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Respiratory medicine is the diagnosis and management of diseases affecting the airways, lungs, blood vessels, and the muscles and nerves involved in the process of breathing. These diseases are managed by a respiratory specialist in Melbourne (also known as pulmonologists or thoracic physicians), who usually undertake several years of training to become specialist doctors in this field.
If you are searching for a ‘respiratory physician near me,’ know that these specialists usually work in a multidisciplinary team which may include nurses, physiotherapists, and other specialists to provide the best care for their patients. Respiratory and sleep physicians are best placed to investigate symptoms such as shortness of breath, cough, wheezing, and chest pain.
Respiratory physicians diagnose and treat a variety of conditions, some of which include:
• Asthma
• Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD, sometimes also referred to as smoking-related lung disease)
• Interstitial lung disease
• Lung Cancer
• Bronchiectasis
• Pulmonary embolism
• Pleural disease (illnesses affecting the outer layer of the lung known as the pleura)
• Pneumonia
Respiratory physicians may need to arrange certain investigations to help determine the cause of the symptoms and diagnose the underlying condition. Some of these may include:
• Respiratory Function Tests (also known as lung function tests or more commonly referred to as breathing tests)
• Blood tests
• Sputum tests
• Imaging (usually in the form of chest x-ray, or CT scan)
• Bronchoscopy
If you are worried about any of the symptoms or conditions listed above, we would strongly recommend you see your local doctor to discuss further and if needed, suggest a referral to see a respiratory physician or a respiratory specialist in Melbourne.
Sleep medicine is the diagnosis and management of diseases that affect an individual’s ability to sleep well on a regular and consistent basis. A sleep physician is a highly trained and experienced specialist who diagnoses and treats problems related to sleep and sleep disorders.
Symptoms of sleep disorders vary from person to person. In general, those suffering from a sleep disorder usually describe:
• Poor / disrupted sleep
• Difficulty falling or staying asleep
• Snoring (which may significantly affect the individual’s bed partner)
• Unrefreshed sleep leading to daytime sleepiness and a strong urge to nap during the day
• Poor daytime concentration
• Mental health concerns
If you are concerned that you may be suffering from any of the above symptoms, we would strongly recommend you see your local doctor to discuss further and if needed, suggest a referral to see a respiratory and sleep physician. Based on your symptoms, the sleep physician may recommend a sleep study (which may be undertaken at home or in a hospital setting) to help diagnose the underlying condition.