Pulmonologist

What is a pulmonologist?

A pulmonologist is a physician who specializes in lung conditions. They diagnose and treat diseases of the respiratory system, including your airways, alveoli (air sacs in your lungs) and blood vessels.

You might hear people call pulmonologists lung doctors, lung specialists or chest doctors.

What does a pulmonologist do?

A pulmonologist can diagnose and treat respiratory system diseases. They might have certain areas that they specialize in, like critical care, asthma or sleep medicine. They might also specialize in treating certain age groups, like kids younger than 18 (pediatric pulmonologists) or people over 65 (geriatric pulmonologists).

What conditions do pulmonologists treat?

Pulmonologists treat various respiratory conditions and illnesses, including:

• Asbestosis.
• Aspergillosis.
• Asthma.
• Bronchiectasis.
• Bronchitis.
• Chronic beryllium disease (berylliosis).
• Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).
• Coal workers’ pneumoconiosis (black lung disease).
• Cystic fibrosis.
• Emphysema.
• Interstitial lung disease.
• Long COVID.
• Lung cancer.
• Pulmonary hypertension.
• Sarcoidosis.
• Silicosis.
• Sleep apnea.
• Tuberculosis.

Why would you need to see a pulmonologist?

If you have a respiratory condition that requires specialized testing, your primary care provider might refer you to a pulmonologist. Symptoms you might see a pulmonologist for include:

• A cough that doesn’t improve over time (chronic cough).
• Shortness of breath (dyspnea).
• Asthma attacks.
• Chest pain or tightness.
• Wheezing.
• Sleep apnea symptoms, like daytime tiredness or snoring.

What will a pulmonologist do on the first visit?

If it’s your first appointment with a pulmonologist, they’ll take a detailed medical history and do a physical examination. During this time, you can talk with your healthcare provider about the reasons you’re there and explain the details of your symptoms.

You might find it helpful to prepare notes in advance about things like:

• How long you’ve had symptoms.
• If you’ve noticed anything that triggers your symptoms (like respiratory illnesses, stress or seasonal changes).
• Anything you’ve noticed that makes your symptoms better or worse.
• Whether you smoke or vape, or if you used to.
• Whether your job, hobbies or living conditions could’ve exposed to you allergens or lung irritants (like secondhand smoke, chemicals, grains, livestock or birds).
• Whether anyone in your family has a respiratory condition.
• Any questions you have.

Before the end of the appointment, your provider might:

• Order tests.
• Schedule a follow-up visit.
• Recommend or prescribe treatments.
• Refer you to another provider.

What tests does a pulmonologist run?

Your pulmonologist might order some tests to help with diagnosis and treatment. These might include:

• Blood tests.
• Imaging tests like chest X-rays or CT scans (computed tomography scans).
• Pulmonary function tests.
• Spirometry.
• Bronchoscopy.
• Sleep studies.

You may have to repeat these tests in the future or have additional testing to confirm results.

What is the difference between a respiratory doctor and a pulmonary doctor?

Generally, a respiratory doctor and a pulmonary doctor are the same. But you might hear people use the term “respiratory doctor” when they mean a respiratory therapist, an allergist, or a thoracic surgeon. All of these are medical specializations that can manage different aspects of lung and airway conditions.

What’s the difference between a cardiologist and a pulmonologist?

The difference is the area of specialization. A cardiologist is an expert on the heart and cardiovascular diseases, while a pulmonologist is an expert on the lungs and respiratory diseases.

But your heart and lungs work together closely. If you have a condition like pulmonary hypertension, you may need to see both a cardiologist and a pulmonologist, since both your heart and lungs are involved.

How do you become a pulmonologist?

In the U.S., it takes several years of education and hands-on experience to become a pulmonologist. You’ll need to:

• Complete a bachelor’s degree, usually in an area related to medicine (like biology).
• Pass the Medical College Admission Test (MCAT) to get into a medical school.
• Earn a medical degree (this takes about four years).
• Complete a basic three-year residency program in internal medicine. (Pulmonary medicine is a subspecialty of internal medicine.)
• Complete two years of a fellowship in pulmonary disease, and often an extra year in critical care medicine.
• Become board-certified by the American Boards of Internal Medicine and Pulmonary Medicine.

You can also get board certification in pulmonary disease and critical care (treating serious illnesses in intensive care units in hospitals). You’ll have to complete a three-year fellowship that covers both areas. The American Board of Internal Medicine can grant certifications in each area.