers every day.

What causes COPD if you’re not a smoker?

  • The environment – The environment is one reason for non-smokers getting COPD. Though these patients are not purposefully inhaling chemicals and toxins, they are breathing in everyday air that holds these things. Air pollution cannot be avoided in today’s world. Chemicals can enter a person’s body without them even knowing it. Over time, this is what can lead to the chest disease.
  •  Genetics – Genetics can also cause non-smokers to have COPD. There is only one genetic deficiency known right now that causes this disease. This inherited deficiency is called Alpha-1 antitrypsin and can lead to lung and liver disease. 
  • Asthma – Asthma that goes untreated for a long time can also be a reason a non-smoker gets diagnosed with COPD. Asthma is a respiratory condition that can weaken the system over time. Without treatment, asthma can lead to other internal issues, such as COPD. Effects of asthma are very similar to the symptoms of COPD and should be watched carefully. 

If a person is experiencing any breathing problems that are out of the ordinary and seem like the symptoms of COPD or an obvious decrease in lung health, they should consult a pulmonologist no matter their smoking history. COPD is serious and has led to many deaths. The sooner the diagnosis, the sooner treatments can be started.