Pulmonary and Sleep Medicine

Pulmonary and Sleep Medicine

Pulmonary and Sleep Medicine is a specific branch of medicine dealing with the lungs — including diagnosis, treatment and preventive care for lung conditions, including asthma, COPD, interstitial lung disease, lung cancer, pulmonary hypertension, sleep apnea, and more. In addition, sleep medicine is an important feature to our program at Fort HealthCare. Research shows that ongoing sleep disorders can play a part in many health problems including heart attack, stroke, diabetes, obesity, cancer and depression. Our Sleep Clinic specializes in diagnosing sleep disorders using the latest technology.

Tips for Pulmonary Health

• Stop Smoking!
• Exercise regularly.
• Maintain a healthy diet and stay hydrated.
• Get annual check-ups.
• Stay up-to-date with vaccinations such as influenza, COVID-19, pneumococcal pneumonia and RSV.
• Avoid outdoor air pollution exposure.
• Improve indoor air quality.
• Practice deep breathing.
• Maintain good hygiene.
• Get screened for lung cancer.
• Practice a stress reduction technique such as yoga or meditation. Fort HealthCare offers several wellness classes to help your mind, body, and spirit.

Pulmonary Rehab

The pulmonary rehabilitation program is designed to help an individual with lung disease return to an optimal level of physical, emotional, social and vocational well-being.

Sleep Clinic

Prevalence and awareness of sleep disorders have grown over the past decade and Fort HealthCare’s Sleep Medicine program can address such issues as snoring, insomnia, restless legs, unrefreshed sleep, grogginess, and narcolepsy.

Pulmonary Evaluation

When you visit a Pulmonary Medicine physician for an evaluation, there are a number of tests and treatments they may choose to utilize. Several of the most common tests and treatments include:

• Bronchoscopy – a technique used to look at your air passages with a small camera that is located at the end of a flexible tube
• Echocardiogram – a test that looks at your heart’s structure and determine how well your heart is functioning as it is so closely tied to the functioning of your lungs
• Spirometry – a test that measures the amount of air the lungs can hold and how forcefully one can empty air from the lungs
• Oxygen Therapy – a treatment that provides you with supplemental oxygen
• Pulse Oximetry – a device that measure the saturation of oxygen carried in your red blood cells

These tools and treatment help the Pulmonary Medicine physician diagnose and treat lung conditions.