Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) is a progressive lung disease that over time makes it hard to breathe. COPD is an all-encompassing condition which includes distinctive diseases such as asthma, bronchitis, and emphysema. Typically, you will experience tightening due to swelling, and inflammation of your airways. The flow of air becomes restricted as COPD progresses. COPD restricts the amount of oxygen that enters your body and waste carbon gas to be expelled from your body. Over time, this reduces your quality of life and makes you breathless.

A common long-term disease of the bronchial tubes caused by inflammation and infection. Asthma restricts the amount of oxygen that enters your body and waste carbon gas to be expelled from your body. Over time, this reduces your quality of life.

Inflammation of the lining of bronchial tubes, which carry air to and from the lungs. Sufferers experience ongoing infection and mucous (sputum) production with associated shortness of breath, chest heaviness, and worsening fatigue and exercise intolerance.

Emphysema is a breathing condition where the air sacs of the lungs continually deteriorate, making it progressively difficult to breathe. Emphysema is usually accompanied by chronic bronchitis, with almost daily or daily cough and phlegm.

Adult onset asthma usually appears following an upper respiratory infection and you continue to have some of the symptoms listed above. The above symptoms can be low grade for up to 10-30 years. Patients will be diagnosed as asthmatics; however, they are suffering with a low-grade infection that can be curable.

Chronic, low-grade infections stem from repetitive bouts of bronchitis and pneumonia. This is usually bacterial in nature and usually of an inhalation origin. This leads to chronic and repetitive coughing and bouts of bronchitis. The bacteria are never totally killed off and they go into hiding by your own immune system.

Chlamydia pneumoniae is a type of small, airborne bacteria that causes respiratory tract infections, such as bronchitis and pneumonia (lung infection). The bacteria cause illness by damaging the lining of the respiratory tract including the throat, bronchial tube, sinuses and lungs. Some people may become infected and have mild or no symptoms.

People spread C. pneumoniae by coughing or sneezing, which creates small respiratory droplets that contain the bacteria. Other people then breathe in the bacteria. People can also get sick if they touch something with droplets from a sick person on it and then touch their mouth or nose.

Most people who spend a short amount of time with someone who has C. pneumoniae infection usually do not become ill. However, it is common for the bacteria to spread between people who live together. C. pneumoniae infections usually have long incubation periods (the time between breathing in the bacteria and developing symptoms). Symptoms usually begin 3 to 4 weeks after exposure.

M. pneumoniae is spread from person to person. People without symptoms may carry the bacteria in their nose or throat at one time or another. People spread M. pnuemoniae by coughing or sneezing, which creates small respiratory droplets in the air that contain the bacteria. Other people then breathe in the bacteria.

Most people who spend a short amount of time with someone who is sick with M. pneumoniae do not become ill. However, it is common for bacteria to spread between people who live together. M. pneumoniae infections usually have long incubation periods (the time between breathing in the bacteria and developing symptoms). The incubation period is usually between 1 to 4 weeks.

M. pneumoniae outbreaks occur mostly in crowded settings like schools, college residence halls, military barracks, nursing homes, hospitals, and frequent airline travel. During school-based outbreaks, if people in the community get sick it is usually family members of ill school children.

Interstitial Cystitis is a bladder condition that usually consists of multiple symptoms. Most IC patients have recurring pelvis pain/pressure, or discomfort in the bladder and pelvic region, and urinary frequency.

IC may also be referred to as painful bladders syndrome (PBS), bladder pain syndrome (BPS), and chronic pelvic pain. Types of IC Researchers continue to study IC and investigate why IC symptoms can be different in different patients. Many believe that there may be additional subtypes, called phenotypes, of IC. This also helps to explain why there is such disparity in how IC patients respond to treatments. Currently, there are two recognized subtypes of IC: non-ulcerative and ulcerative. Non-ulcerative: 90% of IC patients have the non-ulcerative form of IC. Non-ulcerative IC presents with pinpoint hemorrhages, also known as glomerulations, in the bladder wall. However, these are not specific for IC and any inflammation of the bladder can give that appearance. Ulcerative: 5 to 10% of IC patients have the ulcerative form of IC. These patients usually have ulcers or patches, which are red, bleeding areas of the bladder wall.

Ureaplasma is a group of tiny bacteria that inhabit the respiratory and urogenital (urinary and reproductive) tract. They are some of the smallest free-living organisms in the world. They are so tiny that they can’t be seen through a microscope.

Ureaplasma is often a part of the human microbiome, which consists of trillions of tiny cells that live in and on the human body. These tiny organisms help you digest food, fight infections, and maintain reproductive health. Sometimes typically harmless bacteria overgrow and inflame healthy tissues. This creates a colony of bacteria that can lead to infection. Ureaplasma species have been linked to a variety of medical problems, including bacterial vaginosis and pregnancy complications. Ureaplasma infections appear to be associated with an increased risk of problems, but not their direct cause. However, research is inconclusive.

We offer an at-home sleep study to assess a patient breathing pattern during sleep.

Symptoms: Snoring, waking up tired, multiple episodes of waking up at night, partner noticing that you stop breathing, snorting, or have long periods between breaths, worsening tiredness and/or fatigue throughout the day.

Pre-Op testing is required for most major surgeries such as: open heart surgery, lung surgery, gastric/bowel surgery, urinary surgery, OBGYN surgery, and orthopedic surgery.