Four Common Lung Conditions To Be Aware Of

At Dr. Avi Ishaaya Centers in Los Angeles, CA, we offer our patients lung testing to evaluate how well their lungs work. Board-certified physician Dr. Avi Ishaaya will review a patient’s initial exam results and suggest different follow-up tests to confirm a lung diagnosis. For some patients, he may also recommend allergy testing. Our comprehensive radiology suite in Los Angeles, CA is located on-site and uses state-of-the-art equipment to offer quick imaging results. This means that our patients don’t have to wait long to know their results and to begin treatment when necessary.

Common lung conditions detected during lung tests

Dr. Ishaaya uses lung testing to confirm the diagnosis of different lung conditions, including:

1. Asthma: If we detect that you have asthma after your lung test, Dr. Ishaaya can help you manage it. At Dr. Avi Ishaaya Centers, we offer medication management for coughing, wheezing, shortness of breath, and a tight chest.

2. Bronchitis: Bronchitis is a condition that involves the respiratory system. When the lungs are triggered by something inhaled, or they are exposed to a virus, you will have a bronchial response. When you have bronchitis, you can experience a sore throat, a loud barking cough, noisy breathing, or mucus from the chest.

3. COPD: Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease is diagnosed with an arterial blood gas test, computed tomography (CT) scan, a chest X-ray, or a pulmonary function test. Patients with COPD experience shortness of breath, labored breathing, a chronic cough with thick mucus, tightness in the chest, or wheezing.

4. Pneumonia: This is caused by a virus or bacteria that can lead to the need for hospitalization when left untreated. Lung testing is advisable for any patient experiencing body aches, chills, fever, cough with mucus, sore throat, swollen lymph nodes, fatigue, or shortness of breath.

About pulmonary function tests

At Dr. Avi Ishaaya Centers in Los Angeles, CA, we offer many pulmonary function tests that measure how well the lungs are performing. These tests allow Dr. Ishaaya to get a baseline medical record for your lung health, which enables him to compare your results to others to depict how well your lungs work. We also can assess how effective treatment is over time with additional testing. These tests evaluate your lung volume, changes in lung function, and even what chronic illness has done to your lungs. They are noninvasive breathing tests that can be performed on the same day as your consultation.

Some pulmonary function tests include:

1. Lung imaging: Our experienced radiologists perform X-rays, CT scans, and ultrasounds at our office to detect potential lung disease or lung cancer.

2. Exhale nitric oxide test: This test assesses inflammation in the airways and how well treatments are working for patients who had lung testing before. For patients with suspected asthma, a separate test is needed.

3. Methacholine challenge: The bronchoprovocation test confirms an asthma diagnosis. The patient inhales methacholine, which narrows the airway. Dr. Ishaaya will watch and document your response.

4. Oxygen six-minute walk study: During this study, a patient walks on a flat surface for six minutes. Their lung function is evaluated during this exercise.

Get important lung testing to improve your health

At Dr. Avi Ishaaya Centers, we provide lung testing that can detect lung conditions that can be successfully treated by board-certified physician Dr. Avi Ishaaya. Allow us to lead you to healthy lungs, and improve your health with regular lung testing and pulmonary function tests at our Los Angeles, CA center.