Why are Pulmonary Function Tests Performed Your doctor might arrange for Pulmonary Function tests (PFT) to evaluate how well your lungs are functioning. These are not blood tests but rather tests that are done by a trained technician in the clinic. You will be explained and demonstrated on how to perform the test. If you…
Read MoreHow Do Allergies Cause Asthma? An allergic response occurs when the body’s immune system proteins also called antibodies mistakenly identify a harmless substance, such as tree pollen or animal dander, and considers it as an invader (allergen). This misrecognition causes an allergic reaction to result. Antibodies formed by the body bind to the allergen in…
Read MoreAre allergies and asthma treated differently? Most treatments are designed to treat either asthma or allergic rhinitis. But a few treatments help with both conditions. The main treatment modalities include Antihistamine: They are a class of drugs that are commonly used to treat the symptoms of allergies including sneezing, itchy eyes and nose, rhinorrhea (runny…
Read MoreWhat is Monkeypox? What are common monkeypox symptoms? According to the CDC, monkeypox infections often last two to four weeks and start with flu like symptoms. Symptoms common in monkey pox are fever, headaches, muscle pains, and fatigue. Over time, fluid-filled pimples, sometimes known as “pox,” blisters or vesicles appear all over the skin. Health…
Read MoreThe use of oxygen as a medical treatment is called oxygen therapy, commonly referred to as supplementary oxygen. Carbon monoxide toxicity, cluster headaches, and hypoxemia (low blood oxygen levels) are some acute indications for treatment. It can also be administered as a preventative measure to keep blood oxygen levels stable while anesthesia is being induced.…
Read MoreThe hazards of smoking for heart health are numerous. Smoking can result in atherosclerosis resulting in problems such as gradual or sudden obstruction of critical blood vessels in the heart, abnormal heart beat or abnormal heart rhythms known as arrhythmias, as well as blood pressure also known as hypertension. These problems have the potential to…
Read MoreWHAT DOES PLEURAL EFFUSION MEAN? In normal conditions, our lungs are covered by two layers called pleura, which separate and protect the lungs from structures around it. Between these two layers, some amount of fluid is present, which lubricates the layers, while they rub against each other during breathing. Pleural effusion is a condition, in…
Read MoreWhat are investigations for diagnosing Pulmonary Embolism? A definitive diagnosis of Pulmonary Embolism requires a CTPA (computed tomography pulmonary angiogram). It is a non-invasive and safe procedure that helps visualise the location of the clot by injecting a dye (contrast) into the blood stream. Other related investigation are venous Doppler ultrasound of the lower limb…
Read MoreWhat is Pulmonary Embolism? Pulmonary Embolism is a condition in which a blood clot obstructs the vessels of the lung. This restricts the flow of the blood in the lungs causing low oxygen levels of oxygen in blood. A blood clot originates from the deep blood vessels of our lower extremities/limbs or pelvis region. From…
Read MoreWhat Is Pulmonary Edema? Pulmonary edema, or fluid in the lungs, is a condition caused by excess fluid collecting within the lungs themselves. Our lungs contain many small elastic sacs called alveoli. These air sacs expand with each breath and tend to take in oxygen while releasing carbon dioxide. This allows oxygen to reach…
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