How to Choose an Asthma Specialist
Consult with your primary care physician., Get seen by an allergist., Consider seeing a pulmonologist.
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Consult with your primary care physician.
If your asthma is mild you may simply need to see your primary care physician to have it treated.
Your primary care doctor will be able to assess your condition and give you treatment for mild conditions.
Common signs of asthma include struggling to catch your breath, wheezing, coughing, or having tightness in your chest at night or after exercise.Good primary care physicians will be able to assess your condition and then decide whether they have the expertise to treat it or if you should be referred to a specialist.
If you are concerned that your primary care physician does not have the expertise to treat your condition effectively, you should ask them for a referral to a specialist to get a second opinion. -
Step 2: Get seen by an allergist.
An allergist is a pediatrician or an internist, which is a doctor who specializes in internal medicine, who has undergone specialized training about allergies and immunology.
You should choose to see an allergist if you know, or are suspicious, that your asthma is connected to allergic reactions.If you have any of these symptoms, you should probably be referred to an allergist:
Asthma is decreasing the quality of your life Your asthma medication is no longer controlling your condition. , A pulmonologist is a doctor that has specialized in treating diseases of the lungs and respiratory system.
They have completed several years of additional training after their residency to be considered a pulmonologist.
Most often, you will consult with a pulmonologist if you have been admitted to the hospital because of your asthma or if you have an especially complicated, serious, or confounding condition.Seeing a specialist, whether you see an allergist or pulmonologist and especially if you have severe asthma, will increase the likelihood of getting better asthma care and improve outcomes from treatment. -
Step 3: Consider seeing a pulmonologist.
Detailed Guide
If your asthma is mild you may simply need to see your primary care physician to have it treated.
Your primary care doctor will be able to assess your condition and give you treatment for mild conditions.
Common signs of asthma include struggling to catch your breath, wheezing, coughing, or having tightness in your chest at night or after exercise.Good primary care physicians will be able to assess your condition and then decide whether they have the expertise to treat it or if you should be referred to a specialist.
If you are concerned that your primary care physician does not have the expertise to treat your condition effectively, you should ask them for a referral to a specialist to get a second opinion.
An allergist is a pediatrician or an internist, which is a doctor who specializes in internal medicine, who has undergone specialized training about allergies and immunology.
You should choose to see an allergist if you know, or are suspicious, that your asthma is connected to allergic reactions.If you have any of these symptoms, you should probably be referred to an allergist:
Asthma is decreasing the quality of your life Your asthma medication is no longer controlling your condition. , A pulmonologist is a doctor that has specialized in treating diseases of the lungs and respiratory system.
They have completed several years of additional training after their residency to be considered a pulmonologist.
Most often, you will consult with a pulmonologist if you have been admitted to the hospital because of your asthma or if you have an especially complicated, serious, or confounding condition.Seeing a specialist, whether you see an allergist or pulmonologist and especially if you have severe asthma, will increase the likelihood of getting better asthma care and improve outcomes from treatment.
About the Author
Sarah Turner
Creates helpful guides on creative arts to inspire and educate readers.
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